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Chapter 14 - CHAPTER 13: NO REJECTION

Liam froze. His heart pounded so fast he could barely breathe. He could see the tiny details of Micah's face now: the sharp curve of his jaw, the faint shadow of his lashes, the dark gleam of his eyes.

"I—" Liam stammered, lips trembling. His body moved on instinct before his mind could catch up.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips, light and trembling, against Micah's cheek.

The world stopped.

Micah did not move. He didn't flinch, didn't pull away. His expression was blank, a mystery behind an impenetrable wall.

Liam's heart nearly burst from his chest. He pulled back instantly, face red, eyes wide. His hands shook where they clutched the edge of the desk.

"I… I just…" he whispered, voice breaking. "I just wanted…"

Micah's eyes lowered, unreadable as they lingered on Liam's lips for a fraction of a second before returning to his book.

No words came from him.

The silence that followed was unbearable, filled with the sound of Liam's ragged breathing and the steady scratching of Micah's pen.

Liam sat frozen, torn between shame and desperate hope. He had done it. He had kissed him—even if just a little. Micah hadn't stopped him. Micah hadn't pushed him away.

And yet… Micah hadn't responded either.

The clock ticked louder, its hands crawling toward midnight. The light from the desk lamp flickered slightly, throwing their shadows longer across the walls.

Liam swallowed hard, clenching his fists in his lap. Don't stop here. Don't give up. You must do this, Liam.

He leaned in again, slower this time, trembling with both fear and determination. His lips hovered close to Micah's jaw, the heat of his breath brushing his skin.

Just as he was about to press forward—

Micah set down his pen.

The sound was sharp in the silence, making Liam flinch.

Micah turned his head, emerald eyes locking directly onto him.

Liam froze mid-motion, breath caught, his lips only a whisper away from Micah's skin.

The air between them grew so thick it was impossible to breathe.

Micah's face remained expressionless, but his gaze was piercing, heavy, as though he could see every frantic thought inside Liam's mind.

Neither moved. Neither spoke.

Suspended in that fragile, unbearable moment, Liam's heart thundered wildly, the outcome balanced on a knife's edge.

It wasn't fair.

How could Micah sit there so calm, so composed, when Liam's heart felt like it was going to break out of his chest?

The silence between them stretched too long, heavy and suffocating. Liam clenched his fists in his lap, long nightie pants wrinkling beneath his fingers. He hated this—hated that he always felt so small next to Micah. He hated that Micah never flinched, never stumbled, never seemed to acknowledge him.

Tonight, Liam couldn't bear it anymore.

"Do it," he whispered to himself inside his head, his teeth sinking into his lower lip. "Just do it. If you don't, you'll regret it forever."

His body trembled as he shifted slightly closer, closing the small gap between the couch and the desk chair. Micah didn't move, didn't question him. His emerald eyes followed the motion calmly, but his expression remained unreadable.

Liam's throat tightened. His heart hammered against his ribs.

He leaned forward. Slowly. Every inch felt like dragging a mountain, his body screaming in fear but his heart screaming louder. His breath brushed the space between them, hot and uneven.

Then, before he could think twice, he closed the distance.

His lips pressed against Micah's.

It was the smallest touch—barely there, trembling, clumsy—but for Liam, it was everything. His eyes squeezed shut, too terrified to see Micah's reaction. His hands twisted in his lap, his whole body stiff as if bracing for a blow.

The world went still.

Micah didn't move.

Liam froze, lips tingling, his breath caught somewhere in his throat. Seconds dragged like hours. Why wasn't Micah reacting? Why wasn't he pushing him away? Why wasn't he doing anything?

The silence was louder than any rejection.

Finally, Liam dared to open his eyes just a little. His lashes fluttered, and through the blur, he saw it—those emerald eyes staring straight back at him. Calm. Sharp. Watching.

Liam's breath hitched. His stomach turned over, shame clawing up his throat. His lips broke away from Micah's, trembling as he pulled back. His face burned with heat, his chest tight with panic.

"I—I…" His voice cracked, his hands curling tighter against his pants. Tears threatened to sting, and he ducked his head, unable to meet those eyes again. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…"

His words dissolved into the thick silence.

Micah finally shifted, but not much. He leaned back in his chair, his emerald eyes still fixed on Liam, calm as ever. The quiet tick of the clock on the far wall filled the room, each second stabbing into Liam's chest.

Then, at last, Micah spoke.

"You kissed me."

Liam's head jerked up, emerald eyes burning into him. Panic shot through him, his lips parting as if to explain, to excuse, to take it all back. "I—I—"

Micah tilted his head slightly, his tone steady but not cruel. "That's all?"

Liam blinked, stunned. His chest tightened with humiliation. "W-what do you mean, 'that's all'?" His voice cracked again, thin and defensive.

Micah's lips twitched—not into a smile, not quite, but something close. His eyes softened only slightly, the faintest glimmer of amusement passing through them. "You looked like you were about to pass out. All that trembling…for just that?"

Liam's face burned hotter. "Shut up…" he muttered, his voice breaking again. He wanted to sink into the desk, to hide his face in his knees.

But Micah didn't let him. He leaned forward just a little, resting his elbow on the study desk, his emerald eyes holding Liam's gaze without mercy. "You really are…innocent."

The words weren't sharp, but they cut Liam all the same. His lips parted, his throat tight. Innocent. That's all Micah thought of him? Like he was just some kid fumbling through his feelings?

Tears stung harder now, but Liam refused to let them fall. He clenched his jaw, fists pressing into his nightie pants, his whole body trembling with humiliation and stubbornness.

Micah, meanwhile, didn't look flustered at all. He stood, smooth and unhurried, adjusting the hem of his shirt as though nothing unusual had happened. His emerald eyes lingered on Liam one last time, cool and unreadable.

"Don't make a habit of it," he said quietly.

And with that, he walked past, toward the door. His steps were steady, calm, unshaken.

The soft click of the door shutting was the final blow.

Liam sat frozen, his breath uneven, his lips tingling where they had touched Micah's. He buried his face in his hands, his chest heaving with a mix of shame, frustration, and something deeper he couldn't name.

"Idiot," he whispered to himself, his voice muffled. His body trembled, tears finally sliding free. "You're such an idiot…"

But even as his shoulders shook, a single thought blazed stubbornly in his chest, burning brighter than his shame.

He didn't push me away.

No matter how calm, how unshaken Micah had been—he hadn't stopped him.

And for Liam, that was enough to keep the fire alive.

This wasn't the end. Not even close.

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