Previously : They both leaned forward at the same time—bump!
Their heads bumped. Their lips brushed.
A tiny gasp. Then silence.
They froze.
Breathing.
Too close.
Then, quickly, they pulled back.
"S-sorry!" Bella said, her voice shaky.
"No, no—it's fine," Ellie replied, rubbing the back of her neck. "Totally an accident."
They both laughed, awkward and nervous.
Ellie grinned. "I guess… we're even now?"
Bella blinked. "Even?"
"For today," Ellie said with a smile. "We both kinda messed up."
"Yeah, totally an accident," Bella mumbled, trying to convince herself.
"It was the dark too," Ellie added quickly. "Like… we couldn't even see each other."
Both of them nodded, as if blaming the blackout made it less awkward. Made this kissing not count it.
Bella fidgeted with her fingers. "Do you think the power's coming back soon?" Her voice was soft, almost trembling. The dark made her uneasy.
Ellie looked around. "I'm not sure. Maybe I should check the main switch, just in case."
Bella's eyes widened. "Wait—you're gonna leave me here alone?"
Ellie chuckled. "Yeah, but not for long. I'll be quick, just stay here."
"Nope," Bella said, standing up fast. "I'm coming with you."
Ellie smiled and lit the candle again. The soft glow flickered against her face. Bella stepped closer and without thinking, grabbed Ellie's hand—tight. Their fingers locked together like it was the most natural thing in the world.
They walked slowly through the hallway, shadows dancing on the walls.
"Here," Ellie said, stopping in front of the power box.
"Great, check it," Bella said, still holding her hand.
Ellie turned her head, raising an eyebrow. "How? You're kinda crushing my hand right now."
Bella blinked. "Huh?"
"I need one hand to hold you, and the other to hold this candle," Ellie said with a teasing smile.
Bella's cheeks flushed. "Oh—sorry!" she said quickly and let go.
Ellie chuckled again, then crouched down to check the power box. After a moment, she stood up. "Doesn't look like there's anything wrong here. I think it's a full area blackout. We'll just have to wait for the power to come back from the main grid."
Bella looked around, uneasy. "So… what do we do now?"
"There's nothing we can do, really," Ellie said with a shrug. "We could just wait. Or sleep. I mean, it's not like we can do much in the dark. Power will probably be back by morning."
"I'll put a candle in your room," she added, already heading back with Bella in tow.
"Okay," Bella replied softly. Her voice trembled a little, barely hiding the fact that she wasn't okay with the situation.
The house was eerily quiet. The kind of silence that made even the softest sound feel loud. The candlelight flickered against the walls, throwing shadows that only made things feel more uncertain.
When they reached Bella's room, Ellie placed the candle on and turned to leave.
"That's it. I'll head back to my room now," she said, giving Bella a quick smile.
Bella's stomach dropped. Her fingers curled slightly at her sides.
She didn't want to be alone. Not tonight. Not in this darkness.
"Ellie?" Bella said, her voice low but not exactly soft
Ellie stopped at the door. "Yeah?"
Bella didn't look at her. She was staring off into the dark corner of the room like it had said something offensive.
"You're really leaving me here?" she asked, as if it wasn't a big deal.
Ellie blinked. "I mean… I was going to. Unless… you want me to stay?"
Bella shrugged, arms crossed. "Do what you want. I just thought it'd be stupid if the power suddenly came back and I died of boredom."
Ellie smiled at that, but something tightened in her chest. Bella was scared. She just couldn't say it.
"Alright, scoot over then," Ellie said casually.
Bella shifted, still not looking at her, making just enough space for one more person.
Ellie sat down, then slowly lay back. The mattress dipped slightly beneath them. The candle in the corner flickered, casting soft shadows on the ceiling.
She could feel Bella beside her—close, tense, quiet.
God. Why does this feel… different?
Ellie swallowed. She wasn't new to being close to people, but this wasn't the same. It wasn't the darkness, or the quiet. It was Bella.
She kept her eyes on the ceiling. "You know… I don't usually do this."
Bella frowned slightly. "Do what?"
"Sleep beside someone. Especially someone who looks like they'd rather stab me than share a bed."
Bella gave her a sideways glance. "You're not special. I don't let just anyone sleep near me either."
Ellie laughed lightly, but her chest was tight. She hated how fast her heart was beating. She hated that she noticed how soft Bella's voice sounded in the dark. She hated that she liked it.
She also hated how much she didn't want to leave.
A few minutes passed. Bella shifted closer—just barely. Her shoulder brushed Ellie's.
Ellie tried to ignore the shiver that ran down her spine.
This isn't a thing. This is just a moment. Just the dark. Just the silence.
But then Bella murmured, "You're warm."
Ellie turned her head slightly, surprised. "What?"
"Nothing. Forget it," Bella muttered, turning her face away.
Ellie smiled to herself, but it was a little sad. "Okay."
She wanted to reach out. Just… take Bella's hand. But she didn't.
Because she didn't know what that meant. And she wasn't ready to find out.
Bella broke the silence again, voice low. "Just for tonight."
Ellie answered without thinking. "Yeah… just tonight."
But even as she said it, something inside her whispered that maybe she was lying.
Hours passed. The power still didn't return.
Bella had fallen asleep—but Ellie didn't.
She couldn't.
Her heart had been racing since they lay down. Every time Bella moved, every time her breathing changed, Ellie felt it like a wave. She could feel Bella's body lightly against hers. She could hear her breath. Smell her hair. And it was driving her crazy in the quiet.
"I think I might actually die tonight. My heart's freaking out again," Ellie thought, pressing her lips together as she stared at the ceiling.
Then suddenly, Bella shifted.
Her body turned toward Ellie in her sleep.
Ellie froze
Now they were even closer—face to face. The soft candlelight flickered across Bella's features, lighting her skin in this warm, delicate glow.
Ellie turned slowly to look at her.
She could see her eyes, her long lashes resting against her cheeks. Her lips—slightly parted, calm in sleep. Too close. Too soft.
Ellie's chest tightened. Her heart pounded again, harder than before.
She remembered that moment earlier—the accidental kiss. That second when their lips brushed. It hadn't meant anything… right?
But now…
Now her hand moved on its own.
Fingers trembling, Ellie reached out—hesitating just before touching.
And then, lightly—almost as if testing if it was real—she touched Bella's lips with her fingertips.
Soft.
Warm.
Ellie sucked in a breath.
"What am I doing?"
She pulled her hand back immediately, heart in her throat, terrified Bella might wake up.
But she didn't.
She just kept sleeping, completely unaware.
Ellie turned onto her back again, staring at the ceiling. Her heart was thudding so loudly, it felt like the room could hear it.
She buried her face into the blanket and whispered to herself, "Shit."
Because she knew.
This wasn't just curiosity.
This wasn't the dark playing tricks on her.
This was something real.
And she wasn't ready.