Silver Lining ❥ daerin

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟖: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲

ℭ𝔞𝔩𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔞

The warmth of the afternoon sun streamed through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the room. I blinked a few times, adjusting to the light, and slowly realised that Sage was still curled up in my arms. Her breathing was steady, her body relaxed against mine. It was one of those perfect, lazy moments where I wished time would just freeze. Nothing else mattered except that she was here—safe, warm, and close.

I watched her for a few moments, tracing my fingers lightly along her arm, not wanting to wake her but loving the peaceful quiet. Eventually, she stirred, her eyelids fluttering open as she shifted to look up at me. Her sleepy smile made my heart flutter.

"Hey," she murmured, her voice still raspy from sleep.

"Hey yourself," I whispered back, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Sleep well?"

She nodded, snuggling deeper into the blanket. "Mmm, better than I have in a while."

I couldn't help but grin. "Good. But, it's getting late. Maybe we should get up?"

She groaned softly in protest but eventually agreed, untangling herself from the covers. We both got up, freshened up in the bathroom, and decided to figure out what we were doing for the rest of the day.

As we headed downstairs, I could hear faint voices coming from the kitchen—my parents must have gotten home earlier than expected. I glanced at Sage, catching the brief flash of nervousness on her face.

"Hey," I whispered, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "It's just my parents. No big deal. You've got this."

She smiled at me, though I could see a hint of anxiety in her eyes. "I know. I'm just... it's your parents."

"They'll love you," I promised, kissing the top of her head as we stepped into the kitchen.

Sure enough, my parents were there, busy chatting about something as they prepped for their evening. They both turned when they saw us enter, my mum's eyes lighting up with curiosity.

"Oh, look who's here," my mum said, smiling warmly. "And who's this?"

"This is Sage," I introduced, keeping my arm wrapped around her waist. "She's... someone important to me."

My dad raised an eyebrow, a teasing grin forming. "Important, huh? That's a rare word for you to use."

My mum nodded, extending her hand to Sage. "It's nice to meet you. Calista doesn't usually bring people home, so you must be special."

Sage, who had been slightly fidgeting beside me, relaxed as she shook my mum's hand. "It's really nice to meet you both. Calista talks about you all the time."

"Only good things, I hope?" my dad chimed in, giving me a wink.

Sage laughed softly. "Of course."

They didn't stay much longer. My parents were heading out for a company dinner, and after a few minutes of polite chatter, they grabbed their coats and waved goodbye.

"Don't get into too much trouble," my dad called out as they left.

"Can't make any promises," I shot back with a smirk.

Once they were gone, Sage let out a small breath of relief. "Well, that wasn't too bad."

I laughed, pulling her closer. "See? They already love you."

Her cheeks flushed pink, but she didn't argue. Instead, she kissed me softly. "So, what now? Are we actually making lunch?"

I shook my head. "Nah, I'm thinking we go out. I'm not in the mood to cook."