Still an Accident

Episode 17: Blurred Lines

Zara’s POV

The morning after the kiss was a disaster waiting to happen. I barely slept, tossing and turning as my mind replayed the moment. The way Lina looked at me, her lips so close to mine—it wasn’t something I could shake off.

When I came downstairs, Lina was already at the breakfast table, pretending to be absorbed in her phone. She didn’t even glance up when I sat down.

“Morning,” I said, testing the waters.

“Morning,” she replied curtly, her eyes still glued to the screen.

Her tone was clipped, but I didn’t miss the way her fingers tapped nervously against the table. She was avoiding me, and it was driving me insane.

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Lina’s POV

Why couldn’t Zara just pretend nothing happened? That’s what I was doing—trying to sweep it under the rug like it was some embarrassing accident.

But the problem was, every time I looked at her, I couldn’t stop thinking about how it felt. That stupid, accidental kiss.

I wasn’t ready to talk about it, and she wasn’t helping by sitting there, looking effortlessly gorgeous in her tailored blazer.

“Busy day ahead,” she said casually, breaking the silence.

I nodded, still not meeting her eyes. “Yeah. Lots to do.”

She sighed. “Lina, we need to talk about—”

“No, we don’t,” I interrupted, standing abruptly. “I have to go check on the caterers.”

Before she could argue, I was out of the room, my heart pounding like I’d just run a marathon.

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Zara’s POV

I let her go. Pushing her now would only make things worse. But this distance between us—it wasn’t working.

Later in the afternoon, I found myself in the garden, pacing. The air was crisp, the kind of weather that clears your mind. Except mine was anything but clear.

Then I heard footsteps. Turning, I saw Lina walking toward me, her hands shoved into the pockets of her jacket.

“What are you doing out here?” she asked, her tone wary.

“Thinking,” I replied honestly.

She hesitated before stepping closer. “About what?”

I met her gaze, the tension between us crackling like static. “About how you’ve been avoiding me all day.”

She frowned. “I’m not avoiding you.”

“Really? Because it feels like you are.”

She crossed her arms, glaring at me. “What do you want me to say, Zara? That I don’t know how to act around you anymore? That I can’t stop thinking about—”

She cut herself off, her cheeks flushing.

“About the kiss?” I finished for her, stepping closer.

Her silence was answer enough.

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Lina’s POV

Zara was too close, her piercing eyes searching mine, and it was impossible to look away.

“Fine,” I muttered. “Yes, about the kiss. Happy now?”

“No,” she said softly. “Because it’s not just you, Lina. I can’t stop thinking about it either.”

Her words hung in the air, heavy and undeniable.

“Zara…” I started, but she shook her head.

“I’m not saying we need to figure this out right now. But we can’t ignore it either. That’s not who we are.”

I hated that she was right.

Before I could respond, she reached out, her fingers brushing mine. It was such a small, simple gesture, but it made my heart race.

“I’m not asking for anything,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I just… I want us to be honest with each other.”

Her vulnerability caught me off guard. This wasn’t the confident, composed Zara I was used to. This was someone who cared, someone who was just as confused as I was.

“I don’t know what to say,” I admitted.

“Then don’t say anything,” she replied, her hand fully covering mine now. “Just… be here with me.”

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Zara’s POV

We stayed like that for what felt like an eternity, standing in the middle of the garden, the world around us fading into the background.

Then, in a moment of pure instinct, I leaned forward. This time, there was no accident, no outside force. It was just me, closing the space between us.

Our lips met, and the kiss was soft, tentative—completely different from the chaos of last time. This was deliberate, and it felt like everything I didn’t know I’d been waiting for.

Lina didn’t pull away. Instead, she kissed me back, her hands gripping the lapels of my jacket as if she needed something to hold onto.

When we finally broke apart, we were both breathless.

“Still an accident?” I teased, a small smirk playing on my lips.

She rolled her eyes, but the smile tugging at her mouth betrayed her. “You’re insufferable.”

“And you’re adorable when you’re flustered,” I shot back.

She groaned, but there was no heat behind it. “What are we doing, Zara?”

I sobered, my expression softening. “I don’t know. But I want to find out. With you.”

Her silence was thoughtful, her gaze steady. Finally, she nodded. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yes, okay,” she said, her tone firm but her smile soft.

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