Be still, my heart

Chapter 5: The present

The face that had always given her the softest look was now glaring at her, wincing in pain.

“Way to make an entrance,” Felix said, clearly annoyed.

“Uh…” Sky stammered, completely taken aback.

He didn’t move, just continued to stare at her. “Hey… Sky,” he said haltingly, raising a hand but hesitating before fully waving.

Sky was frozen, her feet rooted to the spot. Her whole body felt icy, and the color drained from her face.

She started to turn away, unsure of what to do, but he spoke again.

“It’s good to see you… though I hoped it would have been painless,” he added, chuckling awkwardly.

Sky swallowed hard, her throat suddenly dry. She wanted to speak, but the words tangled up inside her.

Felix shifted his weight, still holding that uncertain look—half annoyed, half amused, half… something else she couldn’t name.

“I… I didn’t expect—” Sky began, but stopped herself. What could she even say? Why are you here? Why now? Last Sky heard, he was still in Australia.

Felix’s lips quirked into that familiar, infuriating half-smile. “Yeah, I can see that,” he said softly, almost teasing, though his eyes were serious.

Sky’s stomach flipped. Memories—the teasing, the laughter, the way he always seemed to notice her more than anyone else—came rushing back. She could feel it all again, just like it had been years ago.

“Um…” she muttered, trying to steady herself. “I… didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Neither did I,” Felix admitted, lowering his hand but keeping his gaze locked on hers. “I actually just got back the other day.”

Sky’s heart skipped. She thought back to the tall figure she saw earlier, back at the cafe. Was that him?

She opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. Felix’s presence was overwhelming, familiar, and utterly disarming.

For a moment, the noisy party, the apartment hallway, everything around them faded. It was just the two of them, suspended in that split second, with a past that refused to stay buried.

Sky’s knees felt weak, and she took a small, unsteady step back.

“I—I’m so sorry,” she blurted, her voice higher than usual. Her hand flew to her chest as if to contain the sudden flutter of her heartbeat.

Felix raised an eyebrow, half-amused, half-exasperated. “For… what?”

Sky’s eyes darted around, avoiding his gaze for just a fraction of a second. “For… um… the door,” she stammered, realizing how ridiculous it sounded. “I didn’t mean to—”

He chuckled, a low, warm sound that made her stomach do another flip. “Relax, Sky. Really. It’s just a door.”

Sky blinked at him, still caught between embarrassment and disbelief. She wanted to laugh at how silly the situation was—and maybe at herself—but all she could do was stand there, frozen, her heartbeat hammering.

Felix took a careful step closer, still giving her that mischievous, disarming smile. “You always were dramatic,” he said softly.

Sky felt heat rush to her cheeks. “I—uh… not… really,” she mumbled, but her weak attempt at protest only made her seem even more flustered.

Felix’s grin widened, and for the first time since he appeared at her door, Sky felt the faintest sense of familiarity—and danger—simultaneously.

—————

Sky looked at Felix closely.

There he was—taller, older, still with that same mischievous spark in his eyes—and he was smiling. That grin made her stomach do a familiar flip.

She opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, another voice cut through.

“Sky! You’re here!”

Tommy strode over, casual and friendly, a drink in hand. “Hey, Sky. Just in time,” he said, giving her a welcoming smile while clapping Felix on the back.

Sky blinked, confused. She hadn’t realized these two knew each other. She assumed Felix came with the other guys. Felix’s grin widened, as if he had been expecting this exact moment.

“I see you two have met,” Tommy added.

Felix’s smile widened slightly. “We have, interestingly.”

Sky frowned slightly. She wasn’t sure why Felix hadn’t mentioned that they knew each other.

Tommy, oblivious to the tension simmering between them, nodded toward Felix. “Sky, this is Felix. Felix, meet Sky—my neighbor,” he said casually.

How do these two know each other? Sky thought, panic slowly rising in her chest.

Felix tilted his head toward Tommy, smirking slightly. “We go way back,” he said smoothly, as if answering the question she hadn’t voiced.

Sky swallowed hard, trying to steady herself. Felix’s gaze stayed locked on her, and that soft, familiar look made her knees feel weak.

Tommy, sensing her hesitation but not the history behind it, laughed lightly. “Come on in, Sky. Grab something to drink. The boys are waiting for you, the party’s just getting started.”

Felix gave Sky a small, knowing smile. “After you, neighbor,” he said, his voice low, meant only for her.

Sky stepped inside, her heart racing, caught between the past she never expected to see again and the present she suddenly didn’t know how to handle.

Tonight was going to be… complicated.