Chapter 11 A-a-ace

Aria's eyes widened as Ace squeezed her hand, his touch sending shivers down her spine. "A-a-ac-ace," she stuttered.

Ace chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Yes?"

Aria's face flushed as she tried to process what was happening. "M-my...hand," she managed to stammer.

Ace quickly released her hand, his expression apologetic. "I'm sorry."

Aria smiled, trying to play it cool despite the turmoil inside. "It's okay, I know you didn't do it on purpose."

As they continued studying, Ace explained complex concepts in a way that made sense to Aria. She listened intently, her mind racing with excitement.

After solving some problems, Aria leaned in close to show Ace her work. Their faces were inches apart, and Ace felt his heart skip a beat.

Aria's eyes sparkled as she gazed up at Ace, her voice barely above a whisper. "Is this correct?"

Ace's eyes locked onto hers, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. The air was electric with tension.

Suddenly, Ace's voice broke the silence. "You missed one."

Aria jumped, startled, and her chair slid backward. Before she could fall, Ace's strong arms caught her, pulling her close.

Their faces were inches apart, their eyes locked in a heated gaze. Time seemed to stand still as they breathed each other in.

Just as it seemed like they might kiss, a loud cough broke the spell. "Ehm, ehm."

Aria's face flushed as she quickly sat up, smoothing her hair. "I'm so sorry."

Ace's expression was calm, but his eyes betrayed a hint of disappointment. "Are you alright?"

Aria nodded hastily. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for the tutoring, I really appreciate it."

As Aria gathered her things and left, Ace watched her go, his mind reeling with thoughts. What was happening between them?

Manson approached, a knowing glint in his eye. "You had a sweet time there, didn't you?"

Ace's expression turned cold. "No, I won't fall for this."

Manson raised an eyebrow. "You sure? I don't think so."

As Ace walked away, Manson's words lingered in his mind. Was he falling for Aria?

Meanwhile, Diana seethed with anger on the library's upper floor. She had witnessed the intimate moment between Ace and Aria and was consumed by jealousy.

In class the next day, Aria recounted the events to Helena, who listened with wide eyes. "That's absolutely good! You're sure you looked into each other's eyes for a while, right?"

Aria smiled, her heart still racing from the memory. "Yeah."

Helena grinned mischievously. "Let's wait for the results then."

That night, Ace lay awake, his mind replaying the events in the library. He was furious with himself for losing control.

As he played a game on his phone, Manson's words came back to haunt him. "A third person will notice the spark between you and Aria."

Ace's eyes narrowed, his expression cold. "Seriously?"

***

I'm polishing word grammatically keep following.