Love, After Dark

Chapter 40

SIRI

I followed Keisha’s taillights as they disappeared down a road I would have never noticed if she hadn’t turned onto it. At first, it just looked like another side street. But within seconds, the houses thinned. The streetlights disappeared. Trees swallowed the sky. The road narrowed until it felt like we were driving through a tunnel made of branches. Thick trunks lined both sides, stretching high overhead, their tops knitting together like fingers clasped in prayer. My headlights caught flashes of bark and leaves, and every now and then something small darted across the pavement.

“Where are we going?” I muttered to myself, tightening my grip on the steering wheel. Five minutes passed- long enough for me to consider texting Nala my location- when Keisha’s car slowed and turned into what looked like nothing. There was no obvious entrance. No mailbox. No visible driveway from the road. Just trees. Then I saw it. A narrow curve cut into the woods, hidden so well you’d miss it completely unless you knew it was there. I followed her onto the winding driveway. Gravel crunched beneath my tires as the path curved gently, shielding whatever was ahead. And then the trees opened. I actually gasped.

The house rose from the earth like it had grown there. Dark wood wrapped around the exterior, rich and almost black in certain shadows, but warm where soft golden lights glowed from beneath the roofline and along the base. The architecture felt organic. Curved edges, layered beams, wood that looked carved rather than constructed. It reminded me of something between a luxury cabin and a hidden sanctuary. It was stunning. Never would I have imagined this as Keisha’s house, but after seeing it, it fit Keisha perfectly. Dark and warm. Mysterious but inviting.

Birds fluttered from tree to tree, bright flashes of color I couldn’t even name. I’d seen cardinals and blue jays before, but some of these birds looked tropical, their calls sharp and unfamiliar. Somewhere deeper in the woods, something rustled. Leaves shifted. I could hear insects humming and the faint rush of wind through branches. It felt like a bungalow in the jungle.

There was an energy here. I couldn’t explain it, but I felt it the second I stepped out of my car. The air felt different. Cleaner, almost charged. Calming enough that I could imagine laying down in the impossibly green grass and falling asleep without a single worry. But at the same time, my pulse buzzed. It was peaceful. And exhilarating. Keisha watched me take it all in, a knowing smile on her face. “You like it?” “Like it?” I breathed. “Keisha… this is insane. She laughed and started toward the front door. I followed, still scanning the trees, half expecting something magical to step out.

Inside, I fell in love all over again. The dark cabin theme continued, but it wasn’t gloomy. The walls were rich wood paneling, deep brown with almost black undertones. Warm lighting glowed from recessed fixtures and low lamps, casting soft gold across the floors. The air smelled faintly like cedar and something sweet- vanilla maybe. It felt earthy. Grounded.

After a few minutes of small talk, I asked casually, “Are your parents home?” She paused just slightly before answering. “They’re… away.” “Oh.” I waited for more. Nothing came. I glanced around at the large floor to ceiling windows looking straight out into the woods. “Isn’t it scary staying in a place like this alone? With all the trees and windows and… everything?” Keisha turned toward me, her expression soft. Almost protective. “I promise,” she said gently, “we’re safer here than anywhere else.” The way she said it made it sound like a fact. Safer how? I opened my mouth to ask, but she grabbed my hand. “Come on.” She pulled me toward the staircase.

Upstairs, her room looked like something out of a dream. The same gorgeous wooden floors stretched beneath us, polished smooth but still natural. The walls curved slightly, giving the whole space a treehouse feel. Like we were tucked high inside the forest canopy. And then I saw her bed. It looked like it had been carved from a living tree. The frame was sculpted wood—thick, twisting, flowing like roots frozen mid-growth. The headboard rose high behind the mattress, its natural grain swirling in dramatic patterns. The base of the bed was layered and organic, almost wave-like, as if wood had been molded by water. Soft lighting glowed from underneath the frame, casting a subtle amber halo along the floor. It made the bed look like it was floating. Next to it, the wall was a complete window that overlooked the woods. The trees stood tall and endless beyond the glass, branches swaying gently in the dusk light. I felt small. In awe.

Keisha opened her closet dramatically. “Let’s find us something to wear tonight.” I stepped inside and scanned her wardrobe. I tried very hard not to stare. There was… not a lot of fabric involved in most of her clothing choices. Tiny tops. Tight dresses. Skirts that could barely qualify as skirts. “When you’re not at school,” I said carefully, “you like to… express yourself.” She burst out laughing. “Don’t be a prude, Siri. You’re hot. You should flaunt it.” “I am not hot.” She gave me a look. “Please. You just don’t know it yet.” Reluctantly, I agreed to try things on.

We went through what felt like a million outfits. I changed. She critiqued. She changed. I gasped. We laughed. At one point she handed me something I was absolutely not emotionally prepared for and I threw it back at her. Eventually, she settled on a black lace crop top and a fitted black skirt that hugged her perfectly, paired with heels that made her legs look even longer. I chose an off-the-shoulder blue top with ripped skinny jeans. The top had a dangerous slit at the center that showed just enough cleavage to make my face heat up when I looked in the mirror. “If this is modest,” I muttered, “I’m terrified of your definition of scandalous.” Keisha grinned. We fixed our hair and makeup. She darkened her eyes. I kept mine softer but added just enough to feel different. Bolder.

When we were finally satisfied, we headed back downstairs and out to her car. Just as I started the engine, my phone buzzed. Mom: “I’m proud of you for taking school seriously tonight. I know being grounded is hard, but you’re handling it maturely. Text me when you’re done studying so I know you’re safe. I love you.” The words hit me like a punch. Proud of you. Handling it maturely. Love you. Guilt flooded my chest so fast it almost made me nauseous.

Keisha cranked up the music, bass vibrating through the car as we pulled away from the house. The trees swallowed us again, headlights carving a path through darkness. She was singing loudly, laughing, already in party mode. I forced a smile. I didn’t want to ruin the mood. But as we drove away from that hidden sanctuary, deeper into the night, my mom’s text replayed over and over in my head. And the guilt sat heavy in my chest.