Chapter eight: Cracking the walls
As the days went on Nina and Damien began to find a strange rhythm. The project was starting to come together and with it, the walls between them started to be slowly coming down. Every time they met, there was al little more conversation, a little more understanding. They began to share a little more glimpses into their lives-Damien telling Nina about his struggle with his father's expectations, and Nina opening up about her own struggles with feeling like an outsider.
One evening, the group gathered for a late-night study session. The atmosphere was tense, as usual, but this time, it felt different. There was new sense of camaraderie as everyone dove into the final stages of the project. The group had come together in a way Nina hadn't anticipated, and felt... good.
Damien and Nina were sitting next to each other, working through some final edits on their presentation slides. There was an unspoken agreement between them-no more fighting, no more tension. They were both just trying to make it through.
Nina glanced at Damien, who was typing away on his laptop. His usual stern expression was softened by the glow of the screen, and for a moment, she saw him for what he really was-someone who was just trying to do his best.
"I think we're almost done," Nina said quietly, breaking the silence.
"Yeah," Damien replied, not looking up from his screen. "Almost."
She hesitated, then decided to take a chance. "I'm sorry for... everything. For the way things went down between us."
Damien's fingers paused over the keyboard. For a long moment, he didn't say anything. Then finally looked at her, his eyes reflecting something raw- vulnerability.
"I don't know what I'm doing either," he admitted, his voice quieter than usual. "I've been so focused on trying to be perfect, trying to prove myself, that I've pushed people away. But... I didn't want to push you away."
Nina's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't expected that. The honesty in his words took her by surprise, It wasn't a grand gesture or dramatic confession, but it was enough.
"I get it," she said softly. "I've been trying to prove myself too, in my own way. And I've let that get in the way of... everything."
The silence that followed was comfortable, not awkward. It felt like the first time they had understood each other-without barriers, without misunderstanding.