What have I done?
The question echoed in my mind louder than the music from the live artist's performance. My lips still tingled where Adrian’s had been, and yet my stomach twisted like I’d swallowed fire. I couldn’t help it when I ran. It was the only thing I could think of.
I stopped, my feet coming to a sudden halt. I turned, and Adrian was still where we had just kissed. His face filled with shock as he looked at me, stunned. I walked back, slowly, my steps measured.
Adrian’s dark brows were furrowed, his breath uneven like mine. He didn’t say anything, maybe he couldn’t, or he wouldn’t.
I stepped closer. The weight of what happened crashed over me, drowning me in a wave of panic.
“We shouldn’t have done that,” I whispered, backing away like the distance could erase it.
His eyes searched mine, but I couldn’t meet them, and suddenly I was pulled, gently.
“Kim—”
“I’m sorry,” I said, more to myself than to him. “It was a mistake.”
Adrian ran a hand through his hair, stepping toward me. “Kim, wait—”
“No,” I cut in again, forcing my voice steady. “We pretend it didn’t happen. You go back to your table, and you look at Gen the way you’ve always done. Like you never even saw me.”
His jaw clenched. “I can’t do that. I’m sorry, I can’t.”
“You must.”
“But I can’t, and I won’t,” he smiled. “Kim. That kiss was the best thing that’s happened this evening, and the person I just kissed was more than an angel. A wish comes true. I can’t ever pretend like that didn’t happen. I’m sorry, but I can’t forget it.”
I turned, my arms folded. Adrian walked closer to me, his hands on my shoulder, rubbing me softly.
“You don’t have to hold yourself back from this. I know you want this more than I do,” he chuckled. “I could feel it from the way you kissed me back.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. That was my first kiss,” I said as I turned to face him.
He raised both his hands up as a sign of surrender. “Alright, if you say so.”
“Yeah.’
His hands were now in his pockets. “Well, it certainly won’t be the last. That I assure you.”
“What are you assuring her?” Gen’s voice cut in.
Her sudden appearance behind me causes me to freeze.
“It’s an inside joke,” Adrian said as he smiled and walked past me.
“An inside joke? Adrian?” Gen called, but Adrian didn’t answer. “Kim?”
“Yes, Gen,” I answered, slowly turning towards her.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“Nothing,” I answered, my voice shaky.
“Are you okay?” she asked again. “Your dress is messed up, Kim. Are you sure you’re okay?
“Yes, I’m fine,” I answered again, my voice steady this time. “And the dress is fine. Besides, no one will notice the stain this late.”
She sighed. “Mum and Dad sent me to look for you. I don’t know why you snuck out after your performance, are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes. I just needed a time alone from the crowd and noise,” I answered.
“An alone time with Adrian?” she asked almost sarcastically.
“He interrupted it just like you did,” I answered before storming out.
“I was just teasing you,” she said.
I returned to my family table. There sat Mum and Dad, my Grandparents, Gen and Adrian. The only seat left was in-between my grandma and Adrian, but no matter how hard I tried to look away from him, I couldn’t.
“Kim, darling,” Mum called as I sat down beside Adrian. “Where were you?”
“I was just on the other side,” I pointed at the other side of the garden. “I needed some time alone.”
“You were marvelous, darling,” Grandma said, patting my hand. “You always make the piano sound like it's speaking.”
“Thank you,” I murmured, heart still steadying.
Adrian’s posture beside me was casual, his smile effortless as he nodded along to grandpa’s story about a yacht trip in ‘89. His hand rested on his thigh, close enough to mine to stir nerves. Then, without warning, his fingers shifted.
Slowly, they slid across the fabric of my dress, grazing the side of my leg before resting against my thigh. My breath caught. My eyes darted to his face, but he was still focused on the conversation, laughing at something Gen said like nothing had changed. Like he wasn’t touching me under the table at a family event surrounded by many people, including her.
My throat tightened, and I should’ve pulled away. But I didn’t. His hands moved again, slow strokes over the silk of my dress, light touches. But to me, every touch was fire. I pressed my knees together instinctively, but I still didn’t stop him.
I didn’t want to. Not anymore.
I’d been pretending for long, pretending not to notice the way he looked at me when Gen wasn’t watching, or how my pulse picked up when our fingers brushed accidentally. But this wasn’t accidental, and I let it happen.
I smiled through it all. I have always liked Adrian secretly and wished we were together, but he noticed my sister and not me. If this is the only way I can be with him, then I don’t care. I will let him touch me, I will let him kiss me, and maybe... just maybe, I’ll become his.
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
The party had died down hours ago.
Adrian winked at me before Gen swooped in and offered to see him off. I lay on my bed, still in my dress with my makeup slightly smudged, my hair loosened and pinned back. I should’ve been exhausted, but my mind wouldn’t stop racing.
I could still feel his touch, I could still feel his fingers against my thighs. I pressed my hand against the spot, my eyes closed as I bit my lips fantasizing about what would have happened if we had snuck away from the party.
He is Gen’s boyfriend, and yet he touched me like he wasn’t, like it was me he wanted. And God, I wanted him to, I wanted more.
I turned on my side, burying my face into the pillow, guilt wrapping itself around me. Thoughts of Adrian got me aroused. The soft tingling feeling between my legs caused me to wrap myself. I kept turning, soft moans escaping my lips. My toes curled as my body trembled like I was cold, but I wasn’t.
