Nearly 30 minutes had passed when a familiar car pulled up to the curb, its headlights cutting through the gloom.
The window rolled down, and Elias leaned over, his sandy blonde hair tousled like he'd been running his hands through it. "Need a lift, or are you just enjoying the weather?"
I couldn't help the faint smile that tugged at my lips as I stood and walked toward the car. "You're late."
"Traffic," he said smoothly, though the playful glint in his light blue eyes suggested otherwise.
I climbed into the passenger seat, grateful for the warmth that enveloped me as he turned up the heat.
"Thanks," I murmured, settling into the seat.
"For what?" he asked, glancing at me as he pulled away from the curb.
"For coming to get me."
He shrugged, his lips quirking into a crooked grin. "You act like I had better plans."
I rolled my eyes, but his teasing had the intended effect—I felt lighter, the tension in my chest easing slightly.
"So," he said after a moment, his tone casual but probing, "James is okay?"
"Yeah," I said, staring out the window. "He looked good. Better than I expected."
"And you?"
"I'm fine," I said automatically.
Elias glanced at me, his brows lifting slightly. "You sure about that?"
I hesitated, the automatic response catching in my throat. "I… don't know."
He didn't press, didn't fill the silence with unnecessary words. Instead, he reached over and turned on the radio, the soft hum of music filling the car as he gave me space to think.
"You don't always have to have it together, you know," he said finally, his voice low.
I looked over at him, surprised by the seriousness in his tone.
"You're allowed to fall apart sometimes," Elias added, his voice softer now, his eyes flicking toward me briefly before returning to the road. "You don't have to carry everything alone."
I didn't respond, but his words lingered, settling somewhere deep within me. Comforting. Grounding. And disarming in a way I wasn't prepared for.
The silence stretched out between us, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Just heavy with unsaid things.
Elias glanced at me again, a slight smirk curving his lips. "What if I told you I know a spot? It's not far from here."
"A spot?" I echoed, turning to him.
"Yeah." His tone was casual, but there was a mischievous spark in his eyes. "It's quiet. Peaceful. You look like you could use that."
I hesitated. I had planned to go back to campus, crawl into bed, and let the night's events swirl around in my head until they made sense.
I sighed. "Fine. But if it's weird or sketchy, I'm blaming you."
He chuckled, his hand lightly drumming the steering wheel as he turned onto a smaller road. "Noted."
About ten minutes later, Elias pulled the car into a small parking lot surrounded by darkness. The faint roar of waves in the distance told me where we were before I even saw it.
"The beach?" I asked, glancing at him.
He parked the car and turned off the engine, his light blue eyes catching mine in the faint glow of the streetlight. "Trust me."
I stared at him, trying to gauge whatever it was he was planning, but his face betrayed nothing beyond that usual blend of confidence and calm. After a moment, I unbuckled my seatbelt and stepped out into the crisp night air.
It was colder now, the wind carrying the salty tang of the ocean. I shivered slightly, and before I could adjust my coat, Elias appeared beside me. He reached into the backseat and pulled out a coat—a long, thick one that looked much warmer than the one I was wearing.
"Here," he said, holding it out.
I raised a brow. "What's this for?"
"It's freezing," he replied simply, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Put it on."
I blinked at him but took the coat, slipping it on over my shoulders. It was warm, the faint scent of him clinging to the fabric.
"Better?" he asked, his hands tucked casually into his pockets.
I nodded, though I wasn't sure if the warmth in my chest was from the coat or the way he was looking at me.
Before I could say anything else, he took a step closer, reaching for the collar of the coat and pulling it up snugly around my neck. His hands lingered for a moment, his gaze locking with mine.
"Don't want you catching a cold, princess," he murmured, his voice low and teasing.
I rolled my eyes, pulling back slightly. "I thought I told you I don't like that nickname."
He smirked, his head tilting to the side. "No, you said I should only call you that when we're alone. And unless there's someone else hiding out here, we're alone right now."
I opened my mouth to retort, but he was already walking off toward the beach, his hands tucked into his pockets again.
"Unbelievable," I muttered under my breath, but I followed him, my boots sinking slightly into the sand as we moved closer to the water.
