CHAPTER 2
1374 Words
Chapter 2: Stay the Night
Clara POV
I run up the stairs like something is chasing me. Oliver's footsteps follow behind.
"Clara, wait."
But I can't wait. Lily will be here soon. What we did... what we just did on that couch... she can't know.
"We need to clean up," I say. My hands shake as I try to fix my hair. "She can't see us like this."
Oliver grabs my wrist. Gentle but firm. "Look at me."
"I can't." Tears burn my eyes. "Oliver, what did we do?"
"We did what we both wanted." His voice is calm. Too calm. "What we've both been wanting for three years."
"But Lily."
"Will understand. Eventually."
I laugh, but it sounds broken. "Understand? That her best friend and her brother... that we..."
"That we fell in love."
The words hit me like a punch. Love. Is that what this is? This wild, desperate feeling in my chest?
"Don't say that."
"Why not? It's true."
"You don't love me." I pull away from him. "You barely know me."
"I know you bite your lip when you're thinking. I know you take your coffee with too much sugar. I know you cry at sad movies and pretend you don't."
My heart stops. "How do you know all that?"
"Because I've been watching you for three years, Clara. Waiting. Hoping. Trying to find the courage to tell you how I feel."
"This is crazy." I pace his bedroom. His bedroom where we just... "We can't do this. Not to Lily."
"So what's your plan? Pretend it never happened?"
"Yes." The word comes out too fast. Too desperate.
Oliver laughs, but there's no humor in it. "You think you can forget? Forget how it felt when I touched you? How you said my name?"
Heat floods my cheeks. My body remembers everything. Every kiss. Every touch. The way he looked at me like I was the only thing in the world.
"I have to try."
"Why?"
"Because she's my best friend. Because I love her. Because I can't lose her."
"And what about losing me?"
The question hangs in the air. Heavy and dangerous.
"I never had you to lose."
Something flashes in his eyes. Hurt. Anger. "Is that what you think?"
A car door slams outside. We both freeze.
"She's here," I whisper.
Oliver moves to the window. Looks down. "It's her."
My phone buzzes. A text from Lily.
*Home! Where are you guys? The house is so dark!*
"Go," Oliver says. "Use the back stairs. I'll turn on the lights and tell her I was taking a shower."
"What about me?"
"Tell her you just got here. That you waited outside because you didn't want to bother me."
It's a good plan. Simple. But my legs won't move.
"Clara." He touches my face. "Go. Before she finds us."
I nod. Start to leave. But at the door, I turn back.
"Oliver?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For everything. For wanting you. For tonight. For having to pretend it didn't happen."
He's quiet for a long moment. Then: "I'm not sorry. And neither are you. Not really."
He's right. I should be sorry. I should regret every second. But all I can think about is how perfect it felt to be in his arms.
I slip down the back stairs just as the front door opens.
"Hello?" Lily's voice echoes through the house. "Anyone home?"
I take a deep breath. Smooth my hair. Try to look normal.
"Lily!" I call out, stepping into the hallway like I just came in. "You're back early!"
She turns, and her face lights up. My beautiful, trusting best friend. Guilt hits me like a wave.
"Clara! What are you doing here so late?"
"I brought those files. But the house was dark, so I wasn't sure if anyone was home."
"Oliver's here somewhere. His car's outside." She hugs me tight. "I'm so glad you're here. The flight was awful."
Over her shoulder, I hear footsteps on the main stairs. Oliver appears, hair damp like he really was in the shower. He's changed clothes. Put on a clean shirt.
"Welcome home," he says to Lily. His voice gives nothing away.
"Thanks." She lets go of me and hugs him. "Sorry I'm back so early. Did I interrupt anything?"
My heart stops. But Oliver just shrugs.
"I was working. Clara just got here."
"Perfect timing then." Lily grins at me. "Want to stay for dinner? I'll order pizza."
"I should probably go home."
"Come on. It's Friday night. Stay. Please?"
I look at Oliver. He's watching me with those blue eyes. Waiting to see what I'll do.
"Okay," I hear myself say. "I'll stay."
Dinner is torture. Lily talks about her trip while Oliver and I try to act normal. But every time our eyes meet, I feel that fire again. Every time he passes me something, our fingers brush.
Lily doesn't notice. She's too happy to be home. Too busy telling stories.
But I notice everything. The way Oliver's jaw tightens when I laugh at something else. The way he watches me when he thinks Lily isn't looking. The way his presence fills the whole room.
"I'm exhausted," Lily says finally. "I think I'm going to bed."
"Good idea." I stand up quickly. "I should go too."
"Don't be silly. It's late and stormy. Stay the night. You can borrow my pajamas."
"Really, I should—"
"I insist." She links her arm through mine. "Like a sleepover. It'll be fun."
I look at Oliver helplessly. He gives the tiniest shake of his head. Don't argue, it says. Don't make her suspicious.
"Okay," I say. "I'll stay."
An hour later, I'm lying in Lily's guest room, staring at the ceiling. She's asleep in her room down the hall. The house is quiet.
Too quiet.”
My phone buzzes. A text.
From Oliver.”
You awake?
I stare at the message. I should ignore it. Should delete it and go to sleep and pretend tonight never happened.
Instead, I type back: Yes.
Can't sleep either.
*This is a bad idea.
What is?
Texting. Talking. All of it.
Probably.
Definitely.
A long pause. Then: *I meant what I said earlier.*
*About what?*
About loving you.
My heart hammers against my ribs. I type and delete a dozen responses. Finally settle on: *You don't know what you're saying.
*I know exactly what I'm saying. The question is: do you feel it too?*
Do I? This desperate, wild thing in my chest? This need to see him, touch him, be near him?
I can't answer that.
*Why not?*
*Because if I do, everything changes.
Everything already changed, Clara. The moment I kissed you, everything changed.
I close my eyes. He's right. There's no going back to the way things were. No pretending we're just Clara and Oliver, Lily's friend and Lily's brother.
What do you want from me? I type.
Everything.
The word sits on my screen like a bomb. Everything. My heart. My body. My future. My friendship with Lily.
I can't give you everything.
Yes, you can. You just have to be brave enough to take it.
And lose Lily?
Maybe. Or maybe she'll understand.
You're asking me to risk everything I care about.
I'm asking you to fight for something you care about even more.
I stare at the message until my vision blurs. Is he right? Do I care about him more than my friendship with Lily? More than my safe, careful life?
I need time to think.
Take all the time you need. I'll be here when you're ready.
What if I'm never ready?
Then I'll wait anyway.
My throat closes up. The certainty in his words, the promise. It's everything I want and everything I'm afraid of.
Goodnight, Oliver.
Goodnight, Clara. Sweet dreams.
I set my phone aside and close my eyes. But sleep doesn't come. Instead, I lie awake thinking about blue eyes and gentle hands and words that could change my whole world.
Three hours later, my phone buzzes again. Another text.
But this time, it's not from Oliver.
It's from a number I don't recognize.
I know what you did tonight. And I know exactly how to use it.
- Writer
