Chris noticed Jade's breathing had slowed, her body soft and heavy against his side. Carefully, he reached over and closed the laptop, setting it aside on the nightstand. With a quiet sigh, he slid down from his half-sitting posture, stretching out more fully on the bed, still cradling her in his arms.
Her hair tickled his collarbone. The weight of her curled into him felt oddly comforting. Without much thought, he rested his cheek against the crown of her head.
Soon, he was asleep too.
He woke up to the faint golden tint of early evening filtering through the blinds. The digital clock on Jade's desk read 6:14 PM.
Carefully peeling himself away from her without waking her, Chris sat up and rubbed his face. Jade was still deep asleep, breathing softly, strands of hair tangled around her cheek. He hesitated, then gently tugged the blanket over her again and tucked her in.
She murmured something incoherent in her sleep and snuggled further into the warmth.
Chris padded out of the room, stretching as he walked toward the kitchen.
His stomach grumbled.
Now that he was fully awake, the idea of eating something sounded good. He tried to think—had Jade ever mentioned anything she liked? Then he remembered: every time they went out, she always ended up ordering some variation of pasta. Carbonara, arrabbiata, lasagna... But the one she seemed to enjoy the most was simple spaghetti bolognese.
He opened the fridge and was pleasantly surprised. It was well-stocked—her mom must keep it orderly. Minced beef, tomatoes, onions, garlic, even fresh basil. There was pasta in the cupboard and olive oil on the counter.
He pulled out his phone and typed in: "How to make spaghetti bolognese (easy)."
A ten-minute video played quietly on the counter as he got to work.
Surprisingly, things went smoother than expected. Chopping, stirring, seasoning—he followed everything step by step, and soon the sauce was simmering, filling the kitchen with a warm, mouthwatering scent. He put a lid on it and set it to low heat, letting it cook while he cleaned up the counters and stacked the dishes.
The house was quiet.
Until the unmistakable click of the front door unlocking echoed through the entryway.
Chris froze, mid-wipe with a dish towel.
In stepped a pair of strangers—both sharply dressed despite the late hour. The man was broad-shouldered, clean-shaven, with steely eyes and salt pepper at his temples. The woman beside him had the gentle poise of someone used to office work and a calm face touched with makeup. Both had the same striking combination of blue eyes and black hair that Jade carried.
Chris's stomach sank slightly. No need for guessing.
Her parents.
The man gave Chris a once-over and squared his shoulders, voice firm but not aggressive. "You must be the reason our house smells like an Italian restaurant."
Chris set down the towel and quickly stepped forward, trying not to look like someone caught robbing the fridge. "Uh, yeah—sorry. I'm Chris. Chris Carter." He extended a hand.
The man raised an eyebrow, but shook it firmly. "Marcus Hart."
That sounded about right.
Marcus's mouth twitched upward—not a smile, exactly, but something close to approval.
Then the woman spoke. "I'm Elaine. And you are… Jade's…?"
She let the sentence hang. Not quite accusing. But curious.
Chris scratched the back of his head, suddenly aware of how it must look—him in casual clothes, the stove still on, two plates set neatly on the kitchen table, the unmistakable smell of a meal being cooked for two hanging in the air.
Before he could even try to answer, soft footsteps came from the stairs.
Jade stood there, rubbing her eyes and yawning, wearing Chris's hoodie and a pair of shorts. "Mmm… what smells like—"
She froze.
Both her parents turned toward her.
Jade blinked, then flinched. "Wait… weren't you supposed to come tomorrow?"
Marcus grunted. "The seminar ended early."
Elaine folded her arms, smiling just slightly. "Trying to hide your husband in the making, sweetheart?"
Jade turned an alarming shade of red, her mouth opening without any words coming out. She glanced at Chris, then at the kitchen—where two plates sat next to a simmering pot of sauce he'd just turned off.
Everything about the moment screamed caught.
Chris opened his mouth—maybe to defend her, maybe to explain—but Jade beat him to it.
"I—it's not what it looks like! He just… came to check on me!" she blurted.
Chris, very helpfully, added, "I brought ice cream?"
