love element

Jaden barely made it a block away from Emilia's apartment before he had to pull over. His chest felt tight, and his mind was racing with everything she'd said.

She wanted more.

He ran a hand over his face, trying to steady himself. The truth was, he wanted more too—had wanted it for a while now. But letting himself fall for Emilia wasn't supposed to happen. It was supposed to be simple: help her, encourage her, and keep things light.

So why did walking away feel like the biggest mistake he'd ever made?

The Next Morning

Jaden woke up restless, his mind still replaying the conversation with Emilia. Every word, every look, every moment was etched into his thoughts.

He spent the day throwing himself into work, but it didn't help. His usual distractions—meetings, errands, even a run in the park—did nothing to dull the ache in his chest.

By the evening, he found himself sitting on the couch, staring at his phone.

You mean too much to me.

He'd said those words to her, and they were true. But what he hadn't said—what he couldn't bring himself to admit—was that he was terrified. Terrified of messing up, of losing her, of ruining the one good thing in his life that felt real.

But what if walking away was the real mistake?

A Familiar Place

Before he knew it, Jaden was standing outside Emilia's apartment. He hadn't planned to come here, but his feet had carried him anyway.

He hesitated, his hand hovering over the door. What was he even going to say? That he'd changed his mind? That he was a coward for running?

Before he could knock, the door opened.

"Jaden?" Emilia stood there, clearly surprised to see him.

"Hey," he said, his voice rough.

She crossed her arms, leaning against the doorframe. "What are you doing here?"

"I don't know," he admitted, his shoulders sagging. "I just... I couldn't stop thinking about what you said last night."

Her expression softened, but she didn't say anything, waiting for him to continue.

"You were right," he said finally. "I've been holding back because I'm scared. I thought I was protecting us, protecting you. But maybe all I've been doing is running away."

Emilia's heart raced as she took in his words. "Jaden..."

"I don't want to run anymore," he said, his voice steady now. "But I don't want to mess this up either. I don't know how to do this—how to be... us. But I want to try."

Her lips parted in surprise, and for a moment, she couldn't speak. The vulnerability in his eyes was something she hadn't seen before.

"You don't have to have it all figured out," she said softly, stepping closer. "We'll figure it out together."

Jaden exhaled, the tension in his shoulders finally releasing. "I don't deserve you, you know."

"That's not your call to make," she replied with a small smile.

He laughed, and the sound was like a weight lifting from the room.

Crossing the Line

Without thinking, Jaden reached out and cupped her face in his hands. Emilia's breath hitched as he looked at her, his expression filled with both fear and longing.

"Tell me to stop," he whispered, his voice trembling.

She shook her head. "Don't stop."

That was all he needed. He closed the distance between them, his lips capturing hers in a kiss that felt like it had been building for months.

It wasn't perfect—there was too much emotion, too much hesitation—but it was real. And for the first time, Jaden let himself believe that maybe, just maybe, this could work.

When they finally pulled apart, Emilia rested her forehead against his, a soft smile playing on her lips.

"See?" she whispered. "That wasn't so hard."

Jaden chuckled, his arms still around her. "You're impossible."

"And you love it," she teased.

He didn't deny it.

A New Beginning

That night, they didn't make any grand declarations or promises. They simply sat together, talking about everything and nothing, their walls finally coming down.

It wasn't perfect, and it wouldn't always be easy. But for the first time, they were on the same page.

And for now, that was enough.