INICIAR SESIÓNKaelI closed the door behind me and leaned against it, breathing hard. The image of Riven standing there, half-naked, was burned into my mind. The wound on my side throbbed in protest at the sudden movement, but it was nothing compared to the ache building elsewhere.I paced the small room, trying to calm down. Sharing a bed was already pushing it. Showering together would have been torture — the kind I wasn’t sure I could handle without crossing every line Riven was still pretending didn’t exist.A few minutes later, the water turned off. I heard him moving around, then the door opened.A few minutes later, the water turned off. I heard him moving around. When the door opened, Riven stepped out, towel wrapped low around his waist, hair damp and messy. He must have found the towel hanging on the back of the bathroom door. He looked at me, cheeks slightly flushed from the cold water.“Your turn,” he said quietly.I nodded and slipped past him into the bathroom, closing the door firmly
KaelThe old lady waited, key dangling from her fingers, her eyes flicking between us with mild impatience. The motel was small and worn, the kind of place that smelled faintly of old wood and cleaning solution. A single flickering bulb lit the reception area, casting long shadows on the walls.Riven shifted on his feet, clearly uncomfortable. His shoulders were still tense from the argument earlier, and now this — sharing a room with me after everything that had happened between us. I could see the conflict in his eyes: the part of him that wanted to run, and the part that knew there was nowhere else to go tonight.I glanced at him, waiting for his reaction. The air between us felt thick, charged with everything we hadn’t said during the silent drive. The picture incident still lingered; his upset look was etched in my memory. I had deleted it without hesitation, but the damage was done. He was pulling away again, retreating into that safe shell of denial.The old lady cleared her th
KaelI turned to Riven and studied his face. He looked anxious, shoulders tight, fingers fidgeting with the edge of his seatbelt. The city was still close behind us, and every passing car or pedestrian seemed to make him even more nervous, like he was waiting for someone to recognize us at any second.“How about we go far away where we’re less famous to eat?” I suggested.“Really?” Riven asked, his face brightening instantly.I smirked, nodding. Seeing him relax even a little made something warm settle in my chest. “Yeah.”Riven nodded quickly. “Let’s do that.”I stepped on the gas and drove. When we reached the bridge, Riven gasped and suddenly grabbed my arm, holding on tight.“Hey? Are you alright?” I asked, glancing at him.“I’m scared,” he admitted, his voice small.I laughed softly before I could stop myself.“Hey! It’s not funny.” Riven frowned slightly, still gripping my arm.“Sorry,” I said, trying to sound sincere. “It’s just… you look cute doing this. And I never knew you w
RivenThat morning, I woke up to the familiar beep of my alarm clock.I groaned, reaching blindly for it and slapping the snooze button. My body felt heavy, the kind of tired that came from restless sleep and too many thoughts spinning in my head. I had crashed hard last night after everything, and part of me felt like I deserved to stay in bed all day. No practice, no obligations — just sleep.Then my phone rang.I sighed deeply, sitting up and rubbing my face with both hands. The screen lit up with Dex’s name. I wondered what he wanted this early.I answered, my voice still grainy from sleep. “Hey?”“Are you still sleeping?” Dex asked, sounding half-amused, half-annoyed.I cleared my throat. “Yeah.”Dex sighed softly. “You wanna go to the gym together?”“Nah, I think I’m cool. I’ll go tomorrow,” I replied, already remembering that I had promised to have lunch with Kael today.“Okay then. See you tomorrow,” Dex said before ending the call.I groaned again and flopped back onto the be
KaelI set the phone down and leaned back against the headboard, heart beating a little faster than it should. The wound on my side gave a warning throb, but I ignored it.Riven was coming.Tonight.I ran a hand through my hair, trying to calm the sudden excitement. The suppressants had clearly helped him enough that he was willing to leave his apartment. But the fact that he was reaching out first… that was new.A few minutes later, another message came in.Riven: On my way.I smirked at the screen, already imagining him standing at my door — flushed, nervous, trying so hard to pretend he was only here for “help.”I stood up slowly, testing the pain in my side, and walked to the living room to wait.Just then, my phone buzzed with a short message.Riven: I’m outside. Waiting.I smirked at the screen.I typed back quickly.Me: That’s fast. I'll be out.I left the room, telling May I’d be back soon, and headed downstairs. The night air was cool when I stepped outside the building. Rive
KaelTwo days later, the team finally left Millbrook without me.They had wanted to wait, but I told them to go ahead. “I’ll be fine,” I said, forcing a smile. “Dad’s here. Go home and rest. I’ll catch up soon.”Oliver had clapped my shoulder gently. “Don’t be a hero again, alright?”I nodded, watching the bus pull away. The ache in my side was still there, but the doctors said I was healing well enough to travel the next day.The following morning, Dad drove me home. The ride was quiet at first, just the hum of the engine and the occasional glance he gave me, checking if I was okay. I kept assuring him I was, even though every bump in the road sent a dull throb through the wound.When we finally pulled up to the house, May was already waiting on the porch. The second she saw the car, she ran down the steps, eyes wide and already glistening with tears.“Kael!” She threw herself at me the moment I stepped out, arms wrapping tightly around my waist.I hissed softly at the pressure on my