My breathing became unsteady as I bit my lips and slowly slid my fingers under my dress and paused on the fabric of my soaked panties. I rubbed on my panties, gently pressing my cl*t while my other hand squeezed my hard nipples.
“Adrian,” I whispered softly. “I—I want you here. I want you touching me, I want you, Adrian. I want you.”
I managed to control myself and stop. As much as I enjoyed pleasuring myself, I wondered how it would feel if it was Adrian doing it himself, and I wanted that more than anything else. So, I promised myself that I won’t touch my body sensually any longer, unless it is Adrian.
The room fell into a thick silence as Sloane left the room. Her excuse for leaving was something about grabbing snacks or catching up on a show. I didn’t care. Alexander still lay flat on my bed, his eyes tracing the ceiling, a faint smile pulling at the edge of his lips. He had just made a silly joke about us starting a self-defense club for students terrorized by people with emotional issues. I didn’t even hear the punchline. My eyes were too focused on the curve of his throat, the stretch of his broad chest under his shirt. And before I could overthink it, I moved. I climbed over him slowly on purpose. My legs straddling his waist. “Kim?” he said, blinking as he turned to me, confused. “What are you—” But I didn't let him finish. I dipped down and kissed his neck. It was soft at first, then with a lingering press of my lips. I could feel his heartbeat, but mine was frantic. I wanted him. I needed him. So, my lips moved along his jaw, my hands sliding up beneath the hem of his
My grip on the wheel was firm. My knuckles were white as tension still seeped from my bones, but I kept checking the rearview mirror every few seconds. My heart hadn’t stopped racing. All I could see behind us was Alexander’s black Aston Martin, trailing at a safe distance. He was keeping to his promise to keep me safe and making sure I got to the dorm without any other interference. Sloane was quiet in the passenger seat. Her fingers drummed softly against the hem of her skirt, and even though she didn’t say it, I could tell she was still processing it all too. “I think we’re good,” I muttered, easing the car into the dorm lot. Sloane gave me a nod, exhaling finally. “Yeah. I still cannot believe Adrian did that.” I parked, cutting the engine. Before I could even unbuckle my seatbelt, Alexander’s door slammed. He was already halfway to my side. The moment I stepped out of the car, I ran into him, into his arms. I didn’t even think. His arms wrapped tightly around me in a warm a
The sun stood high and unforgiving. I adjusted the strap of my tote bag on my shoulder and squinted against the light, my pace brisk and quiet beside Sloane as we cut through the path toward the lecture halls. It was the same day, only a few hours since I got back from Alexander’s apartment, and already the day felt like it had stretched into a full week. Sloane wore a matching lilac tank top and tennis skirt. She was scrolling through something on her phone while half-listening to my commentary about our upcoming group project. Our afternoon classes had been long, dragging on in a haze. Now, with our heads finally freed of the professor’s voices and glowing slides, we made our way across the main courtyard toward the parking lot. “Why would we be given a group project when the break just ended?” Sloane muttered, slipping her phone back into her bag. “I don’t even want to think about that,” I said with a dry smile. “I just want it to be over with. And fast.” Sloane rolled her eye
Alexander started the car as we drove out of the compound and onto the road. His hand gripped the steering wheel, his eyes fixed ahead, occasionally darting to glance at me. I sat curled slightly toward the window, my cheek resting on my palm as I watched the morning light stretch thin across the windshield. All I could think about was last night. Not because something happened, but because it almost did. And that somehow made it even more unforgettable. It all started when we turned off the lights after we had gotten ready for bed. We had climbed into bed, and it instantly became weird. Not the bed part, but the quiet that followed. We both lay still, wrapped in the blankets, our bodies barely touching. His arm was draped loosely behind me, not quite around me, like he was giving me the option. I took it. I slid closer, resting my head against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart. He didn’t say anything, but his hand curled gently around my waist, pulling me in. And tha
After we stopped kissing, we were silent. Alexander’s thumb stroked my jaw slowly as he studied my face, his eyes still stormy with the kind of emotions I wasn’t used to having someone direct at me. “I think I forgot how to breathe,” I whispered, only half joking. He smiled against my lips. “You’ll get used to it.” “No promises.” I bit my lip, feeling the warmth bloom in my chest all over again. We lingered there for another second, lips barely brushing, before he pulled away and glanced at the table. “I should clean this up,” he said with a reluctant sigh. “Do I have to move?” I asked, only half teasing as I slumped back in the chair. “No,” he said over his shoulder, walking back toward the kitchen. “You just sit there and be gorgeous. I’ll handle it.” “Oh, please,” I laughed, rising and gathering the plates. “You cooked. I’m not going to let you do all the work.” He raised an eyebrow, impressed. “Helping with cleanup? My goodness, are we back in the medieval era? But seriou
There was something about the sound of bustling students and the smell of fresh books that made everything feel new again. Maybe it was the sunshine that streamed through the tree-lined walkways, or the way the campus hummed with energy. But mostly, it was him—the thought of seeing him again on campus. “Can you believe we’re actually happy to be back at school?” Sloane grinned beside me, flipping her curls as we walked out of the parking lot. “I know,” I said, chuckling. “It feels... different.” What I didn’t say out loud was that I hadn’t smiled this much in days. And it wasn’t just because classes had resumed, it was because of the call I got this morning. Alexander had called this morning, telling me that Ramona was gone. She had canceled her transfer and left L.A., finally. Just like that, no drama. My heart had exhaled. As Sloane and I neared the academic buildings, the crowds of students thinned, scattering into lecture halls and classrooms. And that’s when I saw him. Acro