I wake up at 6:23 AM.
Ethan's arms are around me. His chest against my back. His breathing steady and slow.
For a moment, I just lie there.
In his bed. In his house. In his arms.
Everything I wanted. Everything I fought for.
And now that I have it, I'm terrified.
Because the photo is out there. Public. Spreading. By now, half the campus has probably seen it.
Professor and student. Too close. Undeniable.
My phone is on the nightstand. Seventy-three notifications.
I don't want to look.
Don't want to see the comments. The judgments. The speculation that's now confirmed.
Ethan stirs behind me. His arm tightens around my waist.
"You're awake," he murmurs.
"Yeah."
"What time is it?"
"Early. Six-thirty."
"You should sleep more."
"Can't."
He kisses my shoulder. Gentle. Tender. Different from last night's desperation.
"What are you thinking about?" he asks.
"Everything. The photo. The consequences. What happens next."
"We face it together. Like I said."
