Lily had been glowing ever since she found out about me and Kade.
She had this habit of smiling at me for no reason, like she was silently cheering for my happiness.
And honestly, being around her always made things lighter.
Between classes, me and Lily would sit in the library sharing snacks, talking about random things, and pretending college wasn't trying to stress everyone out.
I noticed Lily becoming more confident too. She had joined a campus volunteer club, and she kept dragging me along to meetings and events.
Not because she thought I needed it… but because she didn't want me to lose sight of the world outside your relationship.
"Girl, I'm so happy for you," she said one afternoon, leaning against my shoulder.
"You look like someone who's just been handed the life she always dreamed of."
And it was true -- I felt like I was floating.
Kade made me feel chosen.
Wanted.
But slowly, I started noticing things—small things I pushed away quickly.
Kade had been getting more intense.
More physical.
More eager to take things further.
He'd pull me close in corners of the hallway, kissing me longer than I expected, holding me tighter than before.
And sometimes, when he whispered, his voice carried a meaning I pretended not to understand.
One evening, he said it plainly—soft but confident:
"Babe… I think we should go further. You know… really be together."
My heart stopped.
Not because I was scared.
But because I wasn't ready, not like that.
I laughed it off lightly, telling him I wanted to take things slow.
He didn't argue, but I saw it—the flicker of disappointment in his eyes.
Later that night, Lily noticed I was quiet while we were sorting laundry in our room.
"You okay?" she asked.
I nodded too quickly.
She raised an eyebrow, unconvinced but gentle.
"Just… don't let anyone rush you into anything. Even someone you really like."
I wanted to tell her everything
I almost did.
But I was still lost in the idea of my perfect boyfriend and perfect college romance.
I wasn't ready to admit that maybe—just maybe—I was ignoring something important.
And so I smiled at her, tucked everything back inside, and let myself believe that everything was fine.
For now.