Chapter 5: Almost

Winter was thinning.

Not gone, just… softer.

The snow didn’t fall as often now. When it did, it melted quicker, like it no longer had the strength to stay. The air carried a faint hint of something unfamiliar.

Change.

Aria didn’t like it.

“You’re thinking too loudly again.”

She glanced at Matthew, who was lying back in the chair, arms folded behind his head like he had nowhere else to be.

“I’m not thinking.”

“Worse,” he said. “That means you’re overthinking.”

She rolled her eyes slightly, but didn’t argue.

That had become normal now.

Not arguing.

Not pushing him away.

Just… letting him stay.

“Come here.”

She blinked.

“What?”

He sat up slightly, patting the empty space beside him on the bed.

“Relax, I’m not planning anything suspicious.”

“That doesn’t make it better.”

“It should.”

“It doesn’t.”

He sighed dramatically.

“You’re very difficult, you know that?”

“And yet you’re still here.”

“Yeah,” he said quietly. “I am.”

Something in his tone made her pause.

But she moved anyway.

Slowly, carefully, she shifted closer, sitting beside him.

Not too close.

Not far either.

“What is it?” she asked.

Instead of answering, he reached into his pocket again.

This time, he pulled out a small pair of earphones.

“You’re going to make me listen to something, aren’t you?”

“Exactly.”

“I don’t trust your taste.”

“You should. It’s incredible.”

“That’s doubtful.”

“Just try.”

He handed her one side.

She hesitated.

Then took it.

Their fingers brushed for a second

brief.

Accidental.

But neither of them pulled away too quickly.

The music started.

Soft.

Slow.

Not loud enough to fill the room, just enough to exist between them.

Aria wasn’t sure what she expected.

But it wasn’t this.

It wasn’t loud or distracting.

It didn’t demand attention.

It just… stayed.

Like winter.

Like him.

She leaned back slightly against the headboard, eyes drifting closed without realizing.

Matthew didn’t say anything.

Didn’t move.

Just sat there beside her, listening to the same quiet rhythm.

For once-

he matched her silence.

Minutes passed.

Or maybe longer.

Time felt… irrelevant.

“Matthew.”

He turned his head slightly.

“Yeah?”

“…Don’t stop coming.”

Her eyes were still closed.

She didn’t look at him when she said it.

Maybe that made it easier.

He didn’t respond right away.

And when she finally opened her eyes..

he was already looking at her.

Not joking.

Not teasing.

Just… there.

“I wasn’t planning to.”

That wasn’t an answer.

Not really.

But she didn’t push.

The music continued.

Soft.

Steady.

“Do you think,” he said after a while, voice quieter than usual, “people can feel when something’s about to end?”

She frowned slightly.

“…Why would they?”

“I don’t know,” he shrugged faintly. “Maybe it’s in the way things start to feel different.”

“Things always feel different.”

“Not like this.”

She turned her head to look at him properly now.

“What are you talking about?”

He held her gaze for a second.

Then..

“Nothing.”

She exhaled, a hint of frustration slipping through.

“You keep doing that.”

“Doing what?”

“Acting like there’s something you’re not saying.”

“Maybe there is.”

“Then say it.”

Silence.

Real silence this time.

The kind that waits.

Matthew’s fingers tightened slightly around the earphone wire.

His gaze dropped for a moment..

then lifted again.

Straight to her.

“Aria, I-”

A knock interrupted.

Sharp.

Poorly timed.

Too real.

They both froze.

The moment shattered too quickly to hold onto.

“Miss Aria?” a nurse’s voice came from outside. “The doctor needs to see you.”

Aria didn’t move.

Neither did Matthew.

For a second, it felt like if neither of them responded-

time might pause again.

“Aria.”

The voice came again.

Softer.

Insistent.

She pulled the earphone out slowly.

The music stopped.

The space between them felt… emptier now.

“I have to go,” she said quietly.

Matthew nodded.

“Yeah.”

She stood up, steadying herself briefly.

Then paused.

Looked at him.

Like she was waiting for him to finish what he started.

He didn’t.

“…You were saying something,” she reminded him.

He smiled.

Soft.

Familiar.

But it didn’t reach his eyes.

“I forgot.”

She knew he didn’t.

But she didn’t call him out this time.

“Don’t,” she said quietly.

“Don’t what?”

“Leave things unfinished.”

Something flickered in his expression.

Gone almost instantly.

“I’ll try,” he said.

She held his gaze for a second longer.

Then turned-

and walked out of the room.

Matthew stayed where he was.

The earphones still in his hand.

The music long gone.

Outside, the snow had almost stopped.

Only a few flakes remained..

falling slower now.

Like they were hesitating.

And somewhere between what was almost said-

and what never would be..

something had already begun to slip away.

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