"Juls." I hear a distant voice. "Juls, wake up. We're here." I blink my eyes open when my shoulder is shaken and see Kent's blurry figure sitting beside me in the car. "What?" I ask, stretching my arms, and he gives me a smirk. "We've arrived, dear. Get up and stretch your legs." He sighs, and I nod, then lean over to open the town car door. I step out with my backpack onto a driveway, and my jaw nearly drops. I'm standing in front of what appears to be a Downton Abbey set. The house sits on a sprawling lot, grand, with full columns and steps leading up to the front door. "You okay?" Kent asks, as he retrieves my suitcase and rolls it alongside his. "You live here with your family?" I'm astonished, and he simply nods, clearing his throat. "Here?" "Yes, this way," he repeats, and I take a deep breath and start to feel anxious. "I have no idea how to handle this. I didn't grow up like this," I admit softly. My house only had two floors, and I'm not accustomed to such luxury. "All
After our meal, he leads me upstairs. We walk through the hallways but don't enter any of the rooms. He takes me to a door on its own, clearly leading to a large room. When he opens the door, my eyes widen. I was correct; there's a large bed, a wall covered in trophies and awards, a gaming system that would put any teenager's setup to shame, and a spacious sitting area with a couch and two armchairs. "My room," he says, placing his hands on his hips, and I clear my throat. "What are you going to do with all this space? Run laps?" I tease him, and he laughs, lifting me up and carrying me inside. I laugh and wrap my arms around the back of his neck. "That kind of thing," he jests. "This isn't actually my bedroom. When I was going to school in the city, I lived in an apartment. When my parents moved here permanently, I just stored all my stuff in this room." "I really, really wish I had this," I sigh as he helps me stand back up. "You know this is bigger than our hotel room and maybe
The rest of our afternoon in bed goes really well. He shares a bit about his childhood and proudly shows me his trophies and awards, which weren't all for football. Some were for academics, while others were for sports. He always went above and beyond. He leaves me alone in the bathroom to get ready. I put in effort with my hair and makeup but didn't want to look too overdone. I was already nervous about the last thing with Kent. I wanted to stay true to myself. The bathroom was more my style than the hotel, with a large tub and a separate shower, giving off a farmhouse feel. When I'm ready, I step outside to meet Kent, who's impeccably dressed. He looks sharp and dapper in his tuxedo, which fits him perfectly. "You look gorgeous," he compliments me, and I grin. He's almost ready, just needing to change, so he waits for me. "Thanks, honey, but that's your story," I tease, and he laughs, crossing his arms. "Go get dressed." I smile and walk into the closet to change. Being a walk-i
"Hi," Kent said, looking really uncomfortable. "And this must be Juls," he grinned, extending his hand for a shake, and I shook it. His firm handshake suggested he did that a lot. He was nice but quite intimidating. He clearly ran things from top to bottom. "Pleased to meet you," I replied. "Well, Astrid has been talking my ear off about my son's girlfriend," he smiled, and I nodded. "I'm glad you could join us." "I'm glad too." "Son, I had something to talk to you about if you don't mind me taking him, Juls," his father said, and I nodded politely. "Sure, I'll see you later," I whispered, and Kent sighed, looking reluctant to leave. He kissed my cheek and followed his dad through the kitchen. A sinking feeling rushed over me when I realized I was alone. "Come with me," his mother insisted, placing her hands on my shoulders and guiding me out of the kitchen. "You have a beautiful home," I told her, and she smiled. "It's my pride and joy, well, after my family, of course," she
Dinner without him was awful. I felt isolated and puzzled about the food, with no one to assist me. Being not much of a social person, unfamiliar gatherings weren't my strong suit. Those girls from earlier were mean; they kept asking where Kent had gone. They threw questions at me about things I'd never experienced, making me feel like a loser in front of others. His mom looked anxious, as if she might be the reason he'd vanished. His dad appeared unfazed, which made me uncomfortable. I eventually left when the evening became unbearable. After feeling sad and alone, I trudged back upstairs, feeling overweight and unattractive in my dress. He had promised he wouldn't leave me alone, that he'd be there the whole time and that he cared. It seemed like he had lied to me. I removed my clothes, heels, tape, and makeup, tied my hair back, and turned on the TV to drown out the noise. I climbed under the covers in my underwear, not bothering to put anything else on because I knew he would
"I've never felt this way before, whatever it is." "No," I mumbled, "it's over if I give in." He wrapped his arms around me, and I could feel his embrace. I sighed as he put his hand on the back of my head and ran his fingers through my hair. "I'll make up for this, sweetheart. I promise." "Stop making promises," I said stubbornly, and he sighed. "You have no idea how embarrassed I felt here tonight." I couldn't speak loudly because of his chest, but I knew he could hear me. "I apologize," he whispered, and as his hands moved across my back, I felt a tingling sensation. My body was contradicting my mind. "I'm sorry I left you here, Juls. I care about you." He leaned over and gave me a quick kiss. I hesitated, but as soon as it happened, I was back in the moment with him. I didn't have to forget what he had done, I didn't have to be happy about it, and he deserved my anger right now. I just needed him. He pushed the blanket down my body with his hands, and I gasped for a moment, u
"Juls, how did Thanksgiving go?" Mark asks from the couch, and my cheeks start to flush. It's Tuesday night, and I'm preparing dinner before heading to work. Everyone's back from vacation, exams are looming, and I'm eager to wrap up the term. "It went well," I reply, my lips pressed together, as I slice a tomato for a quick salad, reminiscing about the good times from the past. "Oh my god, look at that face!" Kyle teases. "What's going on?" "Nothing," I shrug. In reality, a lot is going on. Kent is eager to expedite our transition to dating. He's been working with a tech guy he found earlier today, explaining his plan and how it should work. If everything goes according to plan, we should be good to go once exams are over. This morning, Doctor Elliot, my backup interviewer, didn't seem too thrilled about meeting me at first. But after we talked for an extra hour due to his interest in my research, my perspective shifted. He kept apologizing for the scheduling hiccup, but in a way,
We were really into each other and had grown so much in the last few days, but now we had to take a step back. And it was killing me. The drive to the pool is short, much shorter than it used to feel. Once we get there, I don't want to leave. "Honey, I'll see you in a few hours," he whispers to me as he parks the car, and I nod, unbuckling my seatbelt. "Go save some lives." "Thanks for bringing me," I reply in a hushed tone, and he nods. We sit in silence for a moment, both wanting the same thing: a kiss, a hug, something to express how much we care. "Go have a great workout." "I'm trying to stay in shape for our date in a few weeks," he teases, and I laugh, rolling my eyes. "I know you have high expectations for yourself." "At the top," I playfully retort, and he chuckles. "Goodbye, see you later." I smile, placing my hand on his arm. He nods and lets me exit the car to walk into the pool. I sigh and try not to dwell on my favorite moments with him for too long. I can't afford to