(Olivia)
After Derek and I spoke, we drove back to my apartment separately so that I could pack.
The tension between us felt stronger now, filled with something different.
I glanced in my rearview mirror and caught sight of Derek’s car behind me. Even though we were in separate vehicles, it felt like he was still right there, a steady presence, holding on to me.
The reality of how much my life was about to change finally hit me, making me nervous.
Derek had this way of making me feel secure, like no matter what, things would work out.
The way he looked at me, the way he spoke to me, I couldn’t help but feel that I was more than just some convenient solution to his family problems.
And that scared me. It scared me because I could feel myself falling for him, little by little, and
