To Want You

Chapter 3 : Midnight Confessions

Abel tosses a cheese puff in my direction. It misses my face by an inch and explodes on impact against the carpet, leaving a trail of neon crumbs on what used to be clean.

I glare at him through my bangs. “Don’t make a mess or I’m kicking you out.”

It’s way past midnight. I’m sprawled on the floor with textbooks open, loose papers scattered across the coffee table, while Abel lounges behind me like he owns the place—casually munching through the snacks he brought.

He waves off my threat and pops another cheese puff into his mouth. “Relax. I’ll clean it up.”

“You said that last time,” I mutter.

“I did clean it up.”

“You wiped it with a sock.”

He grins. “Resourceful.”

I scoff and turn back to my homework. Calculus formulas blur together on the page, but I force myself to keep going. Abel leans forward, resting his chin on my shoulder.

“I could give you the answers, you know.”

I pause.

It’s tempting. I know he’s already finished his homework—probably in record time. Taking his answers would make this whole thing easier. But I shake my head.

“I’m good,” I say, refocusing. “If I don’t figure this out now, I’ll panic during the next surprise quiz and combust.”

“That’s dramatic.”

“That’s accurate.”

He chuckles but stays quiet, watching me work. After a while, I hit a snag and groan softly.

“That part’s wrong,” Abel says gently. “Try switching the variables.”

I blink. “Wait—oh.”

I erase, rewrite, and suddenly it clicks.

“Oh my god,” I breathe. “That actually makes sense.”

“Told you,” he says smugly.

By the time I finish, I realize something strange—I actually understand what I just did. I stretch, feeling accomplished for once.

Abel smiles beside me and reaches over, patting my head like I’m a dog.

“Hey,” I protest. “Don’t do that.”

“You earned it.”

I shove my books into my backpack, relieved. “Thanks for coming over,” I admit. “I would’ve stayed up all night otherwise.”

“Anytime.”

I stand and stretch my stiff limbs. “I’ll prep the spare room for you.”

Upstairs, I change the sheets and fluff the pillow. This isn’t the first time Abel’s crashed here. Some of his things are already in the room—extra clothes, a charger, a toothbrush. I don’t mind. It’s better than being alone.

I yawn, exhaustion finally catching up.

When I go back downstairs, Abel’s nowhere in sight. Probably in the bathroom. I check the front door, lock it, then head to my room.

Two in the morning.

Five hours of sleep. Barely enough.

I crawl into bed, burying myself in the sheets. My vision blurs almost instantly.

Then—creak.

I roll onto my side, barely opening my eyes as Abel’s silhouette slips into my room. I’m too tired to question it.

There’s a soft thump.

He probably dragged the mattress in.

I drift off again.

Abel’s POV

I’m here because of my parents.

My birthday’s coming up, and they’re going all out. They invited every girl they’ve ever set me up with—plus a few I’ve never even met. I’m expected to sit there, smile politely, and endure it all.

Elka’s my escape.

She never brings it up unless my parents rope her into it.

She’s asleep now.

I turn onto my side, propping my elbow under my head as I stare at her bed. A sad smile creeps onto my face.

They say when you find your mate, the bond is impossible to ignore.

I don’t want to believe that.

It’s the twenty-first century. Why are we still trapped by tradition?

My mind drifts to the first time I met her. Third birthday. Ponytails. Polka-dot dress. I stole her glasses and she cried.

It became our thing after that.

Too bad she barely wears them anymore.

I sit up, my body moving before my brain catches up. The room is quiet except for her steady breathing. I carefully lift the sheets and slip in beside her.

Her arm wraps around me automatically.

A smile tugs at my lips.

When she sleeps, she always latches onto something.

I pull her closer, resting an arm behind her back, breathing in her familiar scent. Something warm blooms in my chest.

She feels right here.

If she doesn’t answer my calls, I panic. If someone gets too close to her, I step in. I don’t even realize I’m doing it until it’s already happened.

Maybe it’s because I’m turning eighteen.

Maybe it’s something else.

I don’t know.

I lean down and press a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

And for the first time in days, I sleep peacefully.