Where We Begin Again...

Chapter 4: The Honeymoon Phase

Aurora 

 In the beginning, it felt like we were living in a dream. Everything about being with Nathan was easy and perfect. I had never thought I would be the kind of girl who got swept up in romance, but with Nathan, I was. We spent almost every waking moment together. He was my comfort, my rock, and the person who always seemed to know exactly what I needed, even before I knew it myself. But as much as I loved being with him, there were moments when my anxiety would creep in, when the pressures of my life and my family's expectations weighed heavily on me. Those were the moments when I felt weak, fragile, like I was barely holding it together. And every time I found myself crumbling, Nathan was there. There was one night in particular that stood out. I had just finished a long phone call with my mother, where she reminded me—yet again—of how important it was to stay focused on my studies and prepare for law school. She didn't say it outright, but I knew she didn't think Nathan was a good use of my time. I hung up the phone feeling small, like no matter what I did, it would never be enough for her. Nathan noticed immediately. He always did. "You okay?" he asked, sitting down next to me on the couch, his hand resting gently on my back. I shook my head, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on me. "I just... I don't know if I can do this," I admitted, my voice barely a whisper. "My mom keeps pushing me about law school, and I'm starting to wonder if I'm even cut out for it. And then there's us..." Nathan didn't say anything right away. Instead, he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close. His embrace was warm, solid, like it could protect me from everything I was feeling. And in that moment, it did. "You don't have to figure it all out right now," he said softly, his lips brushing against my hair. "You're amazing, Aurora. Whatever path you choose, you're going to be great. But if you need a break, take it. I'll be here, no matter what." His words brought tears to my eyes, but they weren't the kind of tears that came from sadness. They were the kind that came from knowing someone truly cared about you. Nathan was always there, ready to hold me up when I couldn't do it myself. ---

 Nathan 

 Aurora had this way of being so strong on the outside, but underneath, I could see the cracks. I could see how much pressure she was under, how much weight she carried on her shoulders because of her family's expectations. And every time I saw her start to unravel, it made me want to protect her even more. There was nothing I wouldn't do for her. In those moments when she was vulnerable, I knew it was my job to step up. To be the one who reminded her that she wasn't alone. It wasn't just about love—it was about making sure she knew that no matter how hard things got, I'd always be there. I'd never let her fall. But I wasn't perfect. For all the ways I tried to be strong for Aurora, I had my own weaknesses. And one of those weaknesses was jealousy. I didn't mean for it to happen. I knew Aurora loved me. I knew she wasn't the kind of girl who would go behind my back or cheat. But sometimes, when I saw her talking to other guys, laughing with them, it would trigger something inside me—a small, insistent voice that whispered doubts into my mind. It happened once when we were at a party. Some guy from one of her classes—Tom, I think his name was— kept hovering around her, asking questions about an assignment. I stood across the room, trying not to let it bother me. But then I saw the way she laughed at something he said, the way she smiled, and it hit me like a punch to the gut. I knew it was stupid. I knew I had nothing to worry about. But in that moment, all I could think was, What if she likes him more than me? What if I'm not enough? By the time Aurora came back over to me, I could feel the jealousy burning in my chest. "You okay?" she asked, looking concerned. "Yeah," I lied, trying to brush it off. "I'm fine." But I wasn't. And I could tell by the way Aurora's face fell that she knew something was wrong. "What is it?" she pressed, her voice soft but insistent. I hesitated, not wanting to admit how petty I was feeling. But I couldn't keep it in. "I saw you talking to Tom," I said, trying to keep my voice casual. "It just... I don't know, it bothered me." Aurora blinked, clearly caught off guard. "Nathan, he's just a classmate. We were talking about homework." "I know," I said quickly. "I know it's stupid. It's just—" "It's not stupid," she interrupted, stepping closer to me. "But you have nothing to worry about. I'm with you. I love you." Hearing those words should have made the jealousy disappear, but it didn't. Instead, it only made me feel worse. I hated that I was this insecure, that I could let something so small get under my skin. "I'm sorry," I muttered, looking down at the ground. Aurora reached out, lifting my chin so that I had no choice but to meet her gaze. "It's okay," she said softly. "But you don't have to be jealous, Nathan. I'm yours." --- 

 Aurora

 I had never seen Nathan get jealous before, and to be honest, it surprised me. He had always been so confident, so sure of himself. I hadn't thought he would ever feel threatened by something as simple as me talking to a classmate. But when I saw the look in his eyes at that party, I realized that even he had his insecurities. It was strange to see him like that. Vulnerable. And yet, it made me love him even more. He wasn't perfect, and neither was I. But that was okay. In some ways, it made our relationship stronger. We weren't just in love with each other's strengths—we were in love with each other's weaknesses too. As time went on, I started to notice the little moments when Nathan's jealousy would creep in. It wasn't always obvious, but I could tell when something was bothering him. Sometimes it was as simple as me getting a text from a guy in one of my classes, or when I mentioned hanging out with a group of friends that included guys. Nathan would try to hide it, but I could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his jaw would tighten ever so slightly. But he never let it get in the way of how good he was to me. Whenever I was feeling down or overwhelmed, Nathan was always there. He had this way of making me feel like I was the most important person in the world. Even when his jealousy flared up, he never let it cloud his love for me. --- 

 Nathan

 I tried to keep my jealousy in check. I knew it was unfair to Aurora, and I didn't want her to think I didn't trust her. But it wasn't about trust—it was about me. It was about my own insecurities, my own fear that maybe I wasn't good enough for her. But every time those feelings started to bubble up, Aurora would do something that reminded me why I didn't need to be jealous. She would smile at me, or hold my hand, or tell me how much she loved me. And in those moments, all the doubts would fade away. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that one day, my jealousy might get the better of me. I didn't want to hurt her, but sometimes, when those dark thoughts crept in, I wasn't sure if I could stop them. --- 

 Aurora

 Despite the occasional moments of jealousy, Nathan was everything I needed. He was my support system, the person I turned to when things got hard. He knew how to calm me down when I was spiraling, how to hold me when I felt like the world was closing in around me. There were times when I felt like I was too much—too complicated, too anxious, too unsure of myself. But Nathan never made me feel that way. He always made me feel like I was enough, like I was perfect just the way I was. And for that, I loved him even more.