When I walked into the house, I found Felix in his study, papers scattered across the desk. He looked up, and our eyes met briefly before he returned to his work.
"Hey," I said, dropping my backpack on the floor.
"Hey, kiddo," he replied, not looking up.
I smiled at the familiar term. It was one of the many things he'd done since becoming my guardian – trying to make me feel at home. But now, it felt different. It felt like a reminder of the age gap and the roles we'd assumed.
I hovered near the doorway, unsure how to start the conversation. Felix saved me from my hesitation.
"Lira, you wanted to talk about something?" he asked, his eyes meeting mine.
My heart skipped a beat. This was it – the moment I'd been putting off. I took a deep breath and stepped forward.
"Yeah," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Can we talk about us?"
Felix's expression turned serious, and he leaned back in his chair. "What about us, Lira?"
I swallowed hard, my mind racing with possibilities. What if he didn't feel the same way? What if this changed everything?