A Promise kept

CHAPTER EIGHT

Aurora's pov

8:12 AM.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand.

CORY

`Morning Rory Still on for 1?`

I sat up. Hair in a messy braid. My stomach flipped.

Me: `Hey! Yes still on :)`

`My brother Luca is driving me. Can you text me the location? He’ll drop me off.`

Three dots.

`Okay. Pick you up at the LA Zoo entrance at 1. Wear comfy shoes.`

`And don’t eat lunch ;)`

The LA Zoo.

Of course he remembered I love animals. I showered, then tidied my room, after that I got dressed. Jeans. White tee. Light cardigan. Hair down. And some makeup. Just enough to not look like I rolled out of bed.

10:30 AM. KITCHEN - BREAKFAST

Pancakes. Bacon. Coffee. The whole table.

Dad. Mom. Luca. Ethan. Me.

Mom passed me syrup. "Have you chosen a dress for graduation?"

"Yes, It's blush pink and beautiful," I said.

Luca whistled. "Valedictorian better look good."

I groaned. "Don’t remind me. I still have to finish the speech."

"You’ll kill it," Mom said. "Our smart girl."

Dad flipped another pancake. "And after? We'll go to Texas Then Italy?"

"Yep," I said. "2 weeks in Texas with Grandma, then 3 weeks in Italy with you guys."

"Summer of Aurora," Luca grinned. "Then Davis in Fall."

"I'll also be going back to Reno next week" Ethan said quietly, not looking up from his laptop.

I glanced at him. He was typing fast. Must be work.

12:40 PM. LUCA'S TRUCK

Windows down. Music off.

"You okay?" Luca asked.

"Yeah. Nervous."

"About the date?"

"About everything," I admitted. "Davis. Leaving. This."

Luca squeezed my knee. "You’ll be fine."

Silence.

"And Ethan?" Luca said quietly.

I looked out the window. "What about him?"

"He was up late last night. On his laptop. But I don’t think it was work."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean he kept checking his phone. Every 5 minutes." Luca glanced at me. "He cares, Ro. Even when he’s an i***t about it."

My chest felt weird. "Right."

12:58 PM. LA ZOO ENTRANCE.

I spotted Cory. Button down. Jeans. Two tickets. Big grin.

"Rory!"

"Hey," I said. Luca gave him The Look before driving off.

The zoo was loud. Sun. Giraffes. Red pandas. He asked me questions. About Animal Science. About Davis. He listened. Actually listened.

3:30 PM. GRIFFITH PARK - THE PICNIC

Blanket. Basket. City below us.

"My mom made sandwiches," he said, blushing. "I told her it was for a girl from school."

"It’s really sweet," I said.

He told me about him going to NYU for college, he'd been accepted for Sports Management. Then he shifted closer.

"Rory," he said quietly.

My heart did a weird thing.

"Yeah?"

"I like you," he said. "Like, a lot. Not just friends."

He reached for my hand. His thumb brushed my knuckles.

"I was hoping... maybe after graduation... we could try? Be more than this?"

The air went still.

He leaned in. Slow. Giving me time to pull back.

And I did.

Not because I didn’t like him. Because the second his face got close, all I saw was black hair, green eyes, and a jaw that ticks when he’s mad. I turned my cheek. His kiss landed there instead.

"Oh," he said, pulling back. "Sorry. I thought—"

"Cory," I whispered. "You’re amazing. Really. But... I think I love someone else."

His face fell. "Oh."

"Yeah," I said, voice small. "I’ve loved him for years. And I don’t know if he feels the same. But I can’t do this to you."

He was quiet. Then nodded. "Okay. That sucks. But... I get it."

"Friends?" I asked.

"Friends," he said.

4:50 PM. HOME

Luca dropped me off.

"How was it?"

"It was nice," I said honestly.

Luca nodded. "Good."

I hesitated. "He... confessed, Luca."

Luca’s jaw ticked. "What did you say?"

"I rejected him of course, I don't like him like that."

Luca looked at me. Really looked. "And is there anyone you like, like that?"

I nodded. Once. "Maybe, I don't know yet"

I got out of the truck before he could ask more. Inside, the house was quiet. Mom and Dad had a work dinner.

I heard Ethan’s phone. Ringing on top of the kitchen counter.

`Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.`

I picked it up. Unknown number. Probably important. I went upstairs to the guest room he was in, knocked. No answer. I pushed the door open. "Ethan? Your phone—"

Bathroom door opened. And he stepped out.

Towel. Low on his waist. Black hair wet. Green eyes dark. Jaw tight. Water dripping down his chest, his abs and V line visible I stopped myself before he noticed me staring.

"s**t— sorry," I stammered, holding up his phone.

"You didn’t knock," he said. Voice rough.

"I heard your phone ringing. "

He didn’t take it.

Instead he stepped closer. I stepped back. And then my back hit the wall. He followed. One hand came up. Flat on the wall beside my head. Caging me in. His eyes dropped to my mouth. Then back up to mine. And then he did it. He leaned in. Inhaled. Right at my hair. At my neck. Subtle. But I felt it.

"Griffith Park," he murmured. "And Cory I assume."

My breath caught. "What?"

"You smell like grass. And sandwiches." His voice was low. "And him."

My heart was pounding. Heat crept up my neck. My cheeks and lower, pooling between my legs. I don't even know why I was getting wet just at him being so close to me. His eyes met mine again. Dark. Searching. Then he smirked

"Are you— are you sniffing me?" I whispered.

His jaw ticked. "Just making sure you’re okay."

"That’s not—"

"Milla," he cut me off. Our eyes locked. "Did you have fun?"

"Yes," I said, too fast.

"Mm." A pause. His gaze dropped to my lips again. "Good."

He was so close I could feel the heat from his skin. Smell his soap.

I swallowed. "Your phone."

He finally took it. His fingers brushed mine. Cold.

"Thanks," he said.

I nodded once and bolted to my room.

9:00 PM. LIVING ROOM

"Parents are gone. Movie night?" Luca asked.

"Sure." I replied settling down.

I was curled on the couch. Hoodie. Socks.

Ethan came in 10 minutes later. Sweats. Tee. He sat on the other end. Halfway through the movie I was asleep. I woke up later and found myself in my bed, I think Luca carried me up.

I went back to sleep.