The Growing Tension
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Larry's POV
Eighteen.
I could hardly believe it.
It felt like just yesterday Uriel was that little girl running around in pink dresses, clinging to my arm whenever she wanted something. I was there when she lost her first tooth. I was the one she ran to when her brothers teased her. Hell, I even helped her learn to ride a bike when she was seven.
And now?
Now, she was eighteen. A woman.
The thought made me uneasy—not for the reasons most men might think, but because it reminded me how much time had passed. How much I'd changed.
Uriel had always been my best friend's daughter first, and a niece-like figure second. Nothing more.
But lately… something was different.
She wasn't a child anymore, and that was becoming harder to ignore. Not because I looked at her differently, but because she did.
The way she spoke to me.
The way she held my gaze a little longer.
The way she said my name, leaving out "Uncle" for the first time.
I told myself I was imagining it.
That she was just growing up. That she was only looking at me the way any young girl looks at the men she grew up admiring—like an older brother, or an uncle.
That was all this was.
It had to be.
I stared blankly at the letter in my hands, unable to believe what I was seeing. It was my college acceptance letter—one of the most prestigious schools in the state had accepted me. Tears of joy welled up in my eyes. This wasn't just a letter; it was the result of years of hard work, the first step toward my dream of studying Estate Management and becoming a realtor like my father. Someday, I would take over his business when the time was right.
But beneath my excitement, an unsettling feeling crept in. Leaving home had always been an abstract thought, something distant, yet here it was—real, inevitable. The idea of stepping away from everything I'd known, from the people I held dear, made my heart race.
Even so, my parents had to hear it from me first. I wanted them to be proud, to share this moment with me before they heard it from anyone else.
As dinner approached, I decided this was the perfect time to break the news.
On my way to the dining room, I caught up with my mother. She stopped mid-step, instantly alert at my tone.
"It's about my college application," I started hesitantly.
Her eyes sharpened with anticipation. Though my mother always told me failure was just another step toward success, I knew deep down she never wanted me to experience it firsthand.
I took a breath, then finally let it out in a rush. "I got accepted!"
Her face lit up with pure joy before she pulled me into the warmest hug.
"So why the hesitation?" she teased. "I almost thought you didn't get in and was about to put on my 'supportive mother' face."
My excited shout must have carried into the dining room because my brothers rushed in, eager to know what was going on.
My mother grinned. "Since your father is away, how about we make a video call to him after dinner?"
"That would be perfect," I agreed, my excitement bubbling over as we hurried to eat.
News of my acceptance spread quickly among family and friends. My mother never wasted an opportunity to brag about it, and I didn't mind—it felt good to be recognized.
Larry had traveled with my father, so I knew he must have heard the news from either him or my mother. And yet, he hadn't reached out. No text. No call. Nothing.
It shouldn't have bothered me. It really shouldn't have.
But ever since I found out about his girlfriend, a dull ache had settled inside me—a quiet, persistent sense of betrayal that I couldn't rationalize. He had done nothing wrong, yet it still felt like had.
The celebration was in full swing, aligning perfectly with my dad's return—and, of course, with Larry's. My friends were there, along with their parents, many of whom were longtime friends of my family. Laughter and conversation filled the air, but my mind was elsewhere.
I hurried toward the restroom, weaving through the crowd when I accidentally brushed against someone. At first, it was just a fleeting moment—a common mishap in a crowded room. But then, something strange happened.
A hand caught mine. Warm. Steady.
My heart pounded, a rush of heat spreading through me. I froze. It wasn't just a touch—it was a sensation that sent a chaotic yet oddly soothing storm through my entire being. My legs trembled, betraying me, and for a split second, I wanted nothing more than to stay in this moment, to hold onto this hand forever.
A gentle pull brought me back a step, and I looked up—straight into Larry's eyes.
He smiled, his voice smooth and familiar. "Congratulations, college girl."
Every ounce of resentment I had been holding onto melted away in an instant.
"Thank you," I whispered, my smile forming before I could stop it.
Silence stretched between us, neither of us moving, neither of us looking away. It was just the two of us, standing in the middle of a crowded room, yet somehow separate from everything else.
A voice calling my name broke the moment. I blinked, stepping back abruptly.
"I—I—I have to go to the restroom," I stammered, my voice uneven. "Make yourself comfortable."
Before he could say another word, I snatched my hand away and rushed off, my heart still hammering against my ribs.