Monday, January 18th

—

Ava and Jack sat in the library, their eyes fixed on their art project but their minds elsewhere. The charged atmosphere between them was palpable, and neither of them knew what to say to break the awkward silence.

Ava tried to focus on the project, but her thoughts kept drifting back to the almost-kiss with Jack. She couldn't help but wonder if he had felt the same way she did. Was he just as confused and conflicted as she was?

Jack, on the other hand, was struggling to keep his thoughts in check. He was acutely aware of Ava's presence beside him, and the temptation to reach out and touch her was almost overwhelming. But he knew that was a dangerous road to go down. He couldn't risk losing her as a friend, and he didn't want to make things awkward between them.

The library was quiet, the only sounds coming from the soft shuffling of pages being turned and the occasional tap of a keyboard. Ava and Jack sat across from each other, their unfinished art project spread out between them. But the air between them was thick with tension, the silence between them awkward and charged.

Ava shifted in her seat, her eyes flickering over to Jack every few seconds. He sat with his head down, his fingers fidgeting with the pencil in his hand. Ava could feel his nervous energy, as if it was radiating off of him and into the space between them.

She tried to think of something to say, some way to break the silence. But the words caught in her throat, and she found herself simply staring down at the paper in front of her. The longer they sat there in silence, the more tense the atmosphere became. It was as if the library itself was holding its breath, waiting to see what would happen next.

Ava's heart raced as she stole another glance at Jack. His eyes were still focused on the paper in front of him, but she could see a hint of uncertainty in his expression. They both knew that something was changing between them, but neither of them knew what to say or do about it. The silence stretched on, each second feeling longer than the last.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Ava spoke up. "So, um, what do you think we should do next with the project?"

Jack took a deep breath, grateful for the opportunity to change the subject. "Well, I was thinking maybe we could add some more color to this section here," he said, pointing to a blank space on the canvas.

Ava nodded, glad for the distraction. "Yeah, that's a good idea. Maybe we could use some brighter colors to make it pop."

They both got to work, slowly easing into a comfortable rhythm as they worked on the project. The tension between them began to dissipate, replaced by a sense of camaraderie and teamwork.

As they continue working on the project, Jack looks over at Ava and says, "Thanks for this. I really needed the distraction from all the family drama."

Stolen novel; please report.

Ava smiles warmly at him. "Of course, Jack. I'm always here if you need to talk or just want to hang out."

"I appreciate that," Jack says, looking down at the project in front of them. "And I have to say, you're pretty amazing at this. I'm impressed."

Ava feels a warm flush of pride in her cheeks. "Thanks, Jack. I just love art. It's always been my passion."

"Well, it shows," Jack says, smiling at her. "I don't think I've ever been this excited about a project before."

Ava grins. "Me neither. It's like we're creating something really special together."

Jack nods in agreement. "Yeah, it feels like we're really in sync creatively."

They continue working on the project in comfortable silence, enjoying each other's company. Ava can feel a strong connection between them and wonders if Jack feels the same way.

As they work on the mural, the room becomes quieter and Ava and Jack can hear the faint sound of the librarian locking up the stacks. They both look at each other and realize that it's getting late. Ava checks her phone and sees that it's already past 7 pm. She starts to pack up her art supplies and Jack does the same.

Ava puts on her backpack and stands up, feeling a sense of reluctance to leave. She turns to Jack, who is still packing his things, and says, "I can't believe it's already this late. We've been here for hours."

Jack nods in agreement and zips up his backpack. "Yeah, time really flies when we're working on this mural together," he says, a hint of sadness in his voice.

Ava can sense the same sadness in herself. She doesn't want to leave Jack's side just yet. She looks around the library and notices that everyone else has already left. The librarian is now locking up the front doors.

Ava and Jack look at each other, and for a moment, it seems like they might lean in for a kiss again. But instead, Ava breaks the silence.

"We should probably go before we get locked in here," Ava says with a small laugh, trying to lighten the mood.

Jack nods in agreement, and they start packing up their art supplies. As they walk out of the library, they both feel a sense of reluctance. Neither of them wants the night to end.

Ava walks Jack to the door of his house, which is only a few blocks away from hers. They stand on the porch for a few moments, unsure of what to say.

"I had a really great time today," Jack says finally.

"Me too," Ava replies, smiling.

There's another moment of silence, and then Jack leans in and gives Ava a hug. Ava is surprised at first, but then she hugs him back, feeling the warmth of his embrace.

"I'm here for you, Ava," Jack whispers in her ear before pulling away.

As Ava turns away from Jack and starts to walk away, she feels a pang of sadness and disappointment. She had hoped that something more would happen between them, but now she resigns herself to the idea that nothing will. Suddenly, she feels a hand on her shoulder and she turns around to see Jack standing there. His eyes meet hers, and in that moment, she can see the same longing and desire that she feels.

Without a word, Jack steps closer to Ava and takes her hand in his. The touch of his skin against hers sends shivers down her spine, and she can feel her heart racing in her chest. Jack leans in slowly, his eyes fixed on hers, and before she can even process what's happening, his lips are on hers.

As they pull away, Ava can see the same mix of emotions reflected in Jack's eyes - love, confusion, and a touch of fear. They stand there for a moment, just looking at each other, and then Jack speaks up.

"I'm sorry, Ava. I didn't mean to do that so suddenly," he says, his voice barely above a whisper.