Page 30 of Somewhere Between Falling

“What’s the plan for today?” Tobias asked, pouring me a cup of coffee.

“I have a paper to write,” I reminded him. “You know, it’s a good thing I like to read because otherwise this class would be kicking my ass.”

He chuckled. “Yeah it’s intense, but nothing compared to the graduate-level courses, I promise.”

He led me into the living room where we enjoyed our coffee while lounging on his leather couch. It was quiet, but in that peaceful, contented way you only have with someone you are truly comfortable with. This felt like a real relationship now, which meant we needed to talk about what we were going to do.

“We should talk about us and what we are going to tell people,” I said, setting my mug down.

“Okay,” he said following suit. “What do you want to say?”

“Absolutely nothing,” I stated.

He looked taken aback. “Okay…”

“I just think we should keep it private…until the semester is over. That way no one questions anything or has any reason to talk about us.”

“I understand, but I think maybe I should tell Dr. Kiuchi.”

“No. I don’t want to risk it. It’s only a few more weeks, right?”

“Yes, but—”

“Please, Tobias?”

He sighed before finally saying, “Okay, we’ll keep it quiet.”

“Thank you,” I said, settling back down beneath his arm. He kissed the top of my head, and I turned toward him, meeting his lips with my own.Like last night, it didn’t take long for the kiss to deepen. I ran my hand up his shirt, across his stomach. He shifted his weight, pulling me on top of him, yet never pulling his lips from mine.

We didn’t come up for air until late afternoon.

Alex had texted me at least twenty times, so as much as I wanted to stay, I knew it was time to go. Plus my paper wasn’t going to write itself.

“It’s not that far,” I tried telling Tobias, but he refused to let me walk back to campus. Who says chivalry is dead?

“It’s far enough,” he insisted.

“Fine,” I conceded.

He pulled into the parking lot in front of my dorm, and I recognized Julie’s shiny, black hair just getting into her car a few rows down.

“Shit,” I exclaimed, ducking down below the window.

“What’s wrong?” Tobias asked.

“It’s Julie,” I whispered, as though if I didn’t she would be able to hear me. It was ridiculous, but I couldn’t help it. He turned to look. “Don’t look!”

He laughed at that. “She can’t see me from there.”

“Do you think she saw us pull in?” My heart fluttered wildly in my chest.

“I doubt it,” he said. “I’m sure she’s gone now.”

I slowly peeked out of the window toward the direction I saw her, and sure enough, her car was gone now. I let out a sigh of relief.

“Maybe you should drop me off around back? Fewer possible witnesses?”

“If it’ll make you feel better.” He backed out of the parking spot and drove around to the other side of the building. I stayed low in my seat.

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