Gwenda worriedly bit her lip, her mind in chaos.

"Hmm?"

Olivier's hum echoed in the bathroom. Gwenda's heart fluttered like a hummingbird's wings; her thoughts scattered. "I— I"

"How about that?"

Olivier pressed her, not giving her a chance to breathe. Gwenda was out of options. Finally, she pursed her lips, looked at him, and said, "Fine, I admit I like you, but I never thought of a relationship." Olivier's smile vanished. "Why?"

"Because I'm not ready for a new relationship." Gwenda confessed her misgivings.

Olivier frowned. "You don't trust me?"

"No, I don't trust myself." Gwenda gazed at him, her tone slightly solemn. "Olivier, you know about Martin, and how much he hurt me. I haven't recovered. I don't want to waste your time; I'm not worth it."

The pain of her past relationship lingered. She feared taking risks, giving her heart away so easily. She lacked the courage to try.

"Gwenda."

Olivier gazed at her intently, his hand rising to caress her cheek. "I never considered pursuing you a waste of time. On the contrary, knowing you has shown me how exciting life can be. Don't stress. Since you haven't recovered, I can wait. I'll wait until you're ready."

"But I'm not worth it."

"It's not up to you to decide your worth!" Olivier bent, touching his forehead to hers. "As long as I think you're worth it, you are."

"Olivier"

"Alright, don't overthink it. Don't feel burdened. I'm an adult; I can weigh the pros and cons. You just need to heal from your previous relationship and decide if you're ready for another."

Olivier playfully pinched her cheek and smiled. "People will get the wrong idea if we stay here. Let's go."

Holding her hand, Olivier and Gwenda left the bathroom. Passersby gave them odd looks. Gwenda looked down, embarrassed.

Back in the private room, everyone saw their intertwined hands; surprise registered on their faces. Only Jazlyn smiled knowingly, moving to give them space. "Have a seat, you two."

Under their intense stares, Olivier and Gwenda sat down. Jazlyn immediately asked, "Miss Evans, why are your eyes red? Did Olivier make fun of you?"

Gwenda blushed crimson. Olivier glared at Jazlyn. "She's shy. Stop teasing her!"

Jazlyn laughed. "So, are you two official?"

Olivier smiled, cocking an eyebrow. "I haven't successfully wooed her yet, so no."

"Stop it!" Gwenda tugged on Olivier's hand, mortified.

"Okay, I'll stop," Olivier said affectionately, ruffling her hair.

The final line of "☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐" has been removed as it doesn't appear to be part of the narrative.