Silas could see how confused Chloe was. He felt the shift between them, but he wasn't sure if she was ready to acknowledge it. So, he chose to play it cool, for now.
Chloe's breath caught in her throat at Silas' words. She forced herself to smile, hoping it didn't show how much his words and actions rattled her.
Silas stepped forward, his hand still lingering in the air after brushing Chloe's hair behind her ear. For a moment, neither of them said anything, the soft night breeze carrying the faint sound of distant traffic. Chloe stood still, her gaze locked with his, but her thoughts raced in a thousand directions.
Chloe could feel the warmth of his hand still hovering near her face, and every nerve in her body was telling her to step away, break the moment before it overwhelmed her. Yet, her feet stayed firmly planted, as if some part of her wasn't ready to let go.
"I, uh..." she began, trying to find her words, but they seemed lost somewhere between the odd fluttering in her stomach and the sudden awareness of how close Silas was standing.
Silas smiled, a small, knowing smile that made Chloe's heart skip. He knew exactly what she was feeling, even if she didn't want to admit it—not yet. "You don't have to say anything, Chloe," he said softly, his voice just above a whisper.
His words felt like a permission she didn't realize she needed, but it only made her more confused. Why was he acting so calm about this? About them?
"Why are you being so..." She struggled to find the right word, her eyes searching his face. "...so different?"
She had spent all night keeping her feelings in check, but somehow Silas' calm persistence was making everything bubble to the surface, and that scared her.
Silas laughed softly, his laugh low and comforting. "Maybe you're the one who's changed," he said, his gaze not wavering from hers. "Or maybe you're just seeing me differently now."
Silas would be lying if he said he wasn't happy with how things were going between him and Chloe. He had come here hoping for this, but who knew it would actually happen?
Chloe felt her cheeks heat up, and she instantly looked away, staring at the pavement.
'Am I?' The thought bounced around in her mind. She didn't want to acknowledge it, but deep down, she knew he was right.
She had always seen Silas as the goofy "ogre"—someone who had always been weak, vulnerable, and somewhat of a pushover, but she had never thought of him other than someone like a friend. But now, her heart was betraying her, stirring at the thought of him as something more
"Don't go making things complicated," she said quickly, half-joking, trying to diffuse the moment before it spiraled into something she wasn't ready to confront. Her voice was light, but it carried a slight edge of nervousness.
Silas tilted his head, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. "Complicated? Since when did I ever complicate anything?" He stuffed his hands in his pockets, taking a step back, giving her the space she seemed to need.
Chloe exhaled, grateful for the distance, but at the same time, she felt a twinge of disappointment. "You haven't," she admitted. "But this... whatever this is—"
"Chloe," he interrupted gently, stepping back into her space, his expression more serious now. "I'm not trying to make anything uncomfortable for you. I'm just being honest."
As they reached the car, Silas walked forward and opened the door for her.
Chloe smiled at this and nodded before getting into the car.
After she had gotten in, Silas walked to the driver's side and got in. He started the car and drove off towards Chloe's house.
The drive to Chloe's place was a silent one. The atmosphere between the two of them was awkward, and it kept getting even more awkward by the second.
Chloe had a lot of thoughts running through her head. What had just happened at the restaurant? Everything felt off, but strangely right at the same time. This was also coupled with the strange dreams she'd been having for the last two months. It made her feel something she didn't understand and no knowledge on how to explain it.
The two of them kept to themselves throughout the drive, focusing on the road ahead.
A few minutes later, Silas parked the car in front of Chloe's house, and the two of them got out of the car.
Chloe immediately wanted to head inside the house, but she stopped and turned to face him. She opened her mouth to say something—thank him, maybe, or make another joke to lighten the mood—but before she could, Silas walked towards her and leaned down, pressing a soft, quick kiss to her cheek.
It was over before she could process it, but the warmth lingered on her skin, sending a shiver down her spine.
"Goodnight, Chloe," he said, his voice just above a whisper, as if the kiss had meant nothing, but the look in his eyes said otherwise.
Chloe blinked, momentarily frozen, but then she forced a smile. "Goodnight, Silas," she replied, her voice steadier than she felt inside.
Silas took a step back, nodding once before turning and walking towards his car. Chloe watched him leave, her hand instinctively touching the spot on her cheek where his lips had been.
Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, but one thing was clear: nothing about her relationship with Silas was going to be the same after tonight.
And maybe... just maybe, she was okay with that.
She slowly turned and started walking toward the entrance of the building. As she walked, her heart was still racing, but this time, she wasn't confused. She smiled to herself, a soft, almost shy smile.
'This could get interesting.'
With that thought lingering in her mind, Chloe turned back to look at Silas one more time. When she saw that he was still standing where he was, she smiled and turned to open the door.
Still feeling the warmth of Silas's kiss burning on her cheek, she smiled even brighter and walked into the house.