Racing Hearts

Chapter 7: Undeniable Chemistry

Serena had spent the past few days in a fog of conflicted emotions. Ever since her conversation with Eli. She couldn't shake the feeling that she had left something unfinished. Their exchange had left her both relieved and hollow, like a ship setting sail but losing its compass. She had been right to ask for space, but now that she had it, the space felt unbearably empty.

It didn’t help that Eli had a way of getting under her skin. Even as she tried to focus on work or busy herself with her usual routines, her mind drifted back to his intense eyes, the way his presence filled the room, and the raw vulnerability he had shown that night.

That evening, Nicole, her best friend, called, dragging her out of her thoughts.

“So, have you seen Eli since that conversation?” Nicole asked casually, but Serena could hear the undercurrent of curiosity in her tone.

“No, I haven’t,” Serena sighed. She was sitting at her kitchen table, staring out the window at the streetlights flickering in the twilight. “But I think about him… all the time.”

Nicole hummed knowingly. “Well, it’s clear you two have some serious things going on. Anyone with eyes can see it. Maybe a little time apart will help you figure out what you really want.”

Serena laughed bitterly. “Time apart? I thought that’s what I needed, but I’m just as confused as ever. I know he cares about me, but I can’t shake the feeling that part of him is still stuck in the past, with Arietta.”

Nicole let out a sympathetic sigh. “It’s tough, I get it. But chemistry is undeniable, Serena. It’s not something you can ignore forever. You’ve got to figure out if you can live with his past or if it’s going to be a barrier.”

That was the crux of it, wasn’t it? The undeniable pull she felt towards Eli wasn’t something she could switch off, but she also didn’t want to be just another chapter in his ongoing saga with Arietta.

As she hung up the phone with Nicole, Serena was left alone with her thoughts again. But before she could dwell too much on them, a familiar buzzing sound filled the room. She glanced at her phone and saw Elioth’s name flash across the screen.

Can we talk?

Her heart skipped a beat, the same way it always did when his name appeared. She hesitated for a moment, her thumb hovering over the screen. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for another emotional confrontation, but something inside her, that undeniable chemistry Nicole had mentioned, urged her to respond.

Sure. Where?

My garage. Tonight?

Serena stared at the message for a moment, her thoughts racing. His garage, the place where everything had started between them—their late-night conversations, the shared laughter, and the silent moments that had spoken volumes. She knew that if she went, there would be no more room for half-truths or uncertainty. But she also knew she couldn’t stay away.

Okay. I’ll be there.

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The moment Serena stepped into Eli's garage that night, the familiar scent of oil and metal filled her senses. It was a comforting smell, one that reminded her of all the time they’d spent together here. She spotted Elioth leaning against one of his cars, arms crossed, his face illuminated by the soft glow of the overhead lights. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes softened the moment they met hers.

“Hey,” he said, his voice low but filled with warmth.

“Hey,” she replied, closing the door behind her.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The tension in the air was palpable, but there was also something else—an electric undercurrent that buzzed between them, something that had been there from the start, something neither of them could deny.

Elioth pushed off from the car and took a step toward her, his eyes never leaving hers. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said. About space. About what we are—or what we’re not.”

Serena swallowed, her heart pounding in her chest. “And?”

“And... I don’t want to lose you,” he said, his voice raw and vulnerable. “I know I’ve messed up. I know my past with Arietta is still a shadow hanging over us. But Serena, when I’m with you, everything feels different. You make me want to leave that past behind. You make me want to be better.”

Her breath hitched at his words. She could feel the sincerity in them, but part of her still hesitated. “I don’t want to be a placeholder, Eli. I can’t compete with a ghost.”

He took another step closer, his gaze intense. “You’re not a placeholder. And I don’t want you to feel like you have to compete with anyone. I want you. I’m just trying to figure out how to let go of the past, but I need you to know—you’re not second place. Not to me.”

Serena felt her defenses crumbling. It was hard to stay guarded when Elioth looked at her like that, with such raw honesty. She had been so afraid of getting hurt, of being pulled into a relationship where she would always be compared to someone else. But now, standing here with him, she could see that he was struggling too. He was trying, and that meant something.

“Eli…” she began, but he cut her off by stepping even closer, until there was barely any space between them.

“I know I have baggage,” he said softly. “But I don’t want to carry it anymore. Not if it means losing you.”

His words sent a shiver down her spine, and for a moment, Serena was speechless. She could feel the heat radiating from him, the pull between them so strong it was almost tangible. She had been fighting her feelings for so long, trying to protect herself, but standing here with Elioth, she realized that she didn’t want to fight anymore.

Before she could stop herself, she reached up and placed a hand on his chest. His heart was racing, beating in time with her own. She could feel the warmth of his skin through his shirt, the solidness of his body. It was real, undeniable.

“I don’t want to lose you either,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

For a moment, they stood there, neither of them moving. The tension between them crackled like static electricity, and then, almost as if drawn together by some invisible force, Elioth leaned down, and their lips met.

The kiss was soft at first, tentative, like they were testing the waters. But then, as if a dam had broken, it deepened. Elioth’s hands found her waist, pulling her closer, and Serena’s arms wrapped around his neck. The world around them disappeared, and all that mattered was this moment, this connection.

When they finally pulled apart, both of them were breathless, their foreheads resting against each other’s.

“That…” Eli began, his voice husky, “was long overdue.”

Serena laughed softly, her heart pounding in her chest. “Yeah, it was.”

“And I’m sorry if I wasn’t able to say these things earlier.”

For a moment, they just stood there, holding each other, the weight of their unresolved feelings slowly lifting. Serena knew that things wouldn’t magically be perfect. Elioth still had his past, and there were still things they needed to work through. But in this moment, she felt hopeful.

“I don’t know what the future holds,” she said softly, her fingers playing with the collar of his shirt. “But I know I want to try. With you.”

Elioth smiled, his eyes full of warmth and affection. “I want that too. More than anything.”

And with that, Serena knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them together. Because despite the lingering doubts and the shadows of the past, their chemistry—the undeniable pull between them—was something neither of them could walk away from.

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xoxo