The beach was quiet, the waves lapping gently against the shore. The moon hung low in the sky, its pale light casting a silver glow over the sand and water.
Elias stopped a few feet from the edge of the water, his back to me as he looked out at the ocean. The wind tousled his sandy blonde hair, making him look even more effortlessly handsome.
I hesitated a few steps behind him, unsure of what to do or say. This wasn't what I'd expected when he said he knew a spot.
"Come on, Raven," he called without turning around. "You didn't agree to this just to stand there, did you?"
With a small sigh, I walked up beside him, hugging the coat tighter around me. The wind whipped around us, but the sight of the ocean was oddly calming, the sound of the waves drowning out the chaos in my head.
"You come here often?" I asked, trying to fill the silence.
"Sometimes," he said, his tone thoughtful. "It's good for clearing your head. Makes everything else feel… smaller."
I glanced at him, surprised by the seriousness in his voice. "You don't seem like the 'clearing your head' type."
He smirked, the playful glint returning to his eyes. "What type do I seem like, then?"
"Annoying," I replied without missing a beat.
His laugh was warm and unrestrained, carried away by the wind. "Fair enough. But even annoying people need a break sometimes."
I couldn't help the small smile that tugged at my lips.
We stood there in silence for a while, the sound of the waves filling the gaps between us. For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt… okay. Not completely, but enough.
"Thanks," I said quietly, breaking the silence.
"For what?"
"For this." I gestured vaguely to the beach, the ocean, the quiet. "For making me get out of my own head."
Elias turned to look at me, his expression softening. "Anytime, princess."
I shot him a glare, but the warmth in his eyes made it impossible to stay annoyed.
He grinned, clearly enjoying my reaction, before turning his attention back to the ocean.
The sound of the waves rolled steadily in the background as Elias stepped off the firmer sand near the water's edge and gestured toward a spot a little further back, shielded by some dunes.
"Come on, this way," he said, his hand motioning for me to follow.
I trailed behind him, my boots sinking slightly into the softer sand. "You've got this all figured out, huh?"
He turned back briefly, a smirk lighting up his face. "Of course. I'm full of surprises, princess."
I rolled my eyes but followed anyway. A part of me had to admit he was right about the beach—it was peaceful, almost like the world's chaos had taken a step back.
When we reached a spot higher on the dunes, Elias turned and gestured to the sand with a dramatic sweep of his hand. "Perfect, right?"
I sat down with a sigh, tucking my knees up to my chest and pulling the coat tighter around me. Elias dropped down beside me, leaning back on his hands as he stared out at the waves.
After a few moments of comfortable silence, he spoke. "Can I ask you something?"
His voice was softer now, hesitant in a way I wasn't used to. I glanced at him, my brows furrowing slightly. "What is it?"
"About your brother," he said, his gaze still on the ocean. "You said he was discharged. Did… your mom tell you?"
I sighed, the weight of the evening settling back onto my shoulders. "No," I admitted. "Not like I was expecting her to. We don't exactly… talk."
Elias turned to me, his blue eyes searching my face. "But you still went to check on him."
"Of course I did," I said, shrugging. "I had to see him. And Lily. But…" I paused, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "Let's just say I wasn't exactly welcomed with open arms."
His expression softened, his lips pressing into a thoughtful line. "Raven…"
"It's fine," I interrupted, forcing another laugh that felt hollow. "I mean, it's not like I expected anything different. That house hasn't felt like home in years. I just wanted to make sure they were okay, you know? I haven't seen Lily in so long, and the last time I did…" I trailed off, swallowing the lump that had formed in my throat.
Elias leaned closer, his tone firm but gentle. "Don't worry too much. You're already working hard to get them away from that place. You're doing more than most people would."
I looked at him, my lips pressing together as I tried to absorb his words. "Yeah, I know," I said quietly. "But I can still worry, right?"
His gaze softened, and he gave a small nod. "Yeah. You can. It's fine to worry. It just means you care."
The sincerity in his voice made my chest ache in a way I didn't want to unpack. I looked away, focusing on the waves instead.