Suddenly, it was just the two of them, everyone left. Liam's eyes stayed locked on her, his fingers tapping lightly on his glass. The silence stretched, heavy with unspoken words. Liam's eyes remained on her, unreadable yet intense.
"You seem... different tonight," he said finally, his voice low.
Nova met his gaze, something fierce and vulnerable flickering in her eyes. "Different how?"
He took a slow sip of his drink, not breaking eye contact. "Less guarded or maybe just... tired of pretending."
Nova's heart hammered. He saw too much, read too deep.
"Maybe I'm just tired." She hesitated, then, before she could stop herself, the question slipped out, shifted her voice to softer. "So... Eva's not here tonight?"
The question hung between them, heavier than she intended. Was it just curiosity, or something more dangerous? She couldn't tell, all she knew was that Eva's absence felt... significant.
Liam's fingers stilled his expression unreadable.
He didn't answer immediately, as if weighing how much to say. "No, she had other plans."
Nova nodded, trying to suppress the strange tightness in her chest. "I see."
He leaned forward slightly, eyes narrowing. "Why do you ask?"
She hesitated, feeling the storm of emotions she couldn't quite name. "Just... wondering, because... she is always around"
The hum of the ocean mixed with distant laughter, but Nova barely heard it. All her senses were focused on the man in front of her, the weight of his gaze pinning her in place.
Liam's eyes searched hers, as if trying to unravel a mystery. "It's funny, you know, I feel like I've known you longer than a day."
Nova's heart skipped a beat. There it was that lingering connection neither of them could explain. She opened her mouth to respond, but before she couldn't find words
Liam glanced at Nova, his curiosity about the previous night still gnawing at him. He needed answers, something to resolve the unease in his mind.
"What happened that night?" he asked his voice softer than usual. "You looked really mad, did Eva say something that bothered you?"
Nova paused, her hands nervously fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve. She had been dreading this conversation but knew it was inevitable.
"I already told you the reason" She looked at him but there was no response he just looked at her "I'm sorry for whatever happened, either that night at the studio or at the club" she began, her voice quieter now. "Actually, I was out of my mind, when something bothers me; I tend to blurt out whatever comes to my head, I shouldn't have said some of those things, I'm sorry if it kept bothering you."
Liam felt a lump form in his throat, the apology unexpected, and he couldn't find the right words for a moment. It felt like the tension in the room had just shifted, but he wasn't sure how to proceed.
Nova, sensing his silence, broke it again. "Did I say something offensive?" she asked, her voice laced with hesitation.
"No," Liam replied quickly, though his thoughts were jumbled. 'I didn't just expect that… and I'm sorry too, I was being a jerk last time and I hate that, which is not me at all"
He struggled to find a way to express more of his feelings, but the words wouldn't come.
Nova looked at him and smiled "its okay, I just hope it doesn't happen again"
He cleared his throat and decided to steer the conversation away from the delicate topic.
"Can we talk about something else?" he asked, trying to regain some normalcy.
Nova looked at him, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Don't you have other people to talk to? I mean... I'm just no one, just a fan of yours. I have no idea what we'd talk about."
Liam tilted his head slightly, his eyes locking with hers. "Do you really think you have nothing to talk to me about?"
His gaze was intense, and he could tell it made her uneasy. He didn't mind pushing her a little; he was intrigued, even if she didn't realize it yet. "Can we talk about your videos then? I'm curious."
"Curious about my videos? Why?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "There is nothing to talk about my videos"
Her curiosity was piqued, but there was also a subtle vulnerability in her question, as if she was unsure why he was asking.
Liam's lips curled into a smirk "No, there is something to talk about" the playful challenge returning to his voice. "You look different from your videos, is it just because you're shy?"
Nova frowned, a flash of annoyance crossing her face. "Why do you always say I'm shy? You know I'm not shy," she retorted, her tone sharper than before.
The words hung in the air, but Liam didn't back down. "If you're not shy as you're declaring, do you think you can hold my gaze?" he asked, his voice lowering slightly, a challenge in his words.
Nova's eyes narrowed. "What are you implying?"
She shot back, her own curiosity mixing with irritation. She didn't know if she was supposed to be offended or flattered, but either way, she wasn't about to let him get under her skin
Liam's lips parted into a half-smile, his gaze never leaving hers. "I'm not implying anything," he said, a teasing glint in his eyes. "You started it, I'm just telling you to prove that you're not shy… people are always lost in my eyes, you know, do you think you can manage?"
Nova raised an eyebrow, her challenge now matching his. "What... are you afraid you might lose? I know I've got pretty captivating eyes too," she replied, standing her ground.
Liam chuckled softly, a genuine appreciation for her fire. "Yes, you do," he admitted. "I can't deny that."
Nova felt a flicker of something deeper between them, the tension shifting from playful to something more intense.
