(Author’s POV)

She touched her lips carefully; her fingers lingered there for a while. She could still feel the warmth, the heat coming from her skin where Dion had touched her.

Her mind was ready to enter a race of wild, impulsive thoughts, but she shut them down before they could, "MYRA .... WHAT ARE YOU DOING? You made a mess of yourself out there. And now~ .... damn it~ .... why do you keep reacting like this, huhh? You need to get a hold of your emotions. You need to show a strong front. You need to remain unaffected," She mumbled to herself.

She splashed cold water on her face, which brought her back to her senses a bit. She then vowed to herself, looking at her reflection, "Our worlds~ ... they are poles apart. So, snap out of these fucking illusions, right now. This is all wrong. Whatever these feelings are, whatever they mean, just know, they shouldn’t exist. Do not~ ... I repeat~ ... do fucking not entertain any such thoughts."

With this determination, she walked out of her room confidently. But when she noticed someone was already waiting for her, her steps halted. Clearing her throat, she spoke with a polite smile, "Elio, what are you doing here?"

"Ummm~ .... I~ ... I just came to check up on you. You alright?" he asked, taking a step closer.

Myra, reflexively, took a step back, in an attempt to create some space, "I am fine. Thanks for your concern."

Elio’s eyes flickered unmistakably. To him, she sounded distant. "Myra, did I do something wrong?" he inquired, not being able to hold himself any longer.

"Huhh?" Myra pursed her lips, then answered, "No, not at all. Why would you ask that?"

"So, have you been avoiding my gaze?" he questioned, closing the gap. His pitch came out a bit abnormal. Leo was getting distressed.

"You must have~ ... you must have been mistaken. I did not~ ...." Myra fumbled with her words as she backed away, but soon her back hit the door. The change in him took her by utter surprise; her breath caught in her throat. Just a few moments ago, she had vowed to pull herself together and keep a safe distance, but now he was dangerously close, shaking her resolve like a leaf in a sudden autumn gale.

He was now standing right in front of her, just a few inches away. Pulling her chin up, he met her hazel gaze. With an earnest, almost a desperate face, he voiced, "Don’t lie to me. I can tell when you are lying and when you are not. Tell me~ ... tell me, what did I do wrong, Myra? Why are you trying to keep a distance from me? Why are you doing this?" He pressed his hands firmly on her shoulders, trapping her.

Seeing him like this, she was overcome with guilt. Her heart thumped with raw anguish as her grip on her dress hardened, crumbling it. She didn’t know what to say, what to answer.

He sensed her caving. His voice wavered as he leaned closer to hers, their foreheads now touching, "Don’t do this to me. Please~ ... Myra. Don’t do this again. Don’t close up. Don’t push me away. You are my ma~ ...." The rest of his words were left unspoken as they both heard heavy footsteps ascending the stairs.

Panicking, Myra, in a flash, snapped out of her trance mode and pushed Elio with whatever strength she had left.

"Uhh~ ... sis, Elio, what’s going on?" Wendy asked, her brows creased, her head slightly tilted.

"I was just checking up on her," Elio, with his usual tone, spoke. He had slid back into his normal cool self. "We were just coming down. By the way, what brings you upstairs?"

"Ohhh~ .... I was just~ ...." she hesitated, then looked at Myra. "Sis, Mom and Dad are calling for you."

"We shall head down then," Elio said and started walking, but Wendy interrupted, "Umm~ ... Elio, can you~ ... can you stay for a while? There is an assignment project I need your opinion on. Can you help me with it? Please ...." She blinked innocently, batting her lashes, waiting for his reply.

Myra, whose feet were already in motion, flinched listening to her words. She knew exactly what Wendy was talking about.

Elio, without much thought, nodded. Wendy then turned to Myra. Giving her a bright smile, she said, "Sis, you should not let them wait." She ended her words with a knowing wink. And of course, Elio didn’t see any of that.

Myra went downstairs, but her mind was still revolving around what had just happened outside her room and what could be happening now, between her sister and Elio. Her heart palpitated erratically as a sunken feeling started to take root.

"Myra, my child ... are you fine now?" Sandra asked. Myra blinked several times, looking at her mother’s obviously concerned expression. She nodded, "Yeah."

"It’s good then," Sandra patted her shoulders.

"What were you calling me for?" she questioned.

"I? I didn’t call you~ ...." Sandra commented. "Huhhh?" Myra’s brows wrinkled, but she instantly understood, and her jaw tightened.

Sara came closer, interrupting them, "Sandra, the dinner you and William prepared was absolutely wonderful. I ate more than I could, haha."

"Yeah, Aunt Sandra. You are the best," Nora chimed in.

Stroking her cheek affectionately, Sandra replied, "Stop with the flattery, umm hmm~ ...."

"No, no. I swear. You and Uncle Will should open your own YouTube channel and share your recipes. You will have millions of followers in no time," Nora was praising them to the nines.

"Then you will have to help us, hmm," William commented, wiping his hands as he came out of the kitchen. "Done deal," Nora was thrilled.

"I volunteer as well," Dion added. "I know a thing or two about social media. So, I can help in that aspect." He would not let a single opportunity pass to impress his future in-laws.

"Hahaha~ ... what lovely children," Sandra laughed heartily.

Soon, it was time for them to depart, but neither Elio nor Wendy had come down yet. So, Brave suggested, "I will stay back and come later with Elio. Dion, take Mother and Nora back first."

Though Dion didn’t want to leave, he had no choice. As they all went outside, Sara hugged Sandra, "Let’s keep in touch, hmm." Sandra nodded in the affirmative. The car zoomed off, leaving the Miracles, Yelena and Brave.

They all started to walk inside when Brave whispered, "Myra, do you remember the promise?"

Myra, whose entire attention was on the two people inside the house, jumped like a scaredy cat. Then, recalling his words, she said, "I do remember." She quickly turned to her folks and told them, "Mom, Dad, Yelena, you all go inside first. I have something to discuss with Brave. We will go on a short walk."

"Ohk~ ... but don’t go too far," William spoke. Myra nodded as they headed down the road.

Yelena stared at their figure, and only when Sandra called her name, "Yelena, why are you standing there?" did she retrieve her gaze and walk inside the house.

To Be Continued . . . . . . . .