"When we got back, we told them when exams would be over. We had too much going on, and I wanted to focus on my studies. But we agreed to inform both of you tonight, just that... I'm really exhausted, and my mind feels like mush. This was supposed to be a private matter, and we didn't want you to find out this way, but we did want you to be the first to know." I take a deep breath and move slowly across the floor to Kent, who looks vulnerable and open. I quietly slip my hand into his, ignoring the disapproving glances. "I want you to understand something," I insist, tightening my grip on his hand. "I can make my own decisions about this, and Kent's part in it is just as significant as mine. Please don't portray it otherwise." I nod, trying to gauge their reactions, but they both still appear pretty firm in their stances. "I get that this is difficult and will take time. But don't direct your anger toward Kent because we both made this choice." "And don't take it out on Juls either,
"Boyfriend." When I think that to myself, it feels both incredibly scary and thrilling. I had a restful night's sleep after finishing my exams, so I spent the night in my own room. Kent seemed to understand my request from yesterday, and he appeared content with it. I'm still a bit groggy when I wake up, but I'm well-rested. Hearing a knock on my door, I sit up and stretch, realizing that I'm only wearing a t-shirt. I quickly pull the covers up over my chest. "Come in!" As the door opens, I'm met with a pair of vibrant green eyes. He looks so handsome! "Good morning, honey," he grins. "Oh, it's just you," I say with a deep breath, lowering the covers. He enters and closes the door behind him. "How are you?" "What are you up to right now?" he asks, making me smile. "I'm going home when my mom finishes work tonight," I inform him. He smiles and sits down next to me on the bed. "Why?" "I thought I might take you out before then," he casually suggests, causing my heart to race in
"I'd like to know what's on your mind right now," he laughs, pulling me from my thoughts and making my cheeks even redder. "Do you think we'll have some alone time today?" I ask while looking at our entwined hands. I can't help the shy smile tugging at the corners of my mouth, but I try to suppress it. "And why, Julianna, would you want to be alone?" He inquires in a hushed tone. I shrug my shoulders, attempting to conceal my shyness. "N-no reason," I whisper, and he chuckles. I keep glancing around to see if anyone is eavesdropping, but thankfully, there's no one nearby. "You don't need to feel self-conscious," he brings up, and I just shrug. I hadn't been as sexually active as Kent, and discussing it made me feel uneasy, particularly right now. I was somewhat reserved about getting intimate with people, but I had taken that step with Kent, which was a significant milestone for me. "I'm just teasing," he whispers as if he's noticed how reticent I've become. "Trust me, I was also
"Maybe starting to date someone new was a mistake. Kent has been gone for nearly a week. During this time, I've been stuck at home, incredibly bored, and worrying all the time. I'm concerned about the impact on my roommate and the fact that none of my friends know about it yet. I'm anxious about the newness of this relationship and the distance between us. Every day we're apart, I miss him, and it scares me. I've never felt this way before, and I don't want to appear too needy or clingy. But I always want to talk to him, and it saddens me when we hang up. How did I end up in this situation? I've been dating my roommate for about a month and a half, even though I thought she despised me. Now that we're together, what does it mean? I guess nothing about us really makes sense, but it works, and our connection feels unique. "Hi there," my mom says as she gently knocks on my bedroom door. I'm in the middle of my bed, surrounded by empty Lindor truffle wrappers. She leans against the do
"It looks like she made it from a colorful rainbow yarn ball, as if she took the skins off all The Muppets and stitched them into one sweater. The black collar and cuffs make it even more vibrant, and it seems about four sizes too big for me." "I should've made it smaller; I forgot you've lost so much weight," she chatters. "I finished putting it together last night. Let's see!" From across the living room, my dad and Jesse are trying not to laugh, and I offer her a forced smile. "Thanks, Abuela, it's really nice." "Well, it's so cold here that I thought you could use a warm sweater." I cautiously say, "Yes," and take the sweater from her. Mom smiles from the kitchen, and I know my family finds this amusing. I pull it over my head, and the scents of mothballs, Ivory soap, and her perfume that makes me feel like I'm suffocating hit me. It's so oversized that it nearly reaches my knees, and the sleeves are longer than my fingers. It's huge and slightly scratchy. "Oh, that's perfec
"I can't believe you're here," I mutter, astonished. "I wanted to see you, and getting from the Hamptons to here isn't a big deal," he whispers as he cups my face with his hands. "I was tired of seeing you only through a screen, and I didn't need to be home anymore, so... I decided to surprise you and spend some extra time together. Cut the distance in half." "Why didn't you tell me?" "You like surprises, don't you?" he asks, making me smile. "I do." "I figured, 'Well, I've got your Christmas gift, if that's okay.'" "Oh, shoot! I didn't know we were exchanging gifts," I shake my head and sigh. "Yours isn't ready." "That's okay, I'll get it after you open yours," he says, reaching into his jeans pocket and pulling out a white envelope. He whispers. I raise my eyebrows, and he hands it to me with a smile. I open the envelope and pull out a few sheets of paper. Among them is a boarding pass for LaGuardia Airport. "For New Year's, I thought I'd take you to New York," he says quietl
