Aurora’s P.O.V
It was past evening when Caleb and I return from the beach, our steps light yet hurried as we glance around; making sure no one notices us sneaking in. The salty breeze still clings to my hair, the taste of the ocean lingering on my lips. Caleb moves with exaggerated caution, creeping along the walls as if he’s part of some grand heist, and I bite back a laugh. He looks ridiculous, but the way his eyes gleam with mischief makes it impossible to say anything.
"Caleb, you do realize that we live here, right?" I whisper, a teasing lilt in my voice as I nudge his arm. "You’re acting like a criminal breaking into his own house."
His grin is wicked, full of amusement as he casts a glance over his shoulder before whispering back, "I have good reason to be careful. If Caroline catches us, we’re doomed."
That does it—I laugh, pressing a hand over my mouth to muffle the sound, but the mere thought of Caroline’s reaction sends another fit of giggles through me. "Oh, you mean if she finds out what we were doing at the beach?" I tease, leaning in just enough to see the way his face twitches in playful exasperation.
Caleb groans dramatically, rubbing a hand over his face. "Exactly. She’ll never let me live it down. And she already had enough ammunition against me before this."
I tilt my head, curiosity piqued. "Oh? And what exactly do you mean by that?"
For a moment, he hesitates, then sighs as if already regretting his next words. "She reached out to me once. You know… during that time we were…" He trails off, eyes flickering to mine, and I know exactly what he means.
My stomach flips, my face heating up despite the cool air around us. Caleb and I weren’t always like this—this secret, unspoken thing between us was still so new, so uncertain, but undeniably intense. I can still feel the remnants of our time at the beach clinging to my skin, the imprint of his touch lingering in ways that make my heartbeat a little too fast.
"You blocked her, didn’t you?" I ask softly, already knowing the answer but wanting to hear it anyway.
"Of course, I did," he says, voice firm, unwavering. His gaze locks onto mine, and in that moment, the teasing fades, replaced by something heavier, something real. "She doesn’t get to interfere when we are together."
I swallow, nodding, but my mind is already racing to what this means for us. Because if Caroline had any inkling of what we’d been doing tonight, she would have a field day. The teasing would never stop. She’d pester me endlessly, and worst of all, she’d be right.
Caleb must sense my thoughts because he nudges my shoulder with his own, his smirk creeping back. "Relax, Aurora. No one saw us. We’re in the clear."
I arch a brow, doubtful. "You say that now, but wait until tomorrow morning when Caroline suddenly knows everything without us even saying a word."
His expression falters, just for a second, and I can tell he’s considering the terrifying reality of my words. "Okay, yeah, maybe we should just prepare for the worst."
I laugh again, shaking my head as we step inside the packhouse, fully expecting to be caught in the act. But surprisingly, the coast is clear. The hallway is eerily quiet, not a single soul in sight. I exhale, relief flooding through me, but Caleb still looks suspicious, peeking around like we’re in enemy territory.
"See?" I whisper, nudging him. "No one’s here."
"Too quiet," he mutters, crossing his arms. "It’s like the calm before the storm."
I roll my eyes. "Or maybe, just maybe, we got lucky for once."
He hums, unconvinced, but finally relaxes. And as we slip further inside, I can’t help but think that maybe—just maybe—this moment is ours to keep, untouched by prying eyes and teasing words. At least for now.
I watched as Caleb ran a hand through his hair, his eyes lingering on me with that familiar mix of amusement and affection. “Go shower and get changed,” he said, his lips twitching as if he were holding back a teasing remark. “Then we can all meet in the game room and pretend like nothing happened.”
I sighed dramatically but nodded, knowing there was no point in arguing. My body was sticky from the day’s events, and the thought of warm water washing away the exhaustion was tempting enough. “Fine, bossy,” I muttered, rolling my eyes, but I didn’t miss the way his lips curled into a satisfied smirk.
He went ahead to shower and get ready in his room, and I entered mine, before I grabbed a fresh set of clothes and disappeared into the bathroom. The hot water cascaded over my skin, melting away the day’s fatigue, and for a moment, I let myself relax. When I stepped out, wrapped in a towel, Caleb was already sitting on my bed, waiting for me. I quickly changed into fresh clothes, shaking off the way my heart stuttered at the sight of him. Even after all this time, he still had that effect on me.
Half an hour later, we headed to the elevator. Caleb leaned against the wall, hands tucked into his pockets, his gaze sweeping over me in appreciation. “You clean up nice,” he murmured, smirking as he reached out to tuck a damp strand of hair behind my ear.
“You say that as if I don’t always look nice,” I shot back, tilting my chin up at him.
He chuckled, stepping closer until there was barely any space between us. “You always look gorgeous,” he admitted, his voice lower now. “Which is exactly why I’ve been thinking… we should start moving some of our clothes into each other’s rooms. That way, in cases like these, we could’ve just showered together.”
I gasped, swatting his arm playfully. “Oh my God, Caleb!” I scolded, though I couldn’t stop the laugh bubbling up in my throat. “How can you be horny all the time?”
He shrugged shamelessly, that smug grin of his never wavering. “I can’t help it,” he said smoothly. “Have you seen my mate? She’s absolutely stunning, and I’m just a man, helplessly in love.” He leaned in, brushing his lips against my temple before whispering, “Besides, we’d be doing the world a service by saving water.”
I groaned, pushing him away, but my cheeks were already burning. “You are impossible,” I muttered, stepping into the elevator, but the warmth in my chest betrayed the fact that I secretly loved every second of it.
Caleb only grinned as he followed me in. “And yet, you love me anyway.”
I huffed, shaking my head. “Unfortunately for me, yes. I do.”
“See,” he shrugged. “I knew I was too irresistible for you.”
I chuckled, shaking my head as I watched Caleb attempt to act all nonchalant, his usual smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as if he hadn't just pulled the sneakiest move to get us out of that conversation upstairs. "You are impossible," I muttered, amusement lacing my voice, my laughter spilling freely in the small, confined space of the elevator. Caleb only shrugged, his eyes gleaming with mischief, clearly pleased with himself.
"What can I say? Some situations require a tactical retreat," he said, flashing me a grin that made it even harder to suppress my amusement. I let out another laugh, shaking my head, but just as the sound left my lips, the elevator chimed, signaling our arrival on the first floor. The doors slid open smoothly, and that was when my laughter died, freezing in my throat like ice.
My breath caught as my gaze landed on a face I hadn’t expected to see—at least not this soon, not here, not now. The world outside the elevator seemed to shift, the once-bustling lobby suddenly feeling too small, too stifling, as recognition slammed into me with the force of a crashing wave.
My pulse pounded against my ribs, the earlier ease and lightheartedness wiped away in an instant. My fingers, which had been loosely holding onto Caleb’s sleeve, instinctively clenched as if seeking an anchor. He must have sensed the change in my demeanor because his smirk faltered, his eyes flickering between me and the person standing just beyond the threshold.
I swallowed hard, my throat dry, my mind scrambling to process the unexpected presence in front of me. My lips parted slightly, but no words came out—because what could I possibly say? My heart pounded, the air suddenly thick with something unspoken, something heavy, something that made it impossible to move. The past had a cruel way of sneaking up on you when you least expected it, and right now, it felt like it had just walked straight through those elevator doors, dragging all its ghosts along with it.
Because standing outside the elevators, with a smile on his face…was none other than Shane Matthews…one of my biggest tormentors.