Elena woke up feeling… hot.
Too warm, too close.
When she opened her eyes, it took a second for her vision to focus. The unfamiliar ceiling, the muted morning light filtering through soft curtains — then the steady rhythm of breathing beside her.
Adrian.
Her heart jumped before her brain caught up.
He was sprawled across half the bed, one arm over the blanket, one leg somehow tangled with hers. Great.
She froze.
If I move too fast, he'll wake up.
Very, very carefully, she tried to slide her leg out from under his. He was heavier than he looked — solid, warm, impossible to budge without effort. She almost groaned out loud but bit her lip instead.
A quiet, internal scream.
God, Dree. Why do you sleep like a human boulder?
After a few awkward contortions, she finally freed herself and sat up on the edge of the bed, breathing out in relief.
Her phone blinked faintly on the nightstand.
6:07 a.m.
She'd slept eleven hours straight.
No wonder her body felt oddly light, like it didn't remember how to carry the weight of yesterday.
Then she saw them — three unread notifications.
All from Nathan.
Her breath hitched.
She didn't open them. Not yet.
Just seeing his name was enough to twist something inside her chest.
Not now.
She slipped quietly out of the room, careful not to wake Adrian, and padded downstairs.
The house was still.
In the kitchen, the faint hum of the refrigerator was the only sound. She reached for a mug, spooned in coffee, and poured the hot water slowly — the smell filling the air like a small comfort.
She took a seat at the counter, fingers wrapped around the warm mug, letting the first sip burn the sleep from her throat.
Her mind, however, wouldn't stay still.
Adrian's voice from the night before echoed in her head:
> Adrian's voice… "Do you like him?"
The reality hit her harder now.
Yes. Of course she liked him.
She exhaled heavily, eyes fixed on the steam rising from her cup.
Do I?
It was a stupid question. Or maybe it wasn't.
She didn't even know what she felt anymore — confusion, regret, a little bit of both.
Her pulse still remembered the kiss, but her mind kept saying what a terrible mistake it was.
"I can't do this," she whispered under her breath.
"I can't afford to do this."
She wasn't ready for another mess. Not with her parents. Not with herself.
It's not worth the drama it's going to create.
He's not worth the noise.
She reached for her phone again, screen lighting up to those same unread notifications.
This time, she opened them — slowly, almost reluctantly.
Message 1:
Nathan: When are you coming home?
Message 2:
Nathan: Your brother said you're gonna stay at some Isla's. Are you hiding from me?
Message 3:
Nathan: Where did you vanish, Elena? We need to talk...
We need to talk..
Her thumb hovered over the reply box, but she already knew what she needed to do.
Keep it simple.
Keep it cold.
End it before it begins.
> Elena: Hey Nathan, thanks for checking in. Yeah, I crashed at Isla's last night — we'd planned a little sleepover after finishing our project. We both needed a break. I'll be home in about an hour. What did you want to talk about?
The typing dots appeared almost instantly.
Of course he was awake. Why wouldn't he be, she thought sarcastically.
> Nathan: You just disappeared last night. I wasn't sure if something was wrong.
Nathan: I didn't mean to push you away, Elena. I just… wanted to clear the air.
Nathan: Come by the garden when you're back. I'll wait.
She stared at the screen, her stomach tightening.
Clear the air.
That was exactly what she didn't want to do.
Because clearing it meant facing it — facing him.
Was she ready yet?
She left the chat on read.
I'll keep it casual.
She locked the screen and set the phone aside, fingers tightening around her coffee mug.
Maybe if she kept things calm, distant, practical… it would fade.
Maybe she could make herself believe it didn't mean anything.
Just one conversation, she told herself.
Then it's done.
She waited for Adrian to wake up.
The quiet stretched across the house, broken only by the faint hum of the heater and the clink of her cup against the counter.
When he finally came downstairs, his curls were a mess and his voice still rough with sleep.
He took one look at her face and froze.
"You've been crying," he said softly.
She didn't answer. Just slid her phone across the counter toward him.
He frowned, picked it up, and scrolled through the chat.
The messages glowed faintly in the pale morning light.
His jaw tightened as his eyes moved across the screen — once, twice, slower the third time.
He didn't say a word for five full minutes.
Just kept reading, his thumb resting still on the glass.
Finally, he exhaled and placed the phone back on the counter.
From the look on his face and the tension in his jaw, she realized: he knows what I'm going to do.
He looked tensed, frustrated, like he doesn't agree with it. But he stayed silent, maybe measuring something.
Elena picked it up again, wiping her tears quickly with the back of her hand. Her teeth caught her lower lip as she tried to steady herself..
Enough!
Get a hold of yourself.
She stood up, her chair scraping quietly against the floor.
