She's my girlfriend.
Elias
The plan was simple.
Pick her up at the gate. Bring her home. Pretend I wasn't still replaying that night she fell asleep on my shoulder like a goddamn prayer I never deserved.
What I didn't plan—
Was Julien.
He was already there when I pulled up.
Leaning against the fence, hands in his pockets, smile too big for this hour.
Liana stood in front of him. Not close. But close enough.
She was holding her psych folder. Nodding. Listening. That quiet, polite look on her face that most people mistook for shyness. I knew better. It was her default defense.
Julien leaned in.
I couldn't hear what he said.
Didn't matter.
I got out of the truck.
Walked across the sidewalk.
His voice hit my ears just as I reached them.
"…so I figured maybe this weekend we could meet up? Go over the reading together. Just the two of us?"
She didn't answer.
Because I was already there.
"She's not free this weekend."
Julien blinked. "Oh. Uh—hi. You're…"
"Her boyfriend," I said.
Just like that.
Liana inhaled sharply beside me.
Julien looked between us. "I didn't mean to—she didn't say—"
"Now she doesn't have to." I met his eyes, steady. "Have a good day."
He nodded awkwardly, muttered something, and walked off.
I didn't move.
Neither did she.
Just stood there, silence thick between us.
Then she turned, voice small. "You said…"
I looked at her.
"You called me your girlfriend."
I nodded once. "I did."
A beat passed.
Then her lips curved.
Slow.
Soft.
And a little stunned.
"I liked hearing that."
My chest tightened. "Yeah?"
She nodded. "Yeah."
I took the book from her.
Our fingers brushed.
She didn't pull away.
I leaned in, just enough for my voice to reach only her.
"Then let me say it again."
Her breath hitched.
"You're mine," I whispered. "You've been mine for a long time."
She didn't speak.
Just looked up at me with wide, warm eyes.
Then reached out—
And linked our fingers together.
Right there on the sidewalk.
No fear.
No hesitation.
I could've kissed her.
God, I wanted to.
But I didn't.
Not yet.
Because this—
This was already everything.