Back at school, Uriel's thoughts were restless. The knock on Larry's door from the previous weekend kept echoing in her mind. Her heart still raced when she replayed that moment. What if it had been someone from her family? What if Larry had gotten hurt trying to cover for her?
How long could they keep this hidden?
"Uu… Uu…" Her roommate's voice pulled her back from her spiral.
She blinked and looked up. "What?"
Her roommate tilted her head, studying her. "You've been off since you got back. I thought something happened at home, but… I know you didn't spend the weekend there."
Uriel stiffened. "What do you mean?"
"Oh, come on," her roommate said with a teasing smile. "Your mom called asking about you, and it was obvious you weren't home. I just told her you were buried in schoolwork. She seemed a little suspicious though."
Uriel's stomach dropped. Her mom had always been protective, but ever since starting her "Save the Girl Child from Predators" initiative, her scrutiny had only gotten worse. If she ever found out about her and Larry…
Uriel forced a smile. "Thanks for covering."
"Just be careful," her roommate said, turning back to her phone. "She'll probably come snooping soon."
Uriel nodded, though the anxiety was already sinking in.
The next weekend was the family reunion—an event her mother planned with relentless enthusiasm. Larry would be there too, of course. He'd always been part of the family circle. There'd be laughter, hugs, shared memories… and eyes watching.
Uriel just prayed hers wouldn't betray her.
Later that evening, Uriel slipped out from the hostel unnoticed, a cap pulled low and her hoodie zipped high. The dim café on the outskirts of campus felt like the only place left untouched by watching eyes. Inside, tucked away in the back, Larry waited, his presence instantly soothing, yet still overwhelming.
"Hey," she murmured, sliding into the booth opposite him.
His lips curved into a soft smile. "You came."
Uriel nodded. "I had to. I needed to see you."
Larry reached out without thinking, brushing his fingers against hers, but quickly pulled back. Even here, they had to be careful.
"You look tired," he said.
"You too," she replied. "Are we even sleeping at this point?"
He gave a short laugh, dry and weary. "Barely."
The waiter came and left, unnoticed by both of them. Two untouched drinks sat between them as the silence grew dense.
"They're starting to ask questions," Uriel whispered, her voice barely audible over the low hum of the place.
"Your mom?"
"My roommate said she called. Pretended to be casual. She knows something's off. I can feel it."
Larry leaned back, his expression tightening. "This is getting dangerous, Uriel."
She looked at him—really looked at him—and whispered, "Then tell me to stop."
Larry flinched at that. "You know I can't."
Uriel sighed, resting her arms on the table. "I thought maybe being apart, not seeing each other after the weekend, would make it easier. But it just… got worse."
He nodded. "Me too."
There was something in the way he looked at her, in the ache behind his eyes. "You know… when you stayed with me, it didn't feel wrong," Larry said. "It felt like home."
Uriel blinked, surprised by the confession.
"You woke up and smiled like you belonged there. I haven't seen that in my house for years."
A pause.
"And at night," he added softly, "when you were asleep beside me, I didn't touch you… but I didn't want to let go of you either. I just watched you breathe."
Uriel's chest ached. She reached for his hand again, this time letting her fingers stay on top of his. "I don't want to hide. I hate sneaking around, lying to people who love us."
"So do I," Larry said, voice rough. "But I'm also not ready to lose you. And I will lose you if this explodes too soon."
Uriel lowered her gaze. "Do you think what we have is real? Or are we just… caught in something we shouldn't be in?"
He hesitated. "At first, I thought maybe it was just attraction. The thrill. But now…"
She met his eyes.
"…now I worry about you when you're not near. I want to know what you're eating, if you've slept, if anyone bothered you. I feel like I've crossed a line I can't uncross."
Uriel exhaled, tears brimming. "Then tell me what we do next. What's the next step?"
Larry didn't answer immediately. He looked at their entwined hands. "We take it slow. We figure it out. And we survive this weekend. One wrong glance at the family reunion, one moment too long between us… and it's over."
Uriel swallowed hard. "I'll be careful."
"I will too."
She smiled a little, despite everything. "You're going to have to act like the boring old uncle again."
He laughed. "And you, the uninterested goddaughter."
Uriel sighed. "If they only knew."
They sat like that, fingers brushing, hearts heavy with everything they couldn't say aloud. And when it was time to leave, neither moved immediately. Because no matter how risky, how fragile this was… in each other's presence, everything made more sense.
When it was time to part ways, Larry didn't leave immediately. He remained by the shadows across the street, eyes fixed on Uriel until he saw her slip quietly through the dormitory gates. Only then did he exhale and turn away, his hands buried in his pockets, his heart heavy yet warm.
Inside, Uriel was met by her roommate's scrutinizing gaze.
"You're back," the girl said, tone neutral but eyes sharp.
Uriel forced a small smile, casually removing her hoodie and cap. "Had a late group meeting. It ran long."
Her roommate didn't respond. Instead, she shifted her bed position slightly—facing Uriel's direction now. It was a small move, but one that screamed of suspicion. Uriel caught it immediately.
She's watching me.
Probably even reporting back.
It wouldn't be far-fetched. Her mother had always been strategic, protective to a fault, and ever since she began college, Uriel could sense the invisible thread of surveillance.
She tried not to show how much it unnerved her. Instead, she went straight to her bed, placed her bag down, and peeled off the day's layers of emotional weight.
That's when she saw the note.
A small paper tucked beneath her pillow.
Hope you have a good night.
—Larry
A breath escaped her lips before she could stop it. Her chest loosened, her shoulders dropped, and for a fleeting moment, the world was silent.
That tiny message—so simple, so intimate—made all the fear and tension dissolve into the warmth of love.
He made it home.
He thought of her.
And that was enough to sleep soundly tonight.