Just For Now

CHAPTER FOUR - First Day Out

Lucas’s POV

The apartment was quiet that morning, though the rules reminded me that nothing was ordinary anymore. Public-only gestures, minimal contact, no touching unless necessary, no sleeping in each other’s rooms, exit clause, no lies between us.

Naomi was already up, moving quietly around the kitchen. Hair tied back loosely, outfit neat and practical, bag ready for class. She glanced at me and offered a small, calm smile. I nodded.

“Morning,” I said.

“Good morning,” she replied. Calm, composed. She's not nervous, at least not outwardly.

We prepared breakfast together, our movements careful, accidental touches fleeting and quickly corrected. The tension wasn’t uncomfortable-more like a current running beneath the surface, present and charged but contained.

After eating, we stepped outside side by side, bags on our shoulders. Walking as a “couple” while doing nothing differently felt strange, though not unpleasant.

At the library, we found a table near the windows. I sat on one side, and Naomi slid in beside me, her bag on her lap. Close enough to feel her presence, far enough to respect boundaries.

We worked quietly. I noticed small things about her, the way she paused with her pen in hand, how she adjusted her bag strap, the occasional glance toward the hallway. Every subtle gesture carried meaning under our agreement.

I wondered why she had asked for this. What had pushed her to want it? I didn’t ask-not yet-but curiosity gnawed quietly, persistent but controlled.

Later, we left together, walking through the bustling campus. Small shared gestures, fleeting smiles, careful interactions. Rules intact. Energy quietly charged. Until we part ways.

Naomi’s POV

I slid into the booth where Hannah was already waiting, grinning as usual. She leaned over and gave me a quick hug, her warmth settling some of the nerves I hadn’t realized I was holding.

“Hey! How’s everything?” she asked, casually brushing a loose strand of hair from her face.

“Busy,” I said, smiling despite the flutter in my chest. “Classes, assignments… same old.”

We chatted for a few minutes about professors, group projects, and small campus gossip. Hannah laughed at some of my sarcastic remarks about my last lecture, and I felt my shoulders relax, the weight of what I was about to say, feeling just a little lighter.

I stirred my coffee absentmindedly, watching the swirl in the cup, and finally took a breath. “Actually… there’s something I wanted to tell you.”

Hannah leaned in, curious, and gave me that expectant look she always did. “Oh? Do tell”

I hesitated, my voice dropping just slightly. “I’ve been… seeing someone.”

Her grin widened, eyes sparkling. “Ooh! Who is it?”

I smiled shyly. “It's Lucas.”

Her reaction was immediate,laughter, clapping her hands softly, a playful nudge to my arm. “Ahhh! That’s amazing! I’m so happy for you! I had a feeling something like this would happen.You deserve this, Naomi.”

We settled into easy chatter after that, laughing about small things, teasing lightly, sipping our drinks between pauses. Hannah didn’t press for details or rules. She didn’t need to. Her excitement was enough, her joy wrapping around me and making me feel braver than I had all morning.

I told her about small things—like how he always puts his shoes neatly by the door or the little rituals we’ve developed sharing the apartment. Hannah laughed warmly, teasing me gently. “Sounds like he’s already settled into your life.”

I nodded, feeling a quiet thrill at the thought. The world outside our bubble didn’t matter right now; it was just me and her, laughing and sharing, the first person I could tell without feeling awkward.

Later, I called my mom while scrolling through my messages, keeping my tone light and casual.

“Hi, Mom,” I said, tucking my hair behind my ear nervously.

“Hey, sweetie! How was your day?” she asked, bright and cheerful.

“Good… um, there’s something I wanted to tell you,” I began, hesitating slightly. “I’ve been… seeing someone. My roommate, Lucas.”

There was a short pause, then a soft laugh on the other end. “Oh! That’s wonderful, Naomi. I like him already. He's a nice young man.”

I felt warmth spread through me. “Yeah he’s… nice. It’s really early, but it feels good.”

Her voice softened, teasing gently. “Well… I think I want to meet him soon. Maybe Sunday brunch? Or dinner one night?”

I chuckled softly, feeling the tension of revealing it slowly slip away. “Sunday works,” I said, smiling.

“Perfect,” she said, her tone full of gentle excitement. “I want to see this Lucas for myself. Seems like he’s important to you. You better be taking good care of each other.”

I laughed, feeling a quiet, comforting thrill. “We are,” I said softly.

We chatted a little more, her asking about my day, sharing small stories from her own work week, laughing over minor annoyances. By the time we hung up, the apartment felt different somehow, warmer, lighter. Even though it was technically a fake relationship, having the people I cared about know about it made it feel alive in a way I hadn’t expected.

Lucas’s POV

By the time Naomi returned from her call with her mom, the apartment was bathed in the soft, warm glow of the early evening sun. She looked lighter somehow, more confident, her shoulders relaxed slightly.

“Hey,” I said.

“Hey,” she replied softly, smiling faintly as she set her bag down. That quiet, knowing smile made the apartment feel smaller in a good way.

We moved through the apartment in our familiar rhythm-careful, aware of our boundaries.

She settled on the couch with her notebook, shoulders slightly more relaxed than in the morning. Even though the tension of our agreement still hummed quietly around us, something had shifted subtly. She had shared a part of this day with people she trusted, and it showed in her ease, her calm, the faint lift in her smile.

This wasn’t a mistake. Not yet.

And somewhere deep down, I knew we were only at the beginning.