Chapter13:

_Leah's POV_ As the movie went on, Tariq kept up his light-hearted banter, throwing in teasing comments every now and then. When the couple on-screen shared a passionate kiss, Tariq leaned in closer. "That could be us, you know," he said in a low, flirtatious tone. I blushed and laughed nervously. "You’re incorrigible." "Is that a bad thing?" he asked, his eyes gleaming with amusement. I shook my head, unable to stop the smile that spread across my face. "Maybe not." For the rest of the movie, we exchanged more playful remarks, and despite myself, I felt more relaxed than I had in days. Tariq had a way of making everything seem lighter, easier. When the movie finally ended, I let out a contented sigh. "That was nice," I admitted. Tariq turned to face me, his expression softer now. "Yeah," he agreed. "It was." For a moment, we just sat there, the silence between us filled with a different kind of tension—one that wasn’t about training or power or danger. It was about us, and the feeling