Uncharted Hearts: From Casual to Forever

009~ MY HEART,

Aria

Involuntarily, a surge of instinct urged me to turn away, a desperate yearning to escape coursing through my veins. But my attempt at an unspoken exit was thwarted when Theo, in his conniving manner, seized my arm, his voice a sinister whisper that sent shivers down my spine, "You are going nowhere, Miss."

A flash of Theo's infuriatingly charming smile ensued, and in that moment, I fought the overwhelming impulse to slap some sense into him.

In the luminous VIP room of the restaurant, Lucas effortlessly commanded attention, occupying a seat with an air of undisputed authority.

He sat with an air of confidence, dressed impeccably in a tailored navy suit that accentuated his broad shoulders. The crisp white shirt he wore underneath added a touch of sophistication, and a hint of a burgundy tie completed the ensemble.

His posture exuded authority, leaning slightly forward as he focused on the conversation at hand. His dishevelled, dark hair fell casually onto his forehead, adding a touch of rugged charm to his otherwise polished appearance. I couldn't help but feel a flutter in my chest as I watched him, absorbed in the intensity of the discussion.

What struck me most was the seriousness etched on his features. The furrow in his brow, the subtle clenching of his jaw – it was evident that the topic at hand held significant weight. As I observed him from the entrance, a mix of admiration and intrigue welled up within me.

Theo graciously extended an invitation for me to enter, as Lucas dismissed the man standing beside him. Time seemed to pause when his gaze collided with mine, his frown morphing into a mischievous smile. In that suspended moment, a sense of foreboding whispered that this was a wrong choice.

The rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins was palpable, and a delicate heat tinged my cheeks. I wondered if the room could hear the accelerated rhythm of my breathing.

Suddenly, the once spacious room felt confined, and an irrational urge to disappear overwhelmed me. I wished for nothing more than the ground to open up and swallow me whole.

Our last encounter lingered in my mind—a bitter exchange that ended with me unfairly lashing out at him. Now, in the same room, the awkwardness was suffocating.

"Well, look who decided to grace us with her presence," Lucas declared, rising gracefully from his seat and circling the table to greet me.

His charming grin illuminated the room as he playfully exclaimed, "Long time no see, Aria."

I couldn't resist injecting a playful jab, "If I remember correctly, you were in my house last week."

His laughter echoed in the room, a delightful sound as he teased, "How do you manage to get hotter every time I see you?" A mischievous smile lingered on his face.

In an attempt to diffuse the burgeoning tension, I responded casually, "Do you want tips?"

Lucas, surprising me with a touch of chivalry, pulled out a chair, extending a gesture of politeness. Expressing my gratitude, I took my seat, appreciating the unexpected courtesy.

He settled into the seat beside me, and Theo, seizing the moment with playful banter, remarked, "Chicks before bros, I see," as he took his seat, adding a light-hearted touch to the gathering.

The waiter glided in, effortlessly jotting down our orders with practised efficiency. Before long, an array of dishes adorned our table, tempting us with their aromatic allure.

As we delved into our meals, I couldn't escape the magnetic pull of Lucas's intense gaze. A subtle dance unfolded each time our eyes met – he looked away swiftly, injecting an unexpected challenge into the dining experience. Eating became a delicate balance of enjoying the food and navigating the unspoken tension.

The rhythmic clicking of my fork against the plate echoed my growing frustration.

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, I turned to Lucas and demanded, "Is there anything on my face?"

Propping his elbow on the table, he leaned in, the proximity not too close but enough to send a subtle shiver through me.

It was at this moment that I noticed the crispness of his freshly shaved jaw, my eyes involuntarily tracing the curve of his red, thin lips as he spoke. A sensation, both forbidden and undeniable, throbbed between my legs, my mind wandering to places it shouldn't tread.

"If you keep studying my lips like that, I might interpret it as an invitation to kiss you," he slyly remarked, a mischievous grin playing on his lips.

Flustered, I immediately averted my gaze, feeling the heat creep up my cheeks. Attempting to regain composure, I immersed myself in my meal, yet the awareness of his lingering gaze persisted.

Theo, with perceptive suspicion, narrowed his eyes and probed, "So are you still denying you two don't know each other?"

