Chapter 25
The soft hum of aquarium lights and the calming sound of water surrounded them as they entered. The whole place was dimmed to set a tranquil vibe—except for the occasional burst of color from the tanks and the delicate glow of the jellyfish display.
Gwen glanced at Miles, who had his hands stuffed in his pockets, looking awkwardly cute as usual. His eyes flickered nervously between the tanks and her. She had to bite her lip to stop herself from smiling too much.
“So, uh, this is nice,” Miles said, clearing his throat. “The fish... are cool. Very fishy.”
Gwen laughed, bumping her shoulder against his. “That’s the most punning thing you’ve said all night.”
Miles blushed, the tips of his ears turning a bit red. He gave her a shy, sideward smile. “I was trying to be punny, but you know, I’m better with the webs than words.”
Gwen raised an eyebrow. “Oh? You think you’re the king of puns, huh?”
Miles’ grin grew wider. “Only if you’re ready to catch them.”
Gwen laughed again, her hand lightly brushing his. She felt a rush of butterflies—thankfully, no one else could see her face, which was probably a mix of relief and way too much affection.
They strolled past the various exhibits, stopping to marvel at the tanks. They found themselves in front of the jellyfish display—soft, eerie, glowing creatures floating lazily in their tanks, almost like little ghostly ballerinas.
“Jellyfish are like the perfect metaphor for me,” Miles said, eyes glued to the tank, “They just kind of float along, doing their own thing... and sometimes they sting you without warning.” He laughed a little, glancing at her. “But in a charming way.”
Gwen’s heart did a flip. Was he talking about himself? She tried to hide the smile that tugged at her lips but failed miserably. “Jellyfish are cute. They’re like, secretly cool.”
Miles turned to her with a smirk. “That’s what I’m saying. Jellyfish have their own vibe. Kinda like—”
“You?” Gwen finished, teasing.
Miles laughed, looking a little flustered. “I mean, yeah, but in a humble way.”
“You’re really humble, huh?” Gwen teased, but the warmth in her voice was obvious.
“Well, I try. But enough about me—” Miles quickly pointed at a nearby display. “Did you know that octopuses have three hearts?”
Gwen stopped and looked at him, her eyes wide. “What? I thought you said something about octopuses having—”
“The most impressive hearts,” he finished, giving her a grin. “You should respect their heart game, Gwen.”
She shook her head, grinning. “That pun was a stretch. Not sure about the ‘respect’ part.”
Miles gave an exaggerated sigh, as if he were the most tortured soul on earth. “Guess I’ll just squid my way out of here…”
Gwen shook her head in mock disapproval but couldn’t stop laughing. “You’re really something else.”
“Thanks,” he said, with that kind of shy smile that made her heart flutter even harder.
They kept walking, the rest of the aquarium almost forgotten as they slipped into their own world. Every now and then, their fingers brushed again, and the electric feeling lingered even after they pulled away. Neither of them could stop smiling, and it was easy to lose track of time in this bubble of comfort they’d created between themselves.
Eventually, they reached the exit, where a pair of tired workers stood by, packing up for the night.
“Well,” Miles said, shifting on his feet. “That was pretty fun. I, uh... really enjoyed this.”
Gwen nodded, not trusting herself to speak for a moment. “Yeah, me too.”
“Good,” Miles said, with a little shy shrug. “Glad we, uh, did this.”
There was a moment of silence, before he added with a mischievous grin, “Wanna get kebabs? Or are you too full from all the loveable sea creatures?”
Gwen snorted, barely holding it together. “Fine. But only if you promise to never tell anyone I had a pun-filled date with you.”
“You sure? ‘Cause this sounds like prime material for the ‘Gwenstagram,’” Miles teased, winking.
Gwen groaned dramatically. “You’re terrible.”
But in reality, she didn’t care at all. Because he was the one making her feel like she could actually glow tonight.
The small, late-night food stand on the corner was tucked between two buildings, with the smell of sizzling meat and fresh vegetables wafting through the air. The bright lights illuminated the handwritten menu, and a few scattered people were already hanging around, enjoying their snacks. Miles and Gwen made their way toward the counter, grinning like they had just shared some kind of secret.
The older vendor behind the counter nodded as they approached. “Two kebabs, yeah?” he asked, already grabbing the skewers of marinated meat sizzling on the grill.
“Yeah, two please,” Miles replied. “I’ll have mine with just the regular stuff.” He shot Gwen a quick, sideways glance, his voice a little quieter. “No green sauce. I can’t handle it.”
Gwen raised an eyebrow, amused. “What, are you scared of green sauce?”
Miles froze for a second, then gave her a look that was somewhere between defensiveness and embarrassment. “No, I just… don’t like it. I mean, it's spicy. And weirdly tangy.”
