Chapter 63

• The people were still there, staring, their eyes shifting between one another as if silently questioning what they'd just witnessed. But I couldn't focus on them, not really. The remnants of their actions—the cold, sticky remnants of tomatoes and their silent judgment—clung to me like a weight. I felt a knot of dread in my stomach, tightening with each passing second.
• Leo's touch was gentle, unexpected. His hand brushed my cheek, wiping away the mess of paste and seeds that had smeared my face. I froze. The world around me seemed to blur and fade until all that remained was the sensation of his fingers on my skin. For a moment, I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think—only feel.
• His eyes were intense, a storm of emotions swirling just beneath the surface. It was as if the whole world had vanished, leaving just the two of us in this strange, suspended moment. I should have been mortified, furious, anything but this—but all I could do was stare at him, my thoughts muddled and confused.