"Why are you letting him touch you?"
I froze, my fingers tightening around my phone. The message from Kael—my boyfriend, or more accurately, my secret boyfriend—made my heart skip a beat. I glanced around the cafeteria, making sure no one saw me. No one could ever know that the smartest heir of Elysium University was dating a scholarship girl like me. If word got out, I'd be ruined, and Kael… well, he'd be furious.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and slid my phone into my bag. My friends were chatting and laughing, completely unaware of my inner panic. Clara Sterling, the daughter of one of the university's board members, was leaning over to Isla Moreno, whispering about the charity gala tonight. Isla laughed, showing off the designer bag she had just bought, and the sound made me feel painfully out of place. On the other hand, Adrian Lancaster is trying hard to get my attention again, messing up my hair.
I adjusted my skirt nervously. My scholarship jacket made me stick out like a sore thumb in this sea of designer labels and manicured nails. Sometimes I wondered why I even came to this university. Then I remembered: Kael.
During the day, he was untouchable. Cold. Distant. The perfect image of a rich heir who didn't care about a girl like me. His gray eyes could slice through anyone, and during classes, he didn't look at me at all. He acted like I didn't exist… and I played along. I had to.
But at night… it was different. At night, he became mine. The real Kael. Warm. Loving. Protective. The world outside our apartment didn't exist, and I was no longer the scholarship girl; I was the only person who mattered.
I glanced at the clock on the wall. Just a few more hours. A few more hours until the cafeteria emptied, and I could go home and wait for him to appear, like magic, in the apartment above the city.
Kael's latest message buzzed again: "Don't get caught. Not today."
My heart raced. Even though he acted distant at school, that one simple message reminded me of our nights together, our little world that no one else could ever touch.
I forced a smile at Clara's question, pretending nothing was wrong. "Nothing," I said softly, keeping my voice calm. But inside, I was counting the minutes until nightfall.
The rest of the lunch period dragged on painfully. Every time Kael walked past, I felt a shiver of excitement mixed with dread. He didn't even glance at me, and yet I could feel his presence like a magnet. It wasn't fair that one person could make your heart feel so alive during the night and so hollow during the day.
Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of classes. My friends chattered about their plans, and I nodded along, my mind elsewhere. I couldn't wait to escape, to leave the crowded, judgmental world behind and enter the only place where Kael was his true self.
The elevator ride to our apartment was quiet, and I kept my head down, pretending to scroll through my phone. Kael stepped in behind me, his usual cold expression in place. I could feel the heat of his presence, but he didn't say a word. Not a single glance.
I wanted to ask him why he acted like this, why he had to pretend during the day, but I didn't. I had learned long ago that asking too many questions would only push him further away. Once inside our apartment, the moment the door clicked shut behind us, he finally smiled. The cold, untouchable boy from the daytime melted away, leaving the warm, loving Kael I had come to know and crave.
"Hey," he said softly, pulling me into his arms. His lips brushed my hair, and I felt my knees weaken. "Did you survive another day?"
I buried my face in his chest, exhaling a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. "Barely," I whispered.
He chuckled, pressing another gentle kiss to my temple. "Don't worry about the world out there. It can't touch us here."
I closed my eyes, savoring the warmth, the safety. By night, everything that had felt impossible, unfair, or humiliating disappeared. He looked at me like I was the only person who mattered, and in those moments, I truly believed that maybe, just maybe, love could survive two worlds.
We sat together on the couch, his hand lazily tracing patterns on my arm. I let myself lean into him, enjoying the rare moments when I could be completely honest about my feelings. I whispered, almost afraid he would vanish if I spoke too loudly, "Why… why can't you be like this all the time?"
Kael's smile faltered slightly, a shadow crossing his face. "Because the world would never understand," he said softly. "Out there… I have to be the perfect heir. The untouchable, cold Kael. If anyone knew the truth… you'd be in danger, Lina."
I bit my lip. He was right, of course. Our love had to remain a secret. The thought made my chest ache, but I nodded anyway. I had accepted this long ago. The risk was worth the reward: him.
Hours passed like minutes. We talked quietly, laughed softly, and for a little while, the world outside didn't exist. But as the clock approached midnight, reality began to creep back in. I would have to leave tomorrow, return to the cafeteria, pretend to be invisible again.
Kael leaned over, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "Promise me something?" he whispered, his lips brushing my ear.
"Anything," I replied.
"Promise me… that you'll survive the day," he said. "Survive the world that doesn't know the real us. Because at night… we'll always have each other."
I nodded, my heart aching but full. "I promise," I whispered.
And in that moment, I believed it.
No one could touch us. Not yet. Not while the night was ours.