Chapter 5: The Door Opens

Natalie seemed to sense the shift, suddenly straightening and pushing her hips forward to put space between us. Her posture went stiff, eyes flicking to the door handle as if she could will it to open.

For about ten seconds, it felt like time froze. The only thing I could hear was my own pulse pounding in my ears. The room seemed to shrink until it was just the two of us.

I lowered my head a little to look at her. Her tied-up hair was right by my nose. The summer breeze drifted through the bedroom, and the scent of her hair and skin was intoxicating. A stray strand floated up and brushed my face.

A bead of sweat rolled down my temple. The moment felt fragile and electric—like if I moved too quickly, it would shatter.

I clenched my jaw, fighting to keep my cool, even as my hands shook.

"Um, did the door open?" Natalie asked, her voice gentle and almost apologetic, as if she thought she’d done something wrong.

"Yeah, let me try again," I said, her words snapping me out of my daze. I re-entered the password. The lock beeped, the door clicked open, and the spell broke. I stepped back, giving her space. Natalie slipped into the side room, and the world outside my bedroom seemed to start moving again.

As the door clicked open, I wondered if we’d just crossed a line we could never uncross.