Chapter 4
1574 Words
Ryan drove me home afterward and parked a few houses away from mine. He shut off the engine and sat there for a second, fingers tapping lightly on the steering wheel like he was buying time.
“I guess this is your stop,” he said.
“Yeah,” I murmured, suddenly shy, my fingers twisting the hem of my skirt.
He glanced at me. “Can I get a goodbye kiss?”
I leaned in, kissed him quickly, then bolted out of the car while his laugh followed me down the driveway.
After dinner, homework, and a shower, I finally brought out the chocolate he had given me. One bite and I nearly melted. It was rich, smooth, with a little nutty taste at the end.
Way too good to eat slowly.
I snapped a picture and sent it.
I like it. A lot.
His reply came almost instantly.
I’m glad. Eat my share too. I’ll collect it from kissing you next time.
My hand flew to my mouth as I smiled.
You’re naughty, I typed back.
That was exactly when Eddy pushed my door open.
“What’s up, Liora?”
I dropped my phone and sat upright. “What do you want?”
He stepped in, holding up his screen. Two dresses filled it. “Help me pick which one would look better on Rossy.”
I sighed and pointed. “That one.”
“If you weren’t my sister, I’d never get free styling,” he joked.
“If you weren’t my brother, I wouldn’t even try,” I muttered. “Your girlfriend’s exhausting.”
He laughed. “I still don’t know why you two don’t vibe.”
“Because she doesn’t breathe kindness.”
He turned to leave, then stopped, his eyes landing on the chocolate box.
“Wait. Since when do you buy chocolate this fancy? Did Dad increase your allowance?”
“It’s just chocolate,” I replied, forcing boredom into my voice.
“Just chocolate?” He leaned closer to read the label. “Who are you fooling? This s**t is expensive.”
“Eddy, stop exaggerating. At least I’m not buying gifts every five minutes to keep love alive.”
He groaned. “Whatever.”
The second he left, curiosity won. I grabbed my phone and searched the brand.
When the price appeared, my mouth actually fell open.
My family had money. But the Prescotts were clearly in another league.
Why would you spend that much on chocolate? I texted Ryan.
You’re dating the only Prescott heir, he replied.
I typed Cocky, pretending my cheeks weren’t burning.
He sent a winking emoji. I put my phone down eventually, but sleep drifted in slowly, like it was enjoying the moment just as much as I was.
---
Dating Ryan in secret felt reckless in the best way, like we were getting away with something every single day.
In the hallways, we passed each other like strangers. Sometimes his shoulder brushed mine by accident, and the rest of the day would feel brighter. When we could sneak away, we met behind the library under the orchid tree. That spot became ours.
Some mornings, I opened my locker to find something waiting. A sketchbook. My favorite candy. Hair clip. Lip balm. No name attached, but I always knew who it was from.
Sometimes I’d glance down the hallway and catch him already looking. If no one was watching, he gave me the smallest nod, barely a smile, just enough to feel like a secret between us. I’d clutch the gift, close my locker, and walk away pretending I wasn’t smiling.
June became our unofficial courier. Some days she dropped folded notes on my desk without slowing down. Other days she shoved them into my hand and muttered, “Your boyfriend is stressing me. One day I’ll start charging.”
His notes always made my mornings.
Your hair looked really pretty today.
I miss you. Behind the library in ten.
I’d hide them quickly and start counting minutes until I could disappear.
Not every day was easy. Some days we almost got caught.
Like one rainy afternoon when a teacher started patrolling near the library. Ryan pulled me straight into the girls’ bathroom. Someone came in, washed their hands, and left without noticing us.
“You know this is the girls’ bathroom,” I whispered.
He grinned. “That’s what makes it fun.”
“You are crazy,” I muttered, smiling anyway.
He leaned in and gave me the softest kiss.
Other times, we lied just to steal more hours together. Once, I told Mom I had a school project in the library. Ryan and I went to the cinema two streets away instead. We shared one tub of popcorn. When our hands brushed reaching for the same piece, the movie became background noise instantly.
Some nights, we talked on the phone about nothing important that somehow felt important. Songs stuck in his head. Fabrics I wanted to try. Something a teacher said that annoyed us.
Somewhere in the middle of all that, I made him a jacket.
Black, with white stitching and his initials sewn inside the cuff. I stayed up late for nights to finish it.
When I gave it to him behind the library, his thumb traced the stitching slowly, a quiet surprise washing over his face. Then he put it on over his uniform.
“How do I look?” he asked.
“Like my boyfriend,” I said softly. “Exactly how I imagined.”
His smile sharpened. “So you imagine me often?”
“Unfortunately,” I muttered.
“Fortunately,” he corrected, brushing my cheek.
After that, he wore the jacket constantly. Cold mornings. Game days. Even when he didn’t need it. Every time I saw him in it, it felt like I had a small place in his world.
Sometimes Ryan said we should stop hiding, and I always found a way to convince him to wait a little longer.
Then one night changed something quietly between us. We didn’t cross any lines, but we were close enough that I realized I would’ve let it happen if he asked.
Our parents were away at a business summit. Eddy was with Rossy. And the whole house felt too quiet, then Ryan called.
“They’ll be gone till tomorrow afternoon,” he said. “Yours too?”
“Yeah.”
There was a pause. A quiet, tempting one.
“Come over,” he said softly. “Stay here tonight.”
My stomach flipped. “Ryan… what if someone finds out?”
“June’s home. She’ll cover it.”
I hesitated. He whispered, “I just want to see you.”
My resistance fell apart. “Okay.”
~~~
June let me in when I arrived. “Go up. He’s been pacing.”
When I stepped into Ryan’s room, the first thing I noticed was how neat it was. His bed was made, his desk arranged, his trophies lined against the wall.
He came out of the bathroom with damp hair, wearing gray sweats and a soft black shirt. It wasn’t fair how good he looked.
“I wasn’t sure you’d actually come,” he smiled.
“I wasn’t sure either,” I admitted.
He handed me one of his shirts to change into. It swallowed me completely, reaching halfway down my thighs. He looked at me for a second too long, and the air between us tightened just a little.
“So… what are we doing tonight?” I asked.
“Whatever you want. You choose.”
“A movie?”
“A romantic one?” he teased.
I smiled. “Maybe.”
He went to get popcorn and returned balancing a bowl awkwardly. I laughed.
“What?”
“Nothing. You just look cute.”
He set the bowl down and tugged lightly on the shirt I wore.
“That shirt is distracting me.”
“Why?” I whispered.
“You wear it better than I ever did.”
I tucked my chin slightly, focusing on the edge of the couch instead of him. “Can we… start the movie now?”
He smiled. “Sure.”
We sat together on the couch, the movie playing softly in the background. Our hands found each other. His arm wrapped around me, and my head settled against him.
Halfway through, he tilted my face up and kissed me. It was gentle and slow at first. When it began to deepen, he pulled back.
“We should slow down,” he whispered, his thumb stroking my cheek softly.
“Ryan… I’ve never done this before,” I said quietly. “Not with anyone. But I want my first time to be with you.”
He went still, his eyes softening as he stared at me like he couldn’t believe I trusted him with that.
“Liora,” he said calmly, resting his forehead against mine, “I want that too. More than you know.”
I nodded, afraid my voice would give me away.
“But not tonight,” he added. “Not like this. When it happens, it’ll be special. And you’ll be ready. I’m not ruining that.”
He kissed my forehead.
“You’re my girlfriend,” he murmured. “I’m not going anywhere.”
That night, in his room, I made a promise to myself.
My first would be Ryan.
- Writer