Marcus raised one eyebrow.
Elaine chuckled and stepped forward. "Well, Mr. Carter, I hope you like meeting parents while holding a spatula. Dinner smells wonderful, by the way."
Jade buried her face in her hands Chris smiled awkwardly.
Chris rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the weight of three gazes on him. "Uh—Chris will do, ma'am."
Elaine raised her brows briefly at the "ma'am," then glanced at the table. After a moment of brief silence, she tilted her head and smiled. "Would it be alright if we joined in on your dinner?"
Jade groaned under her breath, sinking further into her oversized hoodie. "Mooom…"
Chris blinked. His brain had to work overtime for a few seconds before catching up. "Oh! Uh—of course! Yes, sure!" he said quickly, already moving toward the cupboards like he was used to the place, which… was becoming increasingly true.
With surprising ease, he grabbed another plate, set out silverware, and added a fourth setting like a well-trained houseguest. It was so practiced it earned him a longer glance from Marcus.
Chris finished setting the place and then, realizing this was his chance to escape the interrogation, made a weak move toward the hallway. "I'll just—"
"Ah ah," Elaine chimed, her voice melodic and teasing. "You're not getting out of this, not after making such a wonderful-smelling dinner. You cook, you eat."
Chris deflated like a kid caught red-handed with a half-eaten chocolate bar. "...Right," he muttered, slinking back to the table.
He brought the pot of sauce and pasta to the center and passed around the utensils. The four of them sat down—Chris and Jade on one side, her parents on the other. It felt like a military strategy game with the table as neutral ground.
At first, no one said anything.
Jade kept her eyes glued to her plate, stabbing at the pasta like it had personally offended her. Her usual bold self was nowhere to be found.
Chris, on the other hand, started to relax after a few bites. Turns out, it wasn't half bad.
He peeked at Jade, noticing a little smear of sauce on her cheek. With a grin, he picked up a napkin and leaned over to gently wipe it away.
Jade froze.
Her eyes went wide. Marcus raised an eyebrow. Elaine tilted her head, lips twitching into a knowing smile.
Elaine was the first to speak, her tone light but laced with curiosity. "So... is it normal nowadays for someone who's just checking in to cook dinner and wipe a girl's face for her?"
Jade opened her mouth to protest, but only a squeak came out.
Chris, however, calmly responded, his tone even and unbothered. "I think we have a bit of a special relationship. She hasn't really said it out loud yet… but I think so."
Jade's hand curled into a fist on the table, her face as red as the sauce.
Elaine smiled deeper, clearly pleased. Marcus gave a faint grunt, which could be interpreted as anything between mild approval and a signal to call off the interrogation.
Jade nearly choked on her next bite.
"So, Chris," Marcus said, switching gears like a drill sergeant loosening his tie. "Tell me about yourself."
Chris sat straighter, swallowing his bite before speaking. "We're in the same year at school—me and Jade. My sister's friends with her, that's how we met. I'm the captain of the school's hockey team. Grades are… okay. Not failing."
Elaine chuckled quietly. "You're much calmer now than when we walked in. And Jade still hasn't unclenched her soul."
Jade grumbled something that sounded like "you weren't supposed to come today…"
Elaine leaned slightly forward, her smile sweet but sharp. "So then… how did you end up here tonight?"
Chris smiled faintly, already bracing himself. "Funny story, actually." He turned slightly toward Jade, who immediately grew suspicious. "Apparently, she tried to seduce me for, like, two weeks. Didn't notice at all. Just kept thinking she was weird."
Jade's head snapped up.
"And then at the party," he continued without pause, "we were together during a game, and that's when it kinda clicked. So now we've been… sorta together since. Casual. But consistent."
He said it all with a completely straight face, as if he were reading off a weather report.
Jade muttered "you absolute menace" under her breath and slapped him on the back of the head.
"Shut up already, idiot."
Elaine laughed softly. "You know, I quite like him."
Marcus grunted, which this time was unmistakably approval. "He's honest."
Chris rubbed the back of his head again, grinning sheepishly. Jade, still red-faced, buried her face in her hands but didn't deny a word.