Adrian's eyes followed her, dark and watchful, gauging every move.
She walked over to the kitchen counter where his car keys lay — small, silver, harmless-looking. She picked them up, tossed them toward him.
He caught them in one smooth motion, his brows knitting slightly.
"Let's talk it over at breakfast," she said evenly, her voice steadier than she felt. "I'm hungry."
Get a grip on your emotions Elena!
For a moment, he just looked at her — really looked. The warmth in his brown eyes darkened, something fierce flickering beneath the surface.
His expression softened, but only just. "Alright," he said quietly. "Breakfast it is."
---
The smell of toast filled the air as Adrian slid a plate toward her. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until the first bite hit her tongue.
Neither of them spoke for a while — only the quiet scrape of cutlery broke the silence.
When she finally looked up, he was already watching her. His expression was calm, but his eyes were sharp — the kind that missed nothing.
He's been silently watching her for far too long…
Does he think I'm weak?
"Elena," he began carefully, "you already know what I'm going to say, don't you?"
She didn't answer, just kept her gaze fixed on her plate.
He continued, voice low and steady. "If you walk away now, you'll spend a long time wondering what if.
What if you'd tried a little harder? What if you'd let yourself know him better before deciding?
That question doesn't go away easily."
He laid the facts out cleanly – every word sinked into her.
He didn't want her to regret her decision later.
Her throat tightened, but she stayed silent.
He leaned back slightly, studying her, trying to see if she was following him.
"I saw the way you looked at him. You might not have said it out loud, but I'm not blind, Elena.
There's something there — something you don't want to admit yet.
I'm not judging it, and I'm not saying it's wrong. I just want you to see where it might lead."
He paused, letting his words settle before continuing.
"But if you do decide to face him… you need to be ready for what comes next.
People talk.
They criticize.
And they won't care what's true.
You'll have to be strong enough to bear it — and he'll have to be strong enough to stay."
He laid out the options she has;
It meant either she faces it now – see where it leads, she won't have any regrets about it later. But if she faces it right now – she's got to face the music that comes with it.
She met his gaze then, her eyes tired but intent.
"So, you're saying either way… it won't be easy," she said quietly.
He nodded. "Exactly. I'm not telling you what to choose. I'm just giving you both sides of it. Whatever path you take, make sure it's your choice, not the world's."
She understood it completely now.
Elena took a deep breath, letting his words sink in. She didn't reply right away. Instead, for the first time since yesterday, her thoughts felt clear.
When she finally spoke, her voice was soft but sure. "Thank you, Dree. For helping me think it through. But now… I think I have to decide for myself." She really was thankful.
He'd given her control again– a direction for her scattered thoughts…
He smiled faintly. "That's the Elena I know."
After breakfast, she stood up, brushing the crumbs from her lap. "Can you drop me home?"
He nodded without question.
The drive was quiet, but not heavy — the silence between them was warm, full of understanding. When he pulled up outside her house, she unbuckled her seat belt and reached for the door handle.
"Elena," he called her name.
She turned to him, and his voice softened. "Promise me one thing. Whatever happens from now, we're in this together, okay? I meant what I said last night. You just have to dial the number and state the problem. I'll handle the rest. Okay, princess?"
She didn't know why he said what he said. But she felt all the weight lifted off of her chest.
He always has the right words at the right time…
Her lips curved into a small smile as she nodded, but he raised an eyebrow. "Uh-uh. Use your words, young lady."
That made her laugh — really laugh — and the sound reached her eyes this time. "I promise, Dree. And I promise I'll remember you if I ever get into any kind of trouble." There was pure honesty in her words.
A glint of relief flickered across his face.
She leaned forward and hugged him tightly, resting her cheek against his shoulder for a long moment.
When she finally pulled back, her voice trembled with sincerity.
"Whatever good I did in this life," she said softly, "you're the reward I got for it."
He let out a deep breath, and a genuine smile broke through.
"Okay, Miss Elena. My services are officially over for now. You may step out of the vehicle. I've got other princesses to rescue."
She laughed again, lightly punching his arm. "You're impossible."
As she opened the car door, he called after her, louder this time, "Update me after the garden talk, will ya?"
"Okay!" she shouted back without turning around.
Elena opened the door to her house and took a long inhale, pausing for a moment.
The house was silent.
She exhaled slowly.
She had to think this through.
Without wasting another second, she headed to her room and locked the door behind her.
She slipped out of her clothes and turned the shower on — as hot as she could bear. The water hit her skin in waves, burning the hesitation away.
She stood there for a long moment, letting the steam wrap around her like a shield.
She was going to keep it casual, she told herself.
She had to act normal.
Strong.
Composed.
Upright.
And Confident.
Let's see where it takes her.
One step at a time, just as Adrian advised her…