Crafting a deliberately vague reply, I said, "He was quite popular in college, hard not to know him," strategically omitting any mention of our personal history.

"Doesn't seeing each other's nake..."

Anticipating his words, I swiftly intercepted by grabbing a forkful of food and playfully shoving it into his mouth, effectively silencing him.

A sly and intimidating smile accompanied my action, conveying a clear unspoken message: "I will kill you if you keep talking."

Lucas nodded, smiling as he chewed, and decided to add an extra layer of mischief. Using his thumb, he wiped the corner of his lips, then licked it while maintaining eye contact. "Very sweet," he declared.

I swallowed hard, the heat coursing through my body at his audacious action and suggestive words. An unspoken understanding lingered, and I couldn't shake the feeling that his remark went beyond the realm of discussing food. However, the details remained veiled, and I wasn't prepared to unravel them just yet.

After lunch, Theo, the betrayer, cunningly abandoned me alone with Lucas when it was time to go. Cursing him in my heart, I promised to deal with him the next time we met. He claimed to have something to do, but the sly grin on his face said otherwise.

"Let me drop you off," Lucas offered as we strolled outside the restaurant.

"Don't worry, I can get a cab," I replied, determined not to be in the same car with him.

"I am hurt. You wouldn't have refused if it was Theo. To think you value him more than me when we were friends in college," Lucas said, feigning hurt.

Sighing, I felt a twinge of guilt. It was about time to apologize for my attitude during our last encounter.

"Okay," I sighed, relenting.

He turned to me, a mischievous grin on his face, revealing that he had been faking his hurt.

The valet drove his car before us, handing the key over to Lucas. Being the gentleman he was not, he opened the car door for me, bowing dramatically. I playfully patted his back as I entered, and he closed the door before walking around the car to the driver's side.

"I like your car, but it is nowhere near my sister's," I joked.

"Mine costs more than hers," he mused. As we drove out of the restaurant, I seized the opportunity to sincerely apologize.

"I am sorry for how I reacted the other day. I was stressed, and the way you acted like we didn't end things on a bad note frustrated me," I confessed.

Lucas, ever easygoing, reassured me, "I've forgotten all about that. You know me; I don't dwell on things that much." His carefree attitude made me envious. If I could discard my feelings as effortlessly, I would have done so long ago.

"We did end things on a bad note. I know it affected your college life, and I am sorry; I thought you would have forgotten everything after three years," he said. Yeah, I should have forgotten it.

It happened years ago, and it wasn't entirely his fault.

"Were you thinking about it all this while?" he asked.

Attempting to save face, I lied, "No, I just remembered it when I saw you."

He saw through my façade, chuckling, "Liar, you seem to forget I know when you are lying, Aria."

"You must have thought about it a lot. Did you think about it when you abandoned me three years ago?" he asked, and I was quick to defend myself.

"I didn't abandon you. You were in a relationship, and I didn't want to be a third wheel."

"I thought you meant you didn't want to continue the physical aspect, but it translated into not seeing each other again. I forgot that before anything else, we were friends. I searched for you, but you weren't in your lodge; you even blocked my number."

"The most frustrating part was realizing I didn't know you. I didn't know your other friends or your family. If I had been more attentive, we wouldn't have been separated for three years," he gritted his teeth, his grip on the steering wheel tightening as he expressed his frustration.

I averted my gaze, peering out of the window, grappling with the realization that I had inadvertently shattered our friendship.

At that moment, my focus was solely on distancing myself from the person I loved, my mind temporarily sidelining the fact that we were once close friends.

The car descended into a heavy silence as Lucas manoeuvred it to a stop by the bus stop near the company, a deliberate effort to prevent any potential rumours from spreading to the media.

"As a form of apology, can I have your number? I've refrained from asking Ivy for it since I discovered your sisterly connection. So please, Gorgeous Aria, release me from this burden," he pleaded, playfully clapping his hands and shaking his head.

Amused by his charm, I couldn't resist smiling and ended up sharing my number.

"I'll call you, and I haven't forgotten about my coat. Feel free to coddle it, sniff it, and think of me," he winked as I exited the car.

"You wish," I retorted, strolling away.

A beep from my phone drew my attention, revealing a message from an unfamiliar number. Upon reading the text, I couldn't help but turn toward Lucas's car, playfully extending the middle finger.