She smiled, leaning against the counter as she watched him fidget. “Uh-huh. Sure, Miles. Totally no big deal.”
The vendor raised an eyebrow at Miles, amused. “He’s not the first one who can’t handle it. Comes in all shades of green, some of ‘em like a punch to the face.”
“See?” Miles said, pointing at the vendor like he was a long-lost ally. “He gets it.”
Gwen just shook her head, trying not to laugh. "I’m still going for the green sauce, though."
Miles gave her an exaggerated sigh. “You’re braver than me.”
The vendor slid their kebabs onto plates, handing them over with a nod. Gwen took hers and immediately took a big bite, the sauce tangy but surprisingly good. She winked at Miles, enjoying the moment.
“Oh man, you actually like that stuff?” Miles asked, trying to hide his disgust as he stared at her kebab with wide eyes.
“Why, you jealous?" Gwen teased, taking another bite. She was clearly enjoying this a little too much.
“Jealous? Nope. Just... proud of my ability to keep things chill.” He took a bite of his own kebab, visibly relieved by the absence of the green sauce. “This is more my vibe.”
They sat down at a nearby bench, the warm food in their hands providing a comforting, calming end to an otherwise perfect evening. Miles took another bite of his kebab, savoring the flavor. Gwen glanced at him again and smiled, happy that things were so easy between them tonight.
“You know,” Miles said, looking up at the stars, “This is like... the best date I’ve ever been on.”
Gwen raised an eyebrow. “Really?”
“Really,” Miles said seriously, still munching on his kebab.
Gwen paused for a moment, her fingers lightly brushing the paper of her kebab. “You’re pretty great, Miles.”
He glanced at her, a little surprised at her sincerity. “I’m glad you think so. ‘Cause, uh… you’re pretty great too.”
Gwen’s heart did that little flip again. It was funny, because no matter how many times she tried to tell herself this was just another nice evening out with a friend, every moment with Miles felt a little bit like it was becoming something more.
She finished her kebab, licking a little sauce off her fingers before leaning back on the bench, looking up at the stars. Miles did the same, and for a while, they just sat in the comfortable silence, the occasional streetlight flickering as the noise of the city hummed around them.
“I’m really glad we did this,” Gwen finally said, her voice softer now. “This night… it’s been perfect.”
Miles turned his head to meet her gaze, his eyes reflecting the light of the stars above. “Yeah, me too.”
And even though she was no longer quite as certain about where things were heading, Gwen couldn’t help but feel that this—right here, right now—was a moment she wanted to hold onto.
The walk back to the dorm was peaceful, the city’s usual hum softened by the late hour. The air had cooled slightly, a welcome contrast to the warm summer night they'd spent wandering around. The streets were quieter now, with only a few people still out, but everything felt calm and... comfortable.
Gwen and Miles walked side by side, occasionally bumping into each other as they walked in sync, their steps slowing as they neared the turn toward their dorms. Neither of them said anything for a while, simply enjoying the quiet company.
Gwen was the first to break the silence, her voice soft but warm. “You know, I always thought New York was this huge, overwhelming place. But with you, it just feels… I don’t know, kind of small?” She glanced up at him, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Like I can breathe here.”
Miles smiled back, looking at her with a tenderness that made her heart skip. “Yeah, it’s got that effect. The city’s big, but... sometimes, you just need the right person to make it feel like home.” His voice dropped slightly, as if the words had slipped out before he could stop them.
Gwen didn’t know why, but hearing him say that felt like an unexpected rush, a warmth spreading across her chest. She opened her mouth to respond but stopped herself. They reached a crosswalk, the lights flickering as they waited for the signal. The quiet stretch of road ahead gave them a moment to pause.
As they stood there, Gwen felt something shift. It was the slightest of movements, almost imperceptible, but then she realized Miles had reached out and—without a word—took her hand. His fingers brushed against hers, tentative at first, as if unsure of how she’d respond.
She didn’t pull away.
Instead, she intertwined her fingers with his, her palm warm against his. The contact felt... right. She felt something soft, yet intense, rush through her. It wasn’t overwhelming or dramatic—just a quiet, steady pulse, like a secret only the two of them shared.
The light turned green, and they continued walking, hand in hand. The city around them felt even quieter now, as if it, too, had paused to give them this moment. Neither of them spoke for a while, but there was a comfort in the silence. The night air felt cooler now, but the warmth from their touch was more than enough to keep them both at ease.
Miles squeezed her hand slightly, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. “You’re quiet,” he said, his voice playful. “What’s going on in that brain of yours?”
Gwen chuckled softly, her grip tightening on his hand just a bit. “I’m just thinking,” she said with a small smirk. “Wondering if I’m really holding hands with Spider-Man right now.”
He snorted, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. “You keep saying that, but I think you’ve forgotten that you’re the one who actually likes hanging out with me.”
