Eighteen ✨

Alex 🖤

I leaned against the driver’s side door, watching the front of the school as students poured out, one by one. My eyes were fixed on the entrance, waiting for just one person—Nicole. I ran a hand through my hair, feeling the light breeze tousling it, but I didn’t care. The day had been long, filled with final project deadlines and last-minute tweaks, but none of that mattered now. All I could think about was seeing her.

When she finally emerged, I felt a warmth spread through my chest, chasing away the exhaustion that had clung to me all day. There she was, walking toward me with that soft, familiar smile. Her long hair swayed gently as she approached, and I could see the relief in her eyes—she had survived the chemistry exam. I knew how much she had been dreading it, and I couldn’t help but feel proud of her for pushing through.

“Hey, beautiful,” I greeted her, wrapping her in my arms as soon as she was close enough. Her small frame melted against me, and for a moment, it felt like everything else in the world disappeared. All the stress, all the pressure—it faded the second I had her in my arms. I inhaled her familiar scent, letting it ground me. This was home.

“Hey,” she whispered, her voice soft as she rested her head against my chest. I could feel her relaxing, her body easing into mine as the weight of the day slipped away from her too. I loved how being with each other could do that—erase all the chaos and leave only the comfort of being together.

I pulled back just slightly so I could see her face, my thumb brushing lightly against her cheek. Her skin was soft, her expression a little tired but filled with that quiet strength I admired so much. “How was your day?” I asked, keeping my voice gentle, not wanting to bring back any of the stress I knew she’d been feeling.

“Exhausting,” she admitted with a small laugh that tugged at my heart. “But I survived the chemistry exam. Now I just have to survive Biology.”

I chuckled softly, my hand sliding down to give hers a reassuring squeeze. “You’ll ace it, just like you always do,” I told her, meaning every word. Nicole was one of the hardest-working people I knew, even if she didn’t always believe in herself. But I did. I believed in her completely.

She looked up at me, and I could see the affection in her eyes, that warmth that always made my chest feel too small for my heart. “Thanks,” she said, her voice soft, “You are so lucky to have finally completed and submitted your project.”

I nodded, feeling a little lighter at the thought of being done with it. “Yeah, but I still have my final exams to worry about,” I said with a grin, knowing that we both still had a lot ahead of us. But I wasn’t too worried, not right now. “But till then, I am at your service.”

I opened the passenger door for her, and she slipped inside with a quiet grace, her presence filling the car with a sense of calm. As I closed the door and moved to the driver’s seat, I couldn’t help but feel that familiar peace settle over me. No matter how crazy things got, no matter how stressed we both were, we always had this—these small moments where it was just the two of us, sharing the weight of the day and finding comfort in each other.

As I started the engine and pulled away from the school, I glanced over at her. She was looking out the window, the golden light of the setting sun catching the edges of her hair, making her look like she was glowing. My heart swelled with affection, a feeling so strong it almost knocked the breath out of me. How did I get so lucky to have her in my life? To have someone who understood me, supported me, and loved me through everything?

“You know,” I started, keeping my voice light as I turned the car down a quieter street, “I don’t think I could’ve survived these last few weeks without you.”

Nicole turned to me, her eyes widening slightly with surprise. “Me? What did I do?”

I chuckled, shaking my head as I glanced at her briefly before returning my attention to the road. “You’ve been there for me, every single day. You helped me with my project when I was losing my mind over the details. You kept me grounded, even when I was ready to throw my laptop out the window.”

She smiled softly, her hand reaching out to rest on my arm. Her touch was light, but it sent warmth radiating through me. “That’s what we do, right? We’re here for each other.”

I nodded, feeling a lump form in my throat at her words. She said it so simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, but to me, it meant everything. She was everything.

“Yeah, we are,” I murmured, my voice a little quieter now. I reached over, intertwining my fingers with hers, and held her hand as I drove. I didn’t need to say more—she knew. She always knew.

We drove in comfortable silence for a while, the hum of the engine and the soft sound of the radio filling the space. Every now and then, I’d glance over at her, just to see her sitting there, her presence so calming, so right. I never got tired of it—of seeing her next to me, of feeling like I could take on anything as long as she was there.

When we finally pulled up to the house, I parked the car and turned to her, not quite ready to let go of the moment. “You want to take a break tonight?” I asked, my thumb gently rubbing the back of her hand. “We can study tomorrow. You deserve some time to relax after today.”

Nicole smiled, but there was a hint of exhaustion in her eyes, like she was trying to push through it for my sake. “Maybe just a little break,” she said softly, leaning her head back against the seat. “But I still have to review Biology.”

I chuckled, shaking my head as I leaned closer, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. “Alright. But let’s not overdo it, okay? We’ve got this.”

She smiled at me, her eyes closing for just a moment as she leaned into the kiss. “Okay. We’ve got this.”

As I pulled back, I looked at her, taking in the soft curve of her lips, the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. I knew, in that moment, that no matter what came next—exams, projects, life—we’d face it together. Just like always.

And with that thought, I squeezed her hand one last time before we got out of the car.

I followed Nicole inside, the scent of something savory immediately filling the air. The kitchen was warm and inviting, as always, thanks to Daisy. She was like a second mother to me and had taken to Nicole the same way she had with me when I was younger. There was always something comforting about walking into a home that smelled of freshly cooked food, especially after a long day.

Nicole dropped her bag on one of the chairs and smiled. “Afternoon, Daisy.”

