Chapter 96: Between The Lines
333 Words
The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur for Maria. Her mind kept circling back to Daniel’s words—Then don’t believe my words. Watch what I do.
It sounded simple, but nothing about Daniel ever felt simple.
When she sat in the library later, pretending to study, her thoughts betrayed her. She caught herself glancing at the door every time it creaked, half-expecting him to walk in. Instead, it was Emeka who flopped down beside her, nearly knocking her books off the table.
“You’ve been staring at the same page for fifteen minutes,” he teased, raising his brows. “Thinking about our boy, aren’t you?”
Maria snapped the book shut, glaring at him though her cheeks burned. “I’m not.”
“Sure,” Emeka drawled, smirking. “And I’m about to win the Nobel Prize for daydreaming.”
Before Maria could retort, the library door creaked again. This time, it was Daniel. He scanned the room quickly, and his eyes found hers with unnerving precision. He didn’t smirk or call attention to himself. Instead, he gave her a small, deliberate nod—subtle, calm, and almost reassuring. Then he walked to another section without another glance.
Maria froze. The nod lingered in her mind longer than it should have. He hadn’t demanded her attention, hadn’t tried to corner her, hadn’t even spoken. Yet that tiny gesture carried weight, as if he was telling her silently: I see you. I’m not rushing you. I’ll wait.
“See?” Emeka whispered, leaning closer with a grin. “That boy is serious. I don’t think he’s playing anymore.”
Maria bit her lip, trying to steady her pulse. Daniel wasn’t fighting her anymore—he was giving her space. And somehow, that was more dangerous than all his teasing combined.
That night, as she scribbled in her journal, her words came out heavy, almost trembling across the page: If trust is a gamble, am I ready to risk it all?
- Writer