“I do,” Gwen admitted, glancing up at him, her eyes glimmering in the streetlight. “I like hanging out with you a lot.”
Miles smiled, his heart racing just a little faster now. “Well, I’m glad to hear that.”
As they rounded the final corner toward their dorm, Gwen couldn’t shake the feeling that this simple moment—just holding hands with Miles—was something she’d remember. Maybe it was because it was more than just a gesture. It was a promise, even if they hadn’t quite put it into words yet.
When they reached the dorm’s entrance, they stopped just outside the door. Gwen hesitated for a second, and then—without thinking—she pulled him into a brief, soft hug. Miles was caught off guard at first but then wrapped his arms around her, his heart beating even faster.
“Goodnight, Gwen,” he whispered, his voice a little hoarse from the sudden warmth flooding through him.
“Goodnight, Miles,” she whispered back, pulling away slowly, a soft smile on her lips.
As she stepped back into the building, the door clicking shut behind her, Gwen couldn’t help but glance back over her shoulder. Miles was still standing there, watching her, a soft, goofy grin on his face that made her heart skip a beat.
She smiled to herself as she walked down the hallway, feeling like she’d just taken another small step forward.
This was... nice.
The dorm room was dim when Gwen quietly pushed the door open, trying not to wake Amaya, who was sprawled across her bed in a tangle of blankets, one arm hanging off the edge, a strand of hair stuck to her cheek.
Gwen tiptoed inside, but the familiar squeak of the floorboards betrayed her efforts. She froze, holding her breath for a moment. Amaya stirred, mumbling something in her sleep, then let out a soft grunt. Gwen let out a small sigh of relief, hoping her roommate would stay asleep for a bit longer.
She slipped off her shoes, trying to be as quiet as possible, but the sound of her bag landing on the desk was enough to make Amaya stir again. This time, Amaya’s eyes fluttered open, and she squinted at Gwen in the low light.
“Gwen? Is that you?” Amaya’s voice was muffled, sleep-heavy, but she propped herself up on her elbow, blinking groggily.
Gwen froze mid-movement. “Yeah... uh, sorry, didn’t mean to wake you.”
Amaya’s eyes narrowed, her lips curling into a playful smirk. “Is it... that late? Did you just come back from your date?” she asked, half-teasing, still only half-conscious.
Gwen’s cheeks flushed, and she nodded, trying to suppress the flutter of embarrassment. “Yeah... but I’ll tell you everything in the morning, okay?” She went to her closet, pretending to be more interested in picking out her pajamas than the conversation.
Amaya let out a groggy, exaggerated sigh, flopping back down onto the bed dramatically. “You always say that. Fine, fine. I’ll get the story tomorrow, then. But just... don’t leave me hanging, alright?”
Gwen gave a small laugh, pulling her hair out of its messy bun as she walked to the bathroom. “Promise,” she called back, still smiling.
As she closed the bathroom door behind her, Gwen’s smile faltered slightly. Her mind kept drifting back to the date, the moments she shared with Miles. They had been simple—perfect, in their own way. And now, she just wanted to let herself enjoy the feeling of the night. But something else kept pulling at the edges of her thoughts.
She shook it off and splashed some water on her face. When she came back out, Amaya had already rolled back over, her breathing steady and deep.
Gwen climbed into her own bed, pulling the covers up around her, but sleep was slow to find her tonight. She kept thinking about Miles, about how she felt when he held her hand. It was different. More... real than she'd expected.
Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, breaking through the silence. She reached over to grab it, groaning slightly when she saw the name: Mom. She hesitated, then opened the message.
Mom:
Gwen, I saw your grades for Physics were slipping. It’s becoming a serious concern. You need to focus more. If this doesn’t improve, you’ll be coming back home.
This isn't a joke, Gwen. You can’t afford to get distracted.
Gwen stared at the text for a long moment, her stomach twisting. It felt like the words on the screen were pressing down on her chest. She bit her lip, feeling a lump form in her throat. She didn't want to deal with this. Not tonight.
She quickly typed back a reply.
Gwen:
I know, I’m on it. I’ll work harder, I promise. Don’t worry.
She stared at the message for a few seconds, her fingers lingering over the screen. Her heart felt heavy, and her thoughts were tangled between the harshness of the words and the warmth of her evening with Miles. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t supposed to be like this.
She tossed her phone aside and curled into her pillow, trying to push the frustration and sadness away. She’d have to figure it out tomorrow, she knew. But right now, she just wanted to forget.
The sadness settled over her like a blanket, and even though the night had started with such promise, now it felt like there was an ache in her chest. She closed her eyes, trying to drown out the weight of her mom’s words. Trying to ignore the tightness in her throat that was threatening to make her cry.
But she couldn’t shake it.
Not tonight.