"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

"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

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

"Juls?" Kent's voice resonates through the apartment. "Juls?!" Five seconds later, he's in my doorway, his chest heaving, backpack on, and shoes and coat still on. "Are you okay? What's wrong? I heard you scream." He farts, and I cover my mouth and smile. "I got in," I say softly. "I'm in, I got a spot in the Northwestern program." I'm so thrilled that tears well up in my eyes. "You got in?" He asks, a big smile on his face, and I nod excitedly. He rushes over and gives me a tight hug. My tears flow even faster. We've been apart for over a week, so it's a relief to see him. "Of course you did; I knew you would." He talks over my shoulder. "I'm really happy for you." "Thanks," I whisper, and he squeezes me until I can hardly breathe. "What are you doing back when you said you'd be at the library late?" I step back, and he chuckles. "Baby, good news comes in pairs," he grins. "The video Piper made is gone. The guy I worked with told me it was only on her phone. No more embarrassing v

Juls Dear god, I feel guilty. I feel like I'm always lying to people. I feel bad when I look at my roommates and don't say anything about Kent and me. I don't like how sneaky this is, and I think it's a lot too dangerous. Since Kent burst into my room and told me the good news, things have been crazy. We can always run across the hall to each other quickly when we're alone. It's too easy to get into bed and not want to get out again. It's easy to lie about what time work starts so that Kent and I can spend an hour talking and hanging out in Kent's Jeep outside the pool. It shouldn't be this hard, and I shouldn't be so stressed out about it. But every time I see him, I get this feeling that takes over my whole body. I feel attraction and energy moving through the air, and then I always think about how exciting this is. I'm so lucky that he cares about me so much. Even though it's selfish, I'm not ready to tell anyone else about this. I'm not ready for the crazy drama that's about to