After they arrived at the amusement park, the day shifted to a whirlwind of excitement and noise. Clara dragged them both onto the biggest roller coaster in the park, and for a few minutes, the tension of the past few days seemed to disappear as they screamed in exhilaration together.
But as the day wore on, Lena couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen. The more time she spent with Jace, the more the walls between them seemed to crumble. They laughed together, shared snacks, and even got drenched in water from one of the log rides.
It was during a quieter moment, while they were waiting in line for a bumper car ride, that Jace leaned in a little closer.
"I don't know how to do this," he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.
Lena turned to him, confused. "Do what?"
"This," he said, his eyes flickering to the people around them and then back to her. "Us. I don't know how to be around you without feeling... this."
Lena's heart skipped a beat. The space between them felt electrified, and she was suddenly acutely aware of how close they were standing. The words hung in the air like an unsolved puzzle.
"I don't know either," she admitted, her voice trembling slightly. "But I can't keep pretending that this doesn't matter."
Jace stared at her, his gaze intense. "I don't want to hurt anyone. But I don't think I can ignore this. Not anymore."
The admission hung between them, raw and vulnerable. Lena's chest tightened. She had known it. Deep down, she had known that the connection they shared was something more. But now that it was out in the open, she felt conflicted.
Clara suddenly appeared beside them, grinning. "Come on, you two! Let's go ride the bumper cars!"
Lena and Jace quickly pulled away from each other, trying to mask the quiet tension that lingered. They both forced smiles, their hands brushing as they moved to join Clara, but the moment was broken, and neither of them said anything more about it.
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