All Chapters of Coming Out of the Deep : Chapter 91 - Chapter 100

Lux's POV“What are you doing here?” I asked Alec, trying to keep my voice steady, and he looked at me with unreadable eyes. “I came to see Lake.” I opened my mouth to say Lake was not home, but Alec interrupted, "And you."My throat tightened and I swallowed hard, becoming acutely aware of everything. How close he was, how warm the hallway felt, and how my voice was not nearly as strong as I wanted it to be when I said, "Lake's not here. And I’m busy.”I didn’t even ask what he wanted to see me about. I couldn’t. A voice in my head snapped, ‘What are you doing? You wanted to talk to him.’ And I did. But how was I supposed to talk to him when I couldn’t even look at him without my eyes roaming?He smelled so good, fresh with hints of something earthy and fruity, and clean enough to make you want to lean in a little closer. His hair was also freshly cut, which I had not noticed earlier because he was wearing a cap. And that shirt he was wearing didn’t help anything.There was a glint i

Alec's POVExhaling, I slid into my car, but I could not bring myself to start the engine with all the noise in my head, so I paused.With my hands on the steering wheel, my fingers clenched and relaxed as I sat there, allowing whatever it was that I was feeling, rejection, perhaps to have its fill.The feeling was new to me and it stung. It didn’t sting because I thought Lux didn’t care; I knew she did, and I knew she didn’t mean to make me feel so… discarded. But still, I couldn’t help how I felt.I’d never been on this side before. I was always the one who stepped away clean and untouched, with no mess or strings. But with her, things were different, and I realised something else.I was afraid that, even though she said she loved me and I believed her, she would choose him out of obligation, because he was the one who was kind to her when I pushed her away. Otherwise, she could not love us both. That was not how it worked.So I had to get ahead of the situation before guilt and a s

Lake's POV“Yes. One day.” I responded as Kairos asked if I wanted him to meet my parents, but I did not dwell on it because I didn't want to think about the complications and ruin the moment, and he didn't press, which I appreciated."I would love to meet your family one day, and I would love for you to meet mine," he stated, and we returned our attention to the food.Kairos pulled out the ingredients: thinly sliced tuna, oysters on ice, strips of salmon, a tray of seaweed and kelp, scallops, octopus sashimi, and even a container with some sort of sea cucumber in it that looked… well, questionable.He did, however, have avocado, cucumber slices, pickled ginger, rice crackers, and mango, all of which he was likely aware humans enjoyed.“I’ve been around Reed,” he said with a sly grin, seeing me looking at them, and I grinned. “You really thought of everything.”I asked what he wanted me to do, and he said, "Maybe plate the food," before passing me a tray.We worked side by side, and h

Reed's POVBy the time the laughter faded from my chest, I was unsure whether it had been laughter at all. I stood leaning against the wall outside her dorm, my head tilted back against the bricks, breathing shallow. The laugh felt empty, as if it came from a place of disbelief rather than humor.I slowly straightened, rubbing my face with both hands and muttering to myself, "What the hell am I doing?" This wasn’t me. I didn’t chase girls down. I didn’t stand outside their doors like some lovesick idiot after they ignored my calls and ducked behind blinds like I was a threat. I wasn’t that guy and I have never been.I shook my head, trying to laugh again, but this time it didn’t even make it past my lips. I was ready to change for her and that was insane. I couldn’t afford to do that with who I was, and hearts were bound to break eventually.Plus, perhaps this was karma. Maybe I was getting exactly what I deserved. The gods knew how many girls I’d left hanging. How many I’d kissed lik

Lake's POVKairos whispered, "Good morning," in my ear, and I groaned, pressing my face further into the pillow before opening my eyes grudgingly. The light in the room was soft, still tinted with early morning shadows, and Kairos’s face hovered above mine, way too awake for the hour.I turned to look at him properly, scowling without meaning to, and he chuckled.“You look like you want to fight the sun,” he teased.“I do,” I muttered.“You have to get ready for class… if you still want to go,” he added, brushing some hair off my forehead. “Or we could skip. You look like you need more sleep.” I shook my head, even though every inch of me wanted to stay in bed. “I can’t skip. I’m already behind.”"Alright," he said, kissing my cheek before slipping out of bed. I stayed there for another second or two, staring at the ceiling, before sighing and shuffling to the bathroom. Kairos called out from the bedroom, "I will make breakfast," to which I replied that he should make it for himself.