The observatory felt colder than usual, though the night outside was clear and calm. Aarav stood by the console, his shoulders rigid, his eyes fixed on the glowing data screens. Kiara lingered near the telescope, her heart pounding from the memory of their almost-kiss.
She wanted to speak, to close the distance, but the silence between them was sharp—like glass waiting to shatter.
"Aarav," she began softly, "I've been thinking about your project. I know you said no, but—"
His head snapped up, eyes blazing. "Kiara, don't."
She froze. "I just wanted to help."
"Help?" His voice rose, raw with frustration. "Do you have any idea what happens if people think this project is running on celebrity favors? Everything I've worked for—years of research—will be dismissed as a publicity stunt!"
Her chest tightened. "I wasn't trying to make it about me. I just… I care about you."
"That's the problem!" Aarav's words cut like a blade. "You care too much, and I can't afford that right now."
Kiara flinched, her throat burning. "So what am I to you? A distraction? A mistake?"
His silence was louder than any answer. For a moment, his jaw clenched, his fists curling at his sides. Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, he said, "You're everything I want… and everything I can't have."
The confession hit her like a storm—beautiful and cruel all at once. Tears pricked her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "You think ambition and love can't exist together? That's your excuse?"
Aarav turned away, his back rigid. "It's not an excuse. It's reality."
Kiara stepped closer, her voice trembling with anger and longing. "Reality is what we make it, Aarav. You're building satellites to connect people across worlds, but you can't even let someone stand beside you."
He spun around, his eyes dark with conflict. For a heartbeat, they were inches apart—her breath mingling with his, her pulse racing. His hand lifted, almost touching her cheek, then dropped like a stone.
"Kiara…" His voice cracked. "If I let myself love you now, I'll lose everything."
Her lips parted, her heart breaking. "Maybe you'll gain something greater."
But he didn't answer. He walked past her, leaving her in the cold glow of the observatory lights, her tears finally spilling as the door clicked shut.
And in that silence, Kiara realized something: love wasn't the enemy of ambition. Fear was. And Aarav was drowning in it.