She tilted her head slightly, her voice quiet but direct. "Are you flirting with me now?" Her eyes searched his, trying to gauge if he was serious or if this was all just a game.
"Maybe..." Liam's voice was hushed, and for a moment, the world outside of their conversation disappeared. "Careful, you won't afford to step back when I flirt back"
He was so lost in her eyes, in the way she challenged him, that everything else seemed to fade away, he forgot about Eva, about the pressures of his life, about everything but the connection between him and Nova, he could feel his pulse quicken, and for a brief second, he didn't care what it meant or what would happen next.
But just as the moment between them seemed to reach its peak, Ryan walked back into the room, pulling both of them back to reality.
"Oh, okay, you two need a room now?" Ryan said, his voice teasing as he approached them, a smirk on his face. "What's with all this tension?"
Nova immediately pulled away, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "I think I need to go to the bathroom," she said quickly, excusing herself before either of them could say anything else.
She left the room with haste, the awkwardness of the situation pressing on her.
Liam watched her go, his heart still racing, unsure of what just happened but feeling the weight of it linger, if Ryan was there few minutes late, he would've taken his lips and declare for a kiss, but somehow he felt relieved because he didn't know what would've happen if he really kissed her.
Nova rushed to the restroom, her heart pounding. She leaned against the sink, staring at her reflection. 'What was that?' she thought, trying to steady her breathing. The intensity in Liam's eyes had thrown her off balance. She wasn't used to someone looking at her like that, and the way he challenged her had awakened something she couldn't quite define.
'He's just playing games,' she tried to convince herself, splashing cold water on her face. 'He's famous. He probably does this with every girl.'
But deep down, she knew there was something different about their exchange. Her mind raced with questions. 'Why does he care so much about my videos? Why is he looking at me like that?' She took a deep breath and decided she couldn't let her emotions get the best of her. Straightening up, she resolved to keep her distance. ''I can't fall for someone like him.'
Liam sank into his seat, running a hand through his hair.
'What am I doing?' He wasn't supposed to feel this way, especially not about someone he barely knew. His mind drifted to Eva. Guilt gnawed at him. 'She loves me, doesn't she?' he thought, but the words felt hollow.
The connection he shared with Eva suddenly felt fragile, superficial. He realized that the spark he had just felt with Nova was something he hadn't experienced in a long time. He tried to shake the thought away. 'This is dangerous,' he told himself. 'I can't let this get out of hand.' But the memory of Nova's eyes and the way she challenged him kept replaying in his mind.
Meanwhile, Ryan at the table, watching Liam with a knowing look.
"Where'd Nova go?" he asked casually, his eyes flicking towards the empty seat.
Liam shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "Bathroom, I think, didn't you heard what she said before she left"
Ryan smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Man, you've got it bad, you couldn't take your eyes off her the whole time, what is going on?."
Liam shot him a warning look. "It's not like that."
Ryan raised an eyebrow, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Yeah yeah, it's not like you don't feel her too… so, whatever you say." He took a sip of his drink. "But I'll tell you this, if you don't figure out what you want, you're gonna regret it."
Liam's jaw tightened. "Drop it, Ryan, it's nothing."
Ryan chuckled. "You keep telling yourself that, but I've seen this before, you know, the way you look at her... It's different… bro the way you behave around her it's not you at all"
Liam avoided his gaze, staring into his glass. "Even if it was, it wouldn't matter, I'm with Eva… I have a girlfriend keep that in mind."
Ryan sighed, his tone softening. "Look, I'm not trying to pry, but you and Eva... it's never felt real, has it?"
Liam's eyes flicked up sharply. "What are you talking about?"
Ryan shrugged. "Come on, man. Everyone sees it. You two look good together on the surface, but there's no spark. Not like... with Nova."
Liam frowned, the words hitting closer to home than he wanted to admit. "It's complicated."
Ryan nodded. "Love always is. But don't mess with her, Liam. Nova's different. She doesn't deserve to get caught in the middle of... whatever this is."
Liam ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident. "I'm not... I'm not trying to mess with her. I just..." He trailed off, unable to find the right words. "I can't control myself around her... I don't know what's going on with me... It never happened"
Even though Liam wasn't someone to open up but he really wanted help with what is going on with him.
Ryan leaned forward, his voice serious now. "Then figure it out. Before someone gets hurt."
The weight of Ryan's words hung heavy between them. Liam glanced towards the direction Nova had gone, his mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.
"Maybe you're right," Liam muttered, more to himself than to Ryan.
Ryan clapped him on the shoulder, his expression softer. "Just think about it, man. Life's too short for 'complicated.'"
Liam nodded silently, his thoughts a chaotic mix of guilt, confusion, and something he couldn't quite name, a feeling that only seemed to grow stronger every time he looked at Nova.