Daisy, who was stirring a pot on the stove, turned around with a bright smile. “Nicole, how was your paper, dear?” she asked, her voice gentle but filled with genuine care.

“It was good,” Nicole replied, her eyes lighting up a little at the question. “There were a lot of tricky questions, but I think I did well.”

I couldn’t help but smile at the pride in her voice. She’d been stressing about that exam for weeks, and hearing her feel confident about it lifted my spirits. Daisy then turned her attention to me, her eyes soft and kind.

“And you, Alex? How are you holding up?”

“I’m good. Thanks, Daisy.” I gave her a nod, knowing she could see through my polite response.

Daisy smiled knowingly before turning back to the stove. “I made something light for lunch. I know you both must be exhausted from school, but you can’t run on empty stomachs.”

Nicole’s eyes darted to me, and I could already see the little guilty smile playing on her lips. She had probably eaten something at school, but there was no way she’d turn down Daisy’s cooking, not even after a big meal. Daisy’s food was like magic—it didn’t matter how full you were, there was always room for more.

“Thank you, Daisy,” Nicole said, her voice a little softer now. “I actually ate at school, but I could never say no to your cooking.”

I chuckled at that. “I don’t think anyone could.”

Daisy gave us a mock scolding look over her shoulder. “Well, you better not, or I’ll have to find someone else to eat all this food I make.”

We all laughed, but the warmth in the room only grew as Daisy began serving up the meal—something simple but hearty, chicken pasta with a side of garlic bread. I could see Nicole eyeing it with a quiet anticipation, her earlier words about already eating quickly forgotten.

We sat at the kitchen table, and as soon as Nicole took her first bite, I could see the way her shoulders relaxed. Daisy’s cooking had that effect—it wasn’t just food; it was comfort, especially on days like this.

“This is amazing, Daisy,” Nicole said between bites, her eyes wide with appreciation. She took another forkful, clearly enjoying the meal despite her earlier claim of being full. “How do you always manage to make everything taste so good?”

Daisy beamed, her face glowing with pride as she sat with us. “Years of practice, my dear. Years of practice.”

I smiled, watching Nicole enjoy herself. It was moments like these I loved the most—where everything just felt easy and right. There was no stress, no exams hanging over our heads, no deadlines looming. It was just us, sharing a meal, enjoying the company, and finding peace in the small things.

We finished eating, and Nicole leaned back in her chair with a satisfied sigh. “I didn’t think I could eat that much,” she admitted, her cheeks flushed with a small, shy smile. “But I couldn’t stop.”

I laughed softly, reaching out to take her hand across the table. “I think Daisy’s food has that effect on everyone.”

Daisy chuckled, standing up to clear the table. “You two relax for a bit. I’ve got this.”

Nicole looked like she was about to offer to help, but I gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Let’s go chill in the living room for a while,” I suggested, my thumb brushing the back of her hand. “You’ve earned a break.”

She hesitated for a moment, but then nodded. I could see the exhaustion creeping back into her eyes, but I didn’t want her to push herself too hard and get overwhelmed, slipping into her little space when the pressure became too much. I wasn’t going to let that happen today. Not if I could help it.

We made our way to the living room, and as soon as we sat down on the couch, Nicole leaned into me, resting her head on my shoulder. I wrapped my arm around her, pulling her close, and she sighed softly, her body sinking into mine.

“Just a few minutes,” she murmured, her voice already heavy with the comfort of the moment. “Then I’ll get back to studying.”

I smiled, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. “Take all the time you need.”

We stayed like that for a while, the soft hum of the TV in the background, the warmth of the afternoon sun filtering through the windows. I could feel the tension in her body slowly easing, her breathing becoming more even. She didn’t have to say anything for me to know that she was relaxing, letting the weight of the day slip away. And that was exactly what I wanted for her.

I gently stroked her arm, wanting to make sure she stayed grounded. There was always that fine line—when she was tired or overwhelmed, it was easy for her to slip into little space without even realizing it. And while I loved taking care of her in that space, I wanted her to feel in control, to not let the stress push her there before she was ready.

“Are you feeling okay?” I asked quietly after a few moments, my voice soft as I tilted my head to look at her.

“Mmhmm,” she murmured, nuzzling her face into my neck. “Just tired. But I’m okay.”

I kissed her temple again, relieved. “Good. We can stay like this for as long as you need.”

She smiled at that, her eyes fluttering closed for a moment. “You’re always so good to me,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

“You deserve it,” I replied, tightening my hold on her.

We sat like that for a little while longer, just enjoying the quiet, the peace of being together. Eventually, though, I could feel her stirring, and she sat up, rubbing her eyes.

“I should probably go study,” she said reluctantly, her voice still a little sleepy.

I nodded, though a part of me wished we could stay cuddled up on the couch all evening. “Alright,” I said, giving her a small smile. “But don’t overdo it, okay?”

She grinned, leaning in to give me a quick kiss on the cheek. “I won’t. I promise.”

As she got up and headed to her room to study, I stayed on the couch for a moment, watching her go. I knew how much these exams meant to her, how hard she’d been working, but I also knew that she needed to take care of herself, too. And I’d be right there to make sure she did.

The evening sun continued to sink lower outside, casting a golden glow through the windows. I sat back, feeling a sense of calm settle over me. We had a long road ahead, but I knew we’d get through it. Together.

I stood and went up to my to change into something suitable for the night and went to Nicole's room to keep her company and make sure that she was okay as she read.