As Johnson had stood up, the movement still caught in the air between them, Ann suddenly swung herself into his arms and wrapped him in a hug so tight it felt as though she was afraid the moment might slip away if she loosened her grip.
It wasn't a casual embrace.
It wasn't one of those polite, hesitant hugs people give when they are still unsure of what they are allowed to feel.
This one was firm.
Certain.
Full.
Her arms circled his back with an urgency that spoke louder than words, her body fitting into his as though it had memorized the shape of him long before now. For a second, no, longer than a second, time seemed to pause, like the universe itself needed to catch its breath.
Johnson froze.
Stunned.
Shocked.
His hands hovered awkwardly in the air at first, unsure of where to land, unsure of whether this was truly happening or whether his mind was playing tricks on him. His heart skipped, stumbled, then began to race like it had just discovered what hope felt like.
He never imagined Ann to be this romantic.
Never imagined her to be this… open.
This was the same Ann who had built walls with sarcasm and silence. The same Ann who had smiled but never lingered, laughed but never leaned in, teased him yet always stayed just beyond reach. The Ann who made him chase, doubt, wait, and wonder.
Yet here she was now, pressed against him, holding him like he was something precious, something she didn't want to lose.
Even though she had just accepted his proposal of being his girlfriend, Johnson hadn't expected this. Not this sudden surrender. Not this gentle collapse of all her defenses.
It felt too fast.
Too real.
Too good.
He slowly wrapped his arms around her, his hands finally settling on her back, and as he did, a quiet realization seeped into him like warm sunlight through a window.
Whoaaaaaa…
The word echoed in his mind, long and breathless.
She must really be in love.
The thought came unannounced, yet it fit perfectly. He held her a little tighter, his palm moving gently against her back, caressing her in slow, reassuring strokes, as though he was telling her without speaking, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere.
Her heartbeat was close, so close he felt it through her chest, fast but steady, like a song he hadn't known he was waiting to hear. And in that moment, Johnson felt something unfamiliar settle inside him: peace.
Not the loud kind.
The quiet kind.
The kind that doesn't shout but stays.
After a while, Ann loosened her hold and slowly pulled away, her hands lingering on his arms for just a second longer than necessary. She tilted her face up to him and immediately noticed the expression on his face, the widened eyes, the barely concealed disbelief, the soft astonishment written all over him.
She smiled.
Not the playful smile she used when she was teasing him.
Not the guarded one she wore when she wanted distance.
This one was warm. Honest. Intimate.
"It's nothing, my dear," she said softly, her voice calm, almost reassuring. "We are lovers now."
The words settled between them like a gentle declaration, simple yet powerful. Lovers. Not almost. Not maybe. Now.
"I was just being mean those days when you were still chasing me," Ann continued, her lips curving slightly as if she was amused by her own confession. "I needed to be sure. I needed to see how far you were willing to go."
Johnson let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Her honesty felt like a balm, easing all the silent questions he had carried during those days of pursuit. Suddenly, the cold replies, the delayed responses, the emotional distance, it all made sense.
"That's interesting," Johnson said, his voice low but steady, still laced with wonder. "I'd forever cherish this version of yours though."
He paused, searching her eyes, as though trying to memorize them in this exact moment, soft, open, unguarded.
"It makes me feel so ecstatic," he added.
And it was true.
Ecstatic not in the loud, jumping sense, but in the deep, soul-level way. The kind that makes you feel chosen. The kind that reassures you that the waiting wasn't wasted.
They stared into each other's eyes, neither in a hurry to look away. The world around them faded into insignificance, like background noise that no longer mattered. There was only this, this closeness, this shared understanding, this fragile yet beautiful beginning.
Finally, they settled down.
And for the first time, it felt like exactly where they were meant to be.
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