"I don't know why you're so anxious," my mom leans against my door and says, and I sigh. "Mom, I don't have a Christmas gift for him." I mutter to myself as I repack my bag. For my trip with Kent, I had to visit my apartment, do laundry, prepare a new bag, and head to the airport. It wasn't the packing that made my stomach churn, but the pressure I placed on myself. "So? He said he didn't want one, didn't he?" she asks. "But he's taking me to New York," I say quietly. "Isn't that reason enough to at least try?" "Just give him something that feels like it's from you, something that's genuine," she whispers as she walks into my room and gives me a tight hug. "Juls, have a great time. I love you." "I love you too," I smile, and she returns the smile before stepping away. I grab my bags and pile my things in the living room. Kent mentioned he'd be going to the gym this morning but would return to pick me up. A smile spreads across my face when I see his black car pull up outside. "
"This nightclub is way bigger than any I've been to before. Kent kept his promise to take me out for a night on the town, and it was wild." "We were totally wasted, and we didn't know anyone around. It was a blast. The strobe lights were going wild, and EDM was blasting from every speaker. I was soaked in sweat and glitter, like a regular at this place." "Kent and I were both drowning in joy as we took shots. We spent the whole holiday with our wild families, and it was clear we were indulging in some adult fun." "We're hammered. Like, really hammered." "Should we head back?" Kent slurs, and I nod in agreement. "We stumble out of the nightclub, and he chuckles as he arranges a cab for both of us. Somehow, we manage to get into the cab. Kent rambles about where we're headed, and we share an awkward kiss in the backseat all the way back to the hotel. The driver seems irked by our behavior until Kent tips him generously." "I only remember collapsing on the bed when we reach the room
After 2 years... Kent "Today has to be perfect." I've been super busy preparing for this day for the last few weeks. It has to happen tonight, or she'll suspect something's up. Juls is getting her master's degree today, and I've never been prouder. She's incredibly smart, always reading or researching. That pile of library books in our office never seems to shrink. She's applied to Ph.D. programs all over, but I think she'll stay at Brown. I'm okay with that because I don't want anything to change about our lives. Well, except for one thing that I hope to change today. I finished my MBA a few months ago and started working full-time downtown. I'm in marketing for now but aiming for investment banking and trust. I know my path, and with time and connections, I hope to take care of us. Juls keeps saying she'll stay in school because she doesn't know what else to do, but I think it's the other way around. School and academia bring out her best. Her eyes light up when she learns some
"We're almost there," Kent insists, turning on his car's signal. I feel like we're in the middle of nowhere, and we've been driving for over an hour. Kent refused to tell me our destination because, as he put it, "I would just g****e where we're going, and then it wouldn't be a surprise anymore!" The weather was gradually getting less cold, not warm yet but no longer snowing or freezing. I was on my last spring break, trying to finish my thesis and schoolwork. We recently received information about our upcoming graduation. In about a month and a half, we would be finishing our undergrad degrees. It was still surreal to me, moving from starting a university degree to finishing it. Kent had been discussing plans for the summer, including hiking trips, which I pretended not to dread. I wasn't much of a hiker, but I was willing to do it with him. We signed our lease for next year, securing that cute little apartment on the other side of campus. The thought of moving in with him excite
"I got my email." Even though Doctor Binkley said I have a spot, I'm still nervous to open it. Maybe I should've waited to open it when I'm alone, but I can't wait. I'm opening it on my way out of lecture. I open the email, quickly reading the first few lines. But at the top, there's a big box that says 'congratulations' and 'welcome!' My heart immediately slows down, and I feel relieved, clutching my phone to my chest. It's official; I'm staying at Brown next year. That means I'll be with my family, my school, and, of course, Kent. We can start our life together, still have our friends and continue studying, but we'll be together. I remember how tough that month at Northwestern was, how much I missed him, and how I felt like I had no support. I need to text my parents and tell them the news. They've been anxiously waiting to hear what I'd do about my living situation next year. But I'll do it later. Right now, I just want to go home and be with someone I love. I pull out my phone
