Chapter 10 – Sparks in the Hall 🥳🥳🥳
594 Words
😭😭😭😭
Charlotte adjusted the last centerpiece, carefully straightening the ribbons. The hall was quiet, golden sunlight streaming through the tall windows. Every detail had to be perfect, but even amidst the calm, she could feel the tension building again.
“You’re still adjusting that?” Alexander’s voice broke through the silence.
Charlotte jumped slightly. “I’m making sure it’s perfect,” she said, keeping her tone firm.
He leaned against the table nearby, hands in his pockets, smirk tugging at his lips. “Everything looks perfect already. You’re obsessing.”
“I’m not obsessing,” Charlotte replied, though she felt her pulse quicken. “I just care.”
Alexander took a step closer, reducing the space between them. “Careful, or I’ll start thinking you actually like this place more than you like me.”
Charlotte rolled her eyes but didn’t move away. His presence was magnetic, impossible to ignore. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Maybe,” he admitted, glancing at the tablecloth she was adjusting. “But look at you—focused, stubborn, perfect. It’s… distracting.”
Charlotte felt heat rise to her cheeks. She looked down, pretending to focus on the ribbon, though every movement made her acutely aware of how close he stood.
A small laugh escaped her. “Distracting me?”
“Exactly,” he said, smirking. “I can feel your heartbeat from here.”
Charlotte froze, heart thudding in her chest. “Stop exaggerating.”
“Am I?” Alexander leaned slightly closer to check the table’s alignment. Their shoulders brushed, just enough to make Charlotte’s breath catch.
She swallowed, forcing herself to step back. “I’m fine,” she said quickly, though she wasn’t entirely sure she believed it.
He raised an eyebrow. “Fine?” His tone suggested he didn’t believe her either.
Later, Charlotte climbed a small ladder to adjust the hanging garlands above the dance floor. Alexander stood below, ready to steady the ladder. “Careful,” he said softly.
“I’m fine,” she replied, though her fingers trembled slightly.
When her balance shifted unexpectedly, Alexander’s hands shot out, steadying her immediately. She felt the warmth of his body so close it was impossible to ignore.
“See?” he said quietly. “Maybe listen when someone tells you to be careful.”
Charlotte looked at him, heart racing, feeling the pull of proximity and tension. “I… I didn’t need saving.”
“You did,” he said simply, his voice low. “And you know it.”
Charlotte’s breath caught. She stepped down from the ladder, forcing her hands to stay at her sides. Her chest felt tight, her mind spinning. Alexander’s eyes lingered on her longer than necessary, and she hated how much it made her heart skip.
“You’re impossible,” she muttered.
“Not as impossible as you think,” he replied, lips curling into a faint smile.
Charlotte shook her head, trying to regain composure. Every touch, every glance, every word had sent her emotions into chaos. And yet, she knew this was far from over.
As she gathered her things to leave, Alexander remained near the doorway, watching her, the tension between them unbroken. She realized that with every passing day, the slow burn between them grew hotter, and neither of them had the courage or desire to put it out.
She glanced back one last time before leaving, and Alexander’s eyes held hers. Neither moved. Neither spoke. And in that moment, Charlotte knew that whatever this was whatever it had become was impossible to ignore.
- Writer
