You Didn't Push Me Away

Cristina didn’t sleep.

Not really.

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She lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, unmoving—while her mind replayed the same moment over and over again.

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The wall behind her back.

His arm beside her head.

That closeness.

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The way he didn’t touch her…

…but still made it impossible to move.

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Cristina (whispering to herself):

“He didn’t even touch me…”

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And yet—

Her heart had been racing like he did.

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Her fingers curled slightly into the bedsheet.

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Cristina:

“…Then why did it feel like that?”

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Because it wasn’t just fear.

And that was the problem.

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She turned to her side, frustrated.

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Cristina:

“He’s controlling. That’s all.”

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But her mind betrayed her.

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The way his voice dropped when he said—

“You don’t.”

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The way his gaze didn’t leave hers.

⸻

The way she didn’t move.

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Her breath caught slightly.

⸻

Cristina (softly):

“I should’ve pushed him away.”

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But she didn’t.

⸻

And that truth sat heavier than anything else.

⸻

⸻

Morning came too quickly.

⸻

Cristina stepped out of her apartment, hoping—just for once—

that things would feel normal.

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They didn’t.

⸻

Because he was already there.

⸻

Leaning against the wall across the corridor.

Calm.

Still.

Waiting.

⸻

Like he knew exactly when she’d come out.

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Her steps slowed.

⸻

Cristina:

“…Do you ever leave?”

⸻

Leo:

“No.”

⸻

Of course not.

⸻

She exhaled sharply.

⸻

Cristina:

“You were here all night?”

⸻

Leo:

“Yes.”

⸻

Her brows furrowed.

⸻

Cristina:

“Why?”

⸻

A pause.

⸻

His eyes moved over her—quick, assessing—before settling back on her face.

⸻

Leo (quiet):

“In case something came back.”

⸻

Her chest tightened slightly.

⸻

Cristina:

“…You could’ve just said that.”

⸻

Leo:

“You wouldn’t have believed me.”

⸻

She didn’t answer.

Because he wasn’t wrong.

⸻

Silence stretched between them again—

but this time it felt different.

⸻

Less sharp.

More… aware.

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She moved past him.

⸻

He followed.

⸻

Of course he did.

⸻

Cristina (without turning):

“Stop following me.”

⸻

Leo:

“No.”

⸻

She stopped walking abruptly.

Turned to face him.

⸻

Cristina:

“This is not normal.”

⸻

Leo:

“Neither is your life anymore.”

⸻

Her jaw tightened.

⸻

Cristina:

“That doesn’t mean you get to—”

⸻

He stepped closer.

⸻

Her words stopped.

⸻

Not because he touched her.

⸻

Because he didn’t.

⸻

Again.

⸻

That same distance.

That same closeness.

⸻

Too near.

⸻

Her heartbeat started picking up again.

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Cristina (lower voice):

“Why do you keep doing that?”

⸻

Leo:

“Doing what?”

⸻

Cristina:

“Getting this close… and not touching me.”

⸻

A pause.

⸻

Something shifted in his expression.

⸻

Subtle.

But there.

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Leo (quietly):

“Because I don’t need to.”

⸻

Her breath caught.

⸻

Cristina:

“…That doesn’t make sense.”

⸻

Leo:

“It does.”

⸻

Another step closer.

⸻

Now she could feel his presence again—

not physical—

but overwhelming.

⸻

Leo:

“You react anyway.”

⸻

Her pulse spiked instantly.

⸻

Cristina:

“I don’t.”

⸻

Leo:

“You do.”

⸻

Her back almost hit the wall behind her again.

⸻

Not trapped.

⸻

But close.

⸻

Too close.

⸻

Cristina (whispers):

“Stop proving your point.”

⸻

Leo:

“Then stop denying it.”

⸻

Silence.

⸻

Her chest rose and fell unevenly.

⸻

Because he was right.

Again.

⸻

And she hated that.

⸻

Cristina:

“You think you understand everything.”

⸻

Leo:

“I understand you.”

⸻

That hit deeper than expected.

⸻

Her eyes flickered.

⸻

Cristina:

“You don’t.”

⸻

Leo:

“You didn’t push me away last night.”

⸻

Her breath stopped.

⸻

Completely.

⸻

Because that—

was true.

⸻

She looked away instinctively.

⸻

Mistake.

⸻

His hand moved.

⸻

Not grabbing.

Not forcing.

⸻

Just enough to tilt her chin back toward him.

⸻

Light.

Controlled.

⸻

Her breath hitched.

⸻

Cristina (soft):

“…Leo.”

⸻

Leo (lower):

“Look at me when you lie.”

⸻

Her heart was racing too fast now.

⸻

Cristina:

“I wasn’t lying.”

⸻

Leo:

“You were.”

⸻

A pause.

⸻

His thumb brushed slightly along her jaw.

⸻

Barely there.

⸻

But enough.

⸻

Her fingers tightened at her sides.

⸻

Cristina (breath unsteady):

“You said you don’t need to touch me.”

⸻

His gaze dropped—just for a second—

to her lips.

⸻

Then back.

⸻

Leo:

“I don’t.”

⸻

A beat.

⸻

Leo (quieter):

“But I can.”

⸻

Her breath caught again.

⸻

The air shifted.

⸻

Different this time.

⸻

He didn’t move immediately.

Didn’t rush.

⸻

Gave her time.

⸻

To step back.

To stop him.

⸻

To say no.

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She didn’t.

⸻

And that was the moment everything changed.

⸻

He leaned in.

⸻

Slowly.

⸻

Close enough that she could feel his breath now.

⸻

Her heart pounded so loud it drowned everything else.

⸻

Cristina (barely a whisper):

“…This is a bad idea.”

⸻

Leo:

“Yes.”

⸻

A pause.

⸻

Cristina:

“Then why are you still—”

⸻

She didn’t finish.

⸻

Because this time—

He kissed her.

⸻

Slow.

⸻

Deliberate.

⸻

Not taking.

Not forcing.

⸻

But not asking either.

⸻

Her breath caught against his lips, her body going still for just a second—

before reacting.

⸻

Her hand lifted—gripping lightly onto his shirt.

⸻

Not pushing him away.

⸻

Holding on.

⸻

The kiss deepened slightly—

just enough to make her lose track of everything else.

⸻

Her thoughts.

Her resistance.

Her control.

⸻

All slipping.

⸻

Her toes curled slightly against the ground.

⸻

Her breathing uneven.

⸻

And for a moment—

she forgot why this was wrong.

⸻

When he pulled back—

it wasn’t far.

⸻

Their foreheads almost touching.

⸻

Her lips parted slightly, breath unsteady.

⸻

Cristina (shaken):

“…You shouldn’t have done that.”

⸻

His gaze didn’t change.

⸻

Leo (quiet):

“You didn’t stop me.”

⸻

That again.

⸻

And it hit harder this time.

⸻

Her fingers were still holding his shirt.

⸻

She noticed.

⸻

Let go immediately.

⸻

Stepped back.

⸻

But it didn’t feel like distance.

⸻

Not anymore.

⸻

Because something had already crossed the line.

⸻

And neither of them pretended otherwise.

⸻

⸻

The End Of Chapter 4

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