Finding light in the darkest places—through love-Chapter 108 – Something New Between Us

The next morning, Evelyn woke up feeling different.

At first, she couldn't figure out why.

The sunlight spilled softly across her bedspread, and her room looked the same—messy pile of textbooks on the desk, her water bottle half-full on the nightstand, the faint smell of lavender from yesterday's candle.

But something inside her had shifted.

It hit her all at once—the memory of Adrian's smile, the feel of his forehead pressed against hers, the sound of his voice saying I want you.

And her answering him, without fear. Without hesitation.

She buried her face in her pillow and let out a helpless, giddy noise.

This was real.

They were... something now. Not just friends, not just almost. Something real.

The thought made her want to both run around the campus and hide under her blankets forever.

Her phone buzzed against the nightstand.

It was a text from Adrian.

Adrian: Good morning :)

Adrian: Hope you slept okay.

Adrian: Can I see you later?

Evelyn stared at the screen, her heart doing somersaults.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard for a moment before she typed back:

Evelyn: Morning 💬 I slept good. You?

Evelyn: And yes, definitely yes.

Almost immediately, three dots popped up, showing he was already replying.

Adrian: I'll come find you after lunch? Library? Or anywhere you want.

Evelyn grinned into her pillow, feeling like a teenager in the middle of her first crush.

Evelyn: Library sounds perfect.

Adrian: Can't wait.

She hugged the phone to her chest for a second, ridiculous and overjoyed, before finally getting up to face the day.

By the time she arrived at the library that afternoon, Evelyn's nerves were buzzing so much she was sure everyone around her could hear them.

Adrian was already there, waiting just outside the entrance.

When their eyes met, he smiled—and it wasn't the careful, measured smile he used around others. It was warm. Familiar. Hers.

Evelyn felt her face heat up as she walked toward him.

"Hey," she said, a little breathless.

"Hey," he said, grinning. "You look—"

He paused, cheeks faintly pink.

"You look really happy."

She laughed. "I am."

They hovered there for a second, the air between them crackling with something new and delicate.

Evelyn had no idea what the protocol was now.

Were they supposed to... hold hands? Hug? Kiss again?

Adrian seemed equally unsure, rocking slightly on his heels before finally blurting, "Can I—?"

She stepped into him before he could even finish the question.

He laughed under his breath, wrapping an arm around her shoulders in a loose, easy hug that somehow felt like it belonged to both of them.

It wasn't a dramatic, sweeping embrace.

It was simple.

Comfortable.

And perfect.

"Hi," he murmured into her hair.

"Hi," she whispered back, laughing quietly.

They eventually pulled apart, but not too far—just enough to walk side by side into the library.

It was funny, Evelyn thought, how everything felt the same and different at once.

They still found a table tucked into the quieter corner of the second floor.

They still pulled out their books and laptops, still pretending to study.

But their knees bumped under the table now, and neither of them moved away.

When Adrian handed her a pen she dropped, their fingers lingered for a second longer than necessary.

And every time she looked up, she found him already looking at her.

They didn't say anything about it.

They didn't need to.

The newness wrapped around them like a thread, delicate but unbreakable.

About an hour later, Evelyn realized they hadn't gotten any real work done.

Adrian set his laptop aside with a sigh and leaned his chin in his hand, looking at her like she was far more interesting than anything on his screen.

"So," he said, voice low and casual. "Are we... officially something now?"

Evelyn blinked, startled—and then she smiled.

"I think we've been something for a while," she said softly. "We just finally admitted it."

He chuckled. "Yeah. Took us long enough."

There was a pause, a little bubble of uncertainty.

And then Adrian said, almost shyly, "I like calling you mine. Even if it's just... in my head."

Evelyn felt her chest tighten, full of something tender and overwhelming.

"You're not the only one," she said, reaching across the table to lightly brush her fingers against his.

He caught her hand in his, lacing their fingers together under the cover of their textbooks.

Neither of them said anything more about it.

They didn't have to.

Some things were too big, too sweet, to need constant explanation.

When they left the library later, the sun was dipping low, painting the sky in warm streaks of pink and gold.

They walked slowly, still holding hands, pretending like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Every so often, Evelyn caught glimpses from other students passing by—curious glances, double-takes.

A few familiar faces from their classes even whispered behind their hands.

Evelyn flushed, but Adrian squeezed her hand gently, grounding her.

"Let them look," he murmured, smiling down at her.

She smiled back, heart swelling with something fierce and bright.

Let them look.

Let them wonder.

For once, Evelyn didn't care what anyone else thought.

This—whatever it was, wherever it was going—was theirs.

And she was ready to see where it led.