The Attraction Slips

The rain hadn’t stopped.

Hours had crawled by, and still the storm lashed against the library windows, trapping them in a world of thunder and shadows. The storm outside was merciless, but the storm inside between sharp words, stubborn silences, and stolen glances was worse.

Chinno pressed her fingers to her temples, groaning softly. “I can’t think anymore. My head’s splitting.”

For once, William didn’t have a smirk ready, no sarcastic jab balanced on the tip of his tongue. He studied her quietly. Her usually sharp posture had wilted with fatigue. Strands of hair had slipped loose from her tie, falling in soft waves around her face. She looked exhausted, vulnerable in a way he had never seen.

Something in his chest tightened, unfamiliar and unwelcome.

Without a word, William pushed his jacket across the table toward her. “Here. You’re freezing.”

Her eyes flicked to his, suspicious. “What game are you playing now?”

“No game,” he said, his voice softer than she’d ever heard it. “Just… take it.”

Hesitation flickered across her face, but finally, she pulled the jacket around her shoulders. It was too big on her, heavy, and warm. The scent clung to it smoke, cedarwood, something dark and grounding. Dangerous and comforting all at once. She swallowed hard, refusing to let him see the effect it had.

Silence settled between them again. They bent over their notes, the scratching of pens and the rumble of thunder filling the room. But exhaustion clung to Chinno like a second skin. Her pen slipped from her grip, tumbling to the floor and rolling under the desk. She reached down to grab it, only for her fingers to brush against his at the same moment.

The contact was electric.

Both froze. Neither pulled away.

Her heart thudded violently against her ribs. She should retreat, snatch her hand back, build her walls higher. But she didn’t. And neither did he. His hand stayed, warm, steady, daring.

Her throat tightened. Words slipped out before she could stop them.

“Why do you do this?”

His eyes met hers, darker than usual, quieter. “Do what?”

“Act like you don’t care… then suddenly… this.” She gestured weakly between them, the jacket around her shoulders, their hands still lingering too close.

For a moment, William didn’t speak. His gaze, usually full of arrogance, carried something raw. Something unguarded. He looked tired. Honest.

“Because if I let myself care…” His voice dropped, rough and unsteady. “I won’t be able to stop.”

The words split her open like lightning across the sky.

She stared at him really stared and for the first time, she didn’t see the spoiled, cocky prince. She saw the boy beneath. The boy who laughed too loudly to hide his shadows. The boy who wore arrogance like armor because anything softer would hurt too much.

The air shifted between them. Softer. Warmer. Dangerous.

Her lips parted, breath shaky. His gaze flickered down to her mouth before snapping back to her eyes. For once, he looked almost… afraid.

Chinno’s pulse raced, betraying her. But she forced her voice steady, brittle. “We should finish the project.”

She pulled her hand away, clutching the pen like a lifeline. His hand lingered a second too long before retreating, his expression unreadable.

The storm outside roared, unrelenting. But inside, something else cracked something far more dangerous than thunder.

The wall between them was breaking.

And both of them knew it.

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