Chapter 17
Don't Come… But Don't Go
That whole day…
I couldn't stay calm.
His family.
Their presence.
Kasper's eyes.
Everything felt…
too close.
Too real.
And for the first time…
I felt scared.
Not of him.
But of everything around him.
Evening.
Home felt different.
Papa was in the living room.
Mama was in the kitchen.
Their voices…
their presence…
Everything felt louder than usual.
I stayed in my room.
Trying to distract myself.
Trying not to think.
But my phone buzzed.
"Come to the terrace."
My heart dropped.
"No."
"Come."
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Everyone is home."
A pause.
Then—
"I'm already here."
My eyes widened.
"What?!"
I ran to the window.
And there he was.
Standing on the terrace.
Like it was the most normal thing in the world.
"Keifer are you crazy?!"
I typed quickly.
"Maybe."
"GO AWAY."
"No."
"Papa is here!"
"Okay."
"KEIFER."
"Come."
I looked at the door.
Then at the window.
Then at my phone.
My heart was racing too fast.
This was wrong.
Completely wrong.
But still…
I went.
Slow steps.
Careful.
Every sound making me freeze.
Every movement feeling dangerous.
I reached the terrace door.
Paused.
Took a deep breath.
Then opened it slightly.
"Are you insane?"
I whispered.
He turned.
And for a second…
everything else disappeared.
Because the way he looked at me…
Like I was the only thing that mattered.
"You came."
"I told you not to come!"
"But you came."
"That's not the point!"
I looked around nervously.
"Someone will see—"
"They won't."
"You don't know that!"
"I do."
"You don't!"
He stepped closer.
And I stepped back instantly.
"Don't."
He stopped.
"Why are you scared?"
"I'm not scared!"
"Then what is this?"
I didn't answer.
Because I didn't know how to explain it.
Everything felt too close.
Too risky.
"Jay…"
His voice softened.
"What happened?"
I looked at him.
Then looked away.
"I saw them today."
"Who?"
"Your family."
Silence.
Something changed in his expression.
"And?"
"They're… different."
"How?"
"I don't know…"
I struggled to find the words.
"But they feel… important."
He didn't say anything.
"And Kasper…"
I hesitated.
"He looked at me like…"
"Like what?"
"…like he knew something."
A pause.
Then he stepped closer again.
Slower this time.
"Relax."
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because this doesn't feel small anymore."
Silence.
I looked at him.
"For the first time…"
"It feels like we're doing something wrong."
His eyes softened.
"We are."
My breath caught.
"But I don't care."
"Keifer—"
"I don't."
He stepped closer.
This time…
I didn't move.
"Do you?"
I stayed silent.
Because the answer was clear.
No.
I didn't care either.
Not when it came to him.
He lifted his hand slowly.
Held my wrist.
Warm.
Steady.
"Then stop overthinking."
"I can't."
"Try."
I shook my head.
"You don't understand…"
"Then make me understand."
I looked at him.
Eyes filled with something I couldn't name.
"What if we get caught?"
A pause.
"Then we deal with it."
"What if we can't?"
Silence.
For the first time…
he didn't answer immediately.
And that scared me more.
But then—
He pulled me closer.
Gently.
"Then we don't let it happen."
My heart softened.
"You say it like it's easy."
"It is."
"It's not."
"It will be."
I looked at him.
And for a second…
I believed him.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Because trusting him felt right.
Even when everything else felt wrong.
"Go back," he said softly.
"What?"
"Before someone comes."
I blinked.
"You came all this way to send me back?"
A small smile.
"I came to see you."
Silence.
"And I did."
My heart fluttered.
He stepped back.
Creating distance again.
"Now go."
I didn't move.
"Jay."
"…okay."
I turned slowly.
But before leaving…
I looked back.
He was still there.
Watching me.
Like always.
And for a second…
I wished I didn't have to go.
But I did.
Because some moments…
can't last forever.
No matter how much you want them to.
And I didn't know then…
That one day…
I wouldn't just be walking away from a terrace.
I would be walking away from him.
Completely.
To be continued… 😏💔