the secrets we shared | rowan laslow x reader

chapter xxiii

of course, keeping our relationship private had some cons, and we realised that pretty soon. it was really hard to get alone time, as we both shared dorms with other people, and there are no other private areas in the school. rowan told xavier that nothing happened, so we can't even use his dorm. even at nighttime, there wasn't a 100% guarantee we wouldn't bump into anyone, and anyways, if we stayed up too many nights people would grow suspicious.

because of this, we haven't been able to properly talk since the library, when we got together. it's been 3 weeks. we both text for hours every night, however we can't even have a quick conversation in class (partially because we both get too nervous for some reason), so when bianca and i were invited to yokos sleepover, i was all too happy to
decline. bianca, away for a whole night? finally i could see rowan! the sleepover is in a week, though, so it is still a while. i instantly message rowan the good news, and try not to smile too much at his reply while bianca asks if i will be alright on my own.

the week seems to drag on, but in some of our lessons the seating plan changes. i get seated next to a siren boy called kent. i recognise him as one of biancas friends, and we get on really well. we become fast friends, but don't really talk outside of lessons. so, you can imagine my shock when bianca tells me that kent apparently likes me. rumours spread like wildfire in school, and so now everyone either:
a. ships us
b. believes we are already dating
c. something along those lines
great. i pray rowan hasn't heard of this as i don't want him to feel hurt, and as he is a weird loner he hopefully hasn't.

as soon as i see him, however, i can instantly tell he has. his face holds a melancholic far away expression, and he can't quite meet my eye. surely he knows its just a rumour? after all - i am dating him. he doesn't bring it up, however, so i don't get the chance to reassure him. besides, we are finally meeting up in a couple of days, so thats way more important.

i am embarrassingly excited for the day, and have to refrain from talking about it.

my excitement turns to sheer horror when i walk into the courtyard and am met with a giant banner, with the word RAVE'N? scribbled on it hastily. the banner must have been at least twice the size of me lengthways, and is being held at either ends by yoko and divina. and standing in the centre behind it, is kent. with a big grin, directed at ME.

my mouth drops open, and i am speechless for what feels like eternity. os he being serious? we have only started being friends for like a week. and we hardly talk. i weigh up my options. i do not want to embarrass kent in front of his friends, so i can't outright reject him. i could say i was already going with someone else, but that would make rowan and i's relationship public, and there would be a lot of gossip about it. i could, of course, just walk away without saying a word, but that too would spread a lot of gossip. i realise its unlikely i would go with rowan anyways, so saying that i was going with someone else was probably the best option.