"I hate school sometimes." Yes, I like researching and finding answers to questions no one's ever thought of before, and I like my degree, but the coursework sucks. I'm sick of reading pages and pages of scholarly articles and books and writing a new paper every other week. My honors project is draining every ounce of energy from me, and I was starting to worry if it was even worth it anymore. I hadn't heard about Brown's Master's program yet, and that's the whole reason for this extra burden. Today was Tuesday, one of my busier days. I only had class today until noon, and then I usually spent the rest of the day grinding out work. Today I had to meet with Doctor Binkley and discuss my work. It was something we did monthly to make sure I felt like I was always on the right track. Kent had a break after his class at one-thirty, and we were planning to meet up and study together until his next class at four. Then I was planning to go home and take it easy. I take the elevator up to
I wake up in the middle of a large bed with Kent beside me. We were completely tangled in bedsheets, just beside each other in a beautiful room. I sigh, feeling my body ache and my head pound, but it's bearable. I shuffle over slightly, laying my head on his chest and snuggling back into his side. That seems to get his attention. He moves under me and groans slightly, eyelids fluttering. I feel his lips press a simple kiss to my temple, and I smile. "Hey, Juls," he mumbles. "Hi," I whisper back, watching his eyes open slowly. He grins at me easily, running a hand through my hair. "How do you feel?" he asks, and I shrug. "I have a headache and I'm tired, but I'm okay," I sigh, tracing my fingertips down the center of his chest. "I had a lot of fun last night." "Good," he whispers, putting his hand over mine on his chest. "I know how hard you've been working and all the crap we've been dealing with." His voice is thick with sleep, deep and raspy. "It was nice to have a day that wa
"It's been an amazing night and an unbelievable birthday. I'm pleasantly tipsy, happy, aware, and buzzing," I express. It looks like all three of our friends have scored phone numbers tonight, giving Kent and me some alone time. I notice the place clearing out, and I realize it's probably time to head home. The bar is closing in about thirty minutes, and it's close to three in the morning. "Want to go somewhere else?" Abby asks as we wait for our jackets. I sigh and shake my head. I'm ready to devour some greasy food, drink water, and snuggle into bed with Kent. We've teased about getting intimate, but with all our roommates around, it's not a possibility. I've let go of that idea and just want a relaxed and easy night. "I'm good," I sigh, and she nods with a simple shrug. "Thanks a lot for everything; this night was so, so fun!" "I'm thrilled you enjoyed it!" She insists, giving me a hug, and I grin. Kent retrieves our coats, and I sigh, not looking forward to facing the cold a
It was nice to feel noticed by him, nice to know that he always seemed to care about what I was up to. I'd never felt attractive before I started dating Kent. We all round up the last of our coats and shoes while the Uber's on its way. I get my coat on, and I feel Kent slide his hand along the small of my back. I gasp a bit quietly and look up, seeing his cocky grin. "You look nice," he whispers, and I chuckle, feeling his fingertips slide around the edge of my waistband. Soon we're all piling into an Uber, and I hear Abby chatting up the driver in the front seat. I'll always be envious of her confidence and how she talks to people like she's known them forever. We grab a quick dinner at a pizza place around the corner. Everyone pushed that we should go somewhere nicer, but I didn't want to. I just wanted to go out and have fun with my friends. I hadn't gone out in a long time, not really since before Christmas, and I'd spent way too much time feeling lonely, buried in work and ove
"Did you want to stay longer?" Kent asks as we step into his car, and I smile, closing the door and putting my seatbelt on. "No, we've been there for hours," I mumble, safely tucking my birthday card into my coat's inner pocket. "If we stay longer, we're staying for dinner." Time with my family was amazing, it meant the world to me, and I was thankful I had it so close to my birthday. "Your parents are really cool," he admits, turning on the car and shifting it into drive. "No, they really aren't," I snort. "Did you miss the part where mom pulled out my baby album and sang my favorite lullaby? To all of us?" I ask, and he chuckles. "Or my dad talking about his Master's thesis? His theoretical chemistry Master's thesis?" "You know what I mean," he defends. "They're...people. Like real, normal, kind people who care about everyone." "I guess they have that going for them, huh?" I laugh, and he smiles. "I can't believe that check, that's not like them. They don't just hand out money
We head inside, and I take a deep breath, walking into our house. My family's house always makes me feel happy, like I'm somewhere safe and full of love. Mom's burning some cinnamon candle, and I can hear noise from the kitchen. "What's that smell?" Kent asks, and I laugh. "Mom loves scented candles, it's probably some clearance one that she picked up from somewhere," I explain, unsure where the nearly offensive candle was. Kent hated strong scents; he claimed they gave him headaches. "Sorry." "It's okay, just... don't go burning anything like that at our place," he says, and I chuckle, reaching for his hand. "Hello?" I call, bringing Kent to the kitchen, and mom gasps, hopping up from the stove and running over. "Juls," she whispers, squeezing the life out of me. "I'm so glad you could come." "Me too, I missed you," I whisper, and she pulls back, rubbing my arms in that aggressive mom-like way. "And I missed you, oh! You're so beautiful and smart-" "Okay, mom," I mumble, and s