Finding light in the darkest places—through love-Chapter 106 – Almost Saying It

The library had never looked so cozy to Evelyn.

Late evening had wrapped the world in quiet gray, and the old lamps lining the library cast pools of golden light onto the tables.

The place was nearly empty—just the occasional shuffle of books or the muted clack of a laptop keyboard in the distance.

Evelyn glanced up from her notes as Adrian slid into the chair across from her, balancing two paper cups of tea.

"You looked like you needed a boost," he said, nudging one toward her.

She smiled gratefully. "You're a lifesaver."

Adrian shrugged, but there was a small, pleased tug at the corner of his mouth.

They'd been meeting like this more lately.

Not always planned.

Sometimes just a quiet "Hey, you free?" text that turned into hours spent together, words and silences both easy.

Evelyn loved it.

Loved him—though the word still made her heart race and her throat close up when she thought it too directly.

They fell into a comfortable rhythm, papers spread out between them, pens scribbling notes, the occasional whispered comment or shared smile.

Time seemed to fold itself around them, making a small, secret space.

At one point, Evelyn stretched her arms above her head, groaning softly.

Adrian looked up, amused. "Long day?"

"The longest," she said, slumping dramatically onto the table.

He laughed under his breath and reached out, tapping her forehead with the end of his pen.

"Hang in there."

The simple, familiar gesture made her heart ache a little.

She sat up again, hugging her tea cup between her hands.

Outside the window, the night was deepening, the lamplight turning silver.

"I don't want to think about anything else tonight," she murmured.

Adrian leaned back in his chair, studying her.

"Then don't."

She blinked at him.

"It's okay to have nights where you just... exist," he said. "No fixing everything. No planning five steps ahead."

Something warm and unwieldy rose in her chest.

"You make it sound so easy," she said softly.

Adrian's gaze didn't waver.

"It's not. But you don't have to do it alone."

For a moment, Evelyn couldn't breathe.

The table, the tea, the books—all of it faded into background noise.

There was only him.

Only the way he said it, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Like she already wasn't alone, because he was here.

Evelyn opened her mouth, a thousand words clamoring to be spoken—but none of them seemed big enough.

"I know," she said instead. "I'm starting to believe that."

Adrian's smile was small and devastatingly tender.

They went back to their work after that, but the air between them had shifted.

Thicker.

Closer.

More real.

By the time they packed up for the night, the library was nearly deserted.

Evelyn stifled a yawn as they stepped out into the chilly night air.

"Let me walk you back," Adrian said, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"You don't have to," Evelyn protested automatically.

He gave her a look that was almost fondly exasperated. "I want to."

She ducked her head, hiding a smile.

The walk back to her dorm was slow and companionable, their footsteps matching easily.

The night was cold enough that their arms brushed now and then, each touch sparking tiny fireworks under Evelyn's skin.

When they reached her building, she hesitated.

Normally, this would be the part where they said goodnight.

A smile, a casual wave.

But tonight felt different.

Tonight felt heavier somehow, fuller.

Adrian seemed to feel it too. He lingered, hands shoved in his pockets, rocking on his heels.

Evelyn clutched her bag strap tighter, heart hammering.

"I had a good time tonight," she said, voice a little shaky.

Adrian's lips twitched into a soft smile. "Me too."

Silence stretched between them, charged and waiting.

Evelyn swallowed.

The words she wanted to say pressed against her throat—I like you, I care about you, I think about you all the time—but they tangled into a knot she couldn't quite undo.

Adrian shifted closer, just a breath.

His voice was low when he spoke.

"Evelyn."

Her name in his mouth was like a touch, a promise.

"I..." he started, then broke off, shaking his head slightly as if gathering courage.

Evelyn's chest squeezed painfully.

"Adrian," she whispered.

He laughed under his breath, almost a sigh.

"We're really bad at this," he said, smiling crookedly.

She let out a small, choked laugh. "Yeah."

For a moment, they just stood there, the world shrinking down to the space between them.

"I'm not going anywhere," Adrian said finally, voice fierce and certain.

"Even if it takes us forever to figure this out."

Something in Evelyn cracked open at that.

The fear. The doubt.

She stepped forward without thinking, closing the last of the distance between them.

Adrian caught her hand gently, threading their fingers together with a kind of reverence.

Neither of them moved to hug, or kiss, or even pull away.

They just stood there, tethered by touch and something infinitely bigger.

The confession still wasn't said aloud.

Not yet.

But maybe, Evelyn thought, this was its own kind of beginning.

And when she looked up into Adrian's eyes, she knew—

It wouldn't be long now.