Chapter 4 Unspoken Tension

I woke up with a jolt, my body drenched in sweat, my breath shallow and frantic. My heart thundered in my chest, as if it wanted to break free. The images from earlier that day-Amer, lifeless on the road, the crash-refused to leave my mind. His pale face, those empty eyes staring into nothing. I couldn't shake the guilt, the terror.

I wanted to call him, check if he was okay, but I didn't have his number. My thoughts spun, panic clutching at my insides. I thought of Vera and Samuel-they'd be worried, but what if something happened to him? What if I had...?

I couldn't stay. I couldn't just lay there and do nothing.

I pulled on clothes hastily, my hands shaking as I grabbed my keys. The air outside felt heavy, thick with tension as I stepped into the night. The roads were empty, just endless stretches of black, and all I could hear was the hum of the engine as I drove. Fear gnawed at me. What was I doing? What if he didn't want to see me? What if he was angry, or worse, didn't remember anything?

But the thought of him-hurt, alone-was unbearable. I couldn't let it go. It was my fault. I had to check on him.

When I finally reached his house, I hesitated. My hands gripped the wheel, knuckles white, as I stared at the small, dark house. I got out, trying to steady my breath, and walked toward the door. Knocking felt ridiculous, but I didn't know what else to do. No answer. I waited, listening, but the silence was suffocating.

I pressed my face against the cool glass of the window, looking inside. His place was empty, dark, silent. Where was he? What was happening? The doubt and fear spiraled. He couldn't be gone, not after everything.

I collapsed in front of the door, my knees giving out as the weight of it all crashed down on me. What if I had made things worse? What if I had...?

Just then, a light flickered in the distance. A motorcycle's low hum broke the stillness. My pulse spiked as I looked up, hope blooming in my chest. From afar, I saw a faint light cutting through the dark, its approach slow but steady. My heart raced as I stood, squinting to make out who it could be. It didn't take long for me to recognize him. It was Amer. Even in the dim light, I knew it was him-not from his face, but from the scent that carried to me on the night air, a familiar, haunting smell that made my stomach tighten.

But what shocked me the most was how... well, how quickly he seemed to have recovered. It was like the crash had never happened.

I had been standing there, helpless, my heart a mess of emotions I couldn't begin to understand. Guilt. Anger. Confusion. Maybe even... love? The thought struck me like a punch, and I immediately dismissed it. No. That couldn't be it. It was just my conscience, my guilt for hitting him. Nothing more. But why, then, did my chest ache at the sight of him?

He pulled up to the house and stopped, the bike's engine rumbling into silence. When he saw me standing there, his surprise was obvious, his posture shifting ever so slightly.

"Nena, what are you doing here?" His voice was rough, tinged with something I couldn't quite place-unease, maybe?

I didn't know how to answer, so I blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "I-I was really worried about you. How are you?" My voice trembled more than I cared to admit.

Amer didn't answer right away. Instead, he gave me a look that made my heart drop into my stomach, that cocky, self-assured smile spreading across his face. "You came here at this hour because you were worried about me? Did I get that right?" he asked, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Nena, it's just the two of us here-let's be honest. You missed me, and that's why you're here."

I could feel the heat rising in my chest, anger flaring up so fast I almost didn't recognize it. His smugness always did this to me. Always made me feel like I was some kind of fool.

"Coming here was a mistake anyway," I snapped, pushing past him, my voice sharp. "I just wanted to check if you were okay. Now that I see you're fine, I'm leaving."

But of course, Amer wasn't done. He reached out, grabbing my wrist with an unexpected gentleness. "Okay, okay, I'm joking. I'm sorry," he said, his tone softer now, almost... apologetic? Or was it just another one of his games?

I felt a rush of warmth spread through my skin where his fingers brushed against me. My heart started to beat harder, as though it was trying to escape my chest. Why did I feel this way? Why did my body react to him like this, even after everything? My thoughts were a whirlwind, anger and something else-something confusing-fighting for dominance inside me.

Amer's expression darkened for a second, but then he stepped closer, closing the distance between us with a slow, deliberate pace. His eyes were heated now, and his voice dropped, low and almost dangerous. "Then why are you really here, Nena? Don't lie to me. You think I can't see it? The way you look at me... the way you act around me. You can't just walk away from this. Not now. Not after everything that's happened."

I felt a rush of heat flood my chest, my body responding to the challenge in his voice despite my better judgment. "I don't know what you're talking about," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, but I could feel the weight of his words sinking into me, dragging me deeper into this mess.

He reached out then, his fingers brushing against my arm with a gentle pressure, like a silent demand for attention. My skin burned under his touch, a sharp contrast to the cool night air. My heart pounded, and my breath hitched. "Yes, you do," he murmured, his lips barely an inch from my ear. "You feel it too, don't you?"

I took a sharp breath, pulling away from him. "No," I said, my voice shaking now, but I couldn't keep the trembling out of my words. "This is wrong, Amer. We can't do this. I have Samuel... and this..." I trailed off, feeling the weight of my confession pressing down on me.

Amer's eyes darkened, and he took another step closer, his presence overwhelming. "You think I don't know that?" His voice was a low growl now, full of tension. "But you don't get it, Nena. You can't just walk away from this. Not from me."

I felt the ground beneath me shift, the air thick with tension. My body was betraying me, every fiber of my being screaming for something I couldn't name, something dangerous, something that felt like a slow burn spreading through my veins.

Without another word, I turned on my heel and walked toward my car, my hands shaking as I gripped the door handle. The first light of dawn was breaking, casting a soft glow across the sky, but it felt like the end of something I wasn't ready to face.

I could feel the weight of everything between us, pulling me in like a gravitational force I couldn't escape. And yet, I knew I had to. I had to keep moving forward, away from him.

But how could I, when every part of me was already tangled in his web?

But the more I tried to convince myself, the more I found myself drawn to the memory of Amer. It was wrong. I knew it. But how could something so wrong feel so... right?

As soon as I got home, my mother's voice echoed through the house. "Nena Harrison!!"

I froze. My heart skipped a beat. When she used my full name like that, it was never a good sign.

I turned, a knot forming in my stomach. "Yes, Mom?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

Her gaze was sharp, suspicious. "Don't think I've forgotten about what happened last night. You're going to explain everything to me."

I swallowed hard, anxiety flooding my chest. I had to lie. I had to. "There's nothing to explain. I just felt restless and went out for a drive. I'm going to be late for class-can I go now?"

Her eyes narrowed, but she seemed to let it go, giving me a warning look. "Fine, as you say. But don't think this is over, young lady."

I forced a smile, trying to brush past her, but I could feel the weight of the secrets pressing down on me. I hadn't even started to deal with what had happened, and I knew-deep down-I wouldn't be able to escape it anytime soon. The guilt, the confusion, the pull I felt toward Amer... all of it was going to haunt me for much longer than I was ready for.