Chapter 71

The air crackled with unspoken emotions, a palpable tension hanging between Ava and Alex in the quiet of the living room. They sat close, the space between them filled with a mixture of longing and hesitation.

Ava gathered her courage, her heart pounding as she looked at Alex. " I've been thinking... about us " she began, her voice steady but tinged with vulnerability.

Alex listened intently, his eyes fixed on her, waiting for her next words.

" I know things have been complicated, and I've been distant " Ava continued, her gaze locked with his. " But I don't want to keep avoiding what's between us "

Alex nodded slowly, a mixture of hope and apprehension evident in his expression. " I've felt it too, Ava. I've missed being close to you, your presence, laughter, everything " he admitted, his voice tinged with sincerity.

Their eyes held a silent conversation, speaking volumes about the unspoken emotions that had been simmering beneath the surface for far too long.

" I want to try, Alex " Ava said softly, her voice tinged with determination. " I want to work things out between us "

A glimmer of hope shone in Alex's eyes as he reached out, gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind Ava's ear. " I want that too " he confessed, his touch lingering for a moment longer.

The weight of their unspoken words hung in the air, the anticipation of what could be lingering between them. Both felt the magnetic pull, a yearning to bridge the gap that had grown between them.

As the clock ticked in the background, neither moved, neither breaking the fragile silence that enveloped them.

Ava took a deep breath, breaking the quietude. " Maybe we can start by talking more, being honest " she suggested, her voice barely above a whisper.

Alex nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. " I'd like that " he replied, his eyes softening as he gazed at her.

" Which leads me to ask, why have you been acting weird lately? " He asked curiously.

Ava sighed " I felt our relationship is undefined, felt I don't deserve you, felt you deserve a classy lady... "

Alex put up a hand to stop " Okay , I've had enough. Ava, what are you talking about? Did anyone say something to you? " He asked, starting to get worried.

She shook her head quickly, too fast that Alex confirmed it that someone had really been feeding her lies. He would find out who the person was, he told himself.

" No one told me anything, I just felt... " She started but Alex didn't allow her to finish her sentence because he interrupted

" It's fine Ava, I've heard you " He said with a small smile.

They sat there, two souls on the brink of rediscovering each other, the weight of their unspoken desires and emotions lingering in the air.

The tension between Ava and Alex slowly dissipated, replaced by a tentative sense of hope and willingness to bridge the emotional gap that had separated them.

Ava turned to face Alex more directly, her eyes reflecting a mix of vulnerability and determination. " I want to understand, Alex. What happened between us? " she asked, her voice tinged with a desire for clarity.

Alex eyed her " You just explained what happened "

Alex sighed, running a hand through his hair, his gaze fixed on the floor as he gathered his thoughts. " But really, I don't know, Ava. Things just... changed. You changed " he admitted, a hint of sadness coloring his words.

Silence lingered between them, punctuated only by the faint ticking of the clock. Both were lost in their own thoughts, grappling with the complexities of their feelings and the unspoken words that hung heavy in the air.

" I miss how things used to be between us " Ava confessed softly, her eyes brimming with emotion. " I miss us, Alex "

He looked up, meeting her gaze, and a wave of longing washed over him. " I do too " he murmured, his voice filled with a mix of remorse and yearning.

Ava moved closer, the space between them narrowing as she reached out, tentatively taking his hand in hers. " Can we try to find our way back? " she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Alex's heart skipped a beat at her touch, his eyes searching hers for a moment before he nodded slowly. " I want to, Ava. More than anything " he replied earnestly, his thumb gently tracing circles on her hand.

Their connection felt fragile yet filled with unspoken promises, a silent agreement to navigate the complexities together.

" I think we owe it to ourselves to try " Ava said softly, a small smile gracing her lips as she squeezed his hand.

Alex returned the smile, a weight lifting off his shoulders. " We'll take it one step at a time " he agreed, feeling a sense of hope rekindling within him.

" I love you " He said softly. Ava wouldn't have heard him if she hadn't strained her ears.

" Huh? " She asked, wanting to be sure if she really heard him well.

" I love you, Ava " He repeated, louder this time. " I love you so much "

Ava covered her mouth with a hand and went still. It was as if she couldn't believe he really said that to her.

" You love me? " She asked in a whisper.

He nodded " Yeah I do. Don't tell me you doubted that for a minute "

She pouted " Well, how was I supposed to know that you love me when you've never said it before "

" Now you know ma'am " He teased and held her close. She returned to his room that night.

As the night wore on, their conversation continued, filled with candid revelations and a growing sense of understanding. They vowed to communicate more openly, to rebuild what had been lost, and to embrace the possibility of rediscovering their love.