Connor stretched out on his bed, the soft glow from the TV casting shadows across the room as the credits of Gilmore Girls scrolled by. He'd lost count of how many episodes they'd watched together, Harper comfortably curled against him as the show played. Her head was resting on his shoulder, her hair brushing his neck, and for the first time in a long while, everything felt right. The comfortable silence between them was broken only by the faint sound of the TV, the outside world slipping away.
As the credits rolled to a stop, Connor glanced down at her and hesitated. He reached for the remote and paused the next episode before it could start, the question that had been gnawing at him all day finally spilling out.
"Harper," he started, his voice soft but serious, "don't you think it's time we tell everyone about us?"
Harper shifted against him, lifting her head from his shoulder to meet his gaze. She was quiet for a moment, her expression thoughtful, like she was weighing her response. Slowly, she moved to straddle his lap, her knees pressing into the mattress on either side of him. Her hands wrapped around his neck, fingers brushing lightly over his skin. Her lips quirked into a small, mischievous smile, but there was still a flicker of hesitation in her eyes.
"I'm 100% sure Noah already knows," she said with a light laugh, breaking the tension a little. "I mean, he's not exactly clueless."
Connor chuckled at that. It was hard to keep secrets from Noah—he always had a way of figuring things out. "Yeah, I figured. Noah's been making comments about me looking 'happier' lately. He definitely knows something."
"And Ella?" Harper continued, raising an eyebrow. "She's like a psychic or something. She's definitely figured it out by now."
Connor grinned, his hands resting on her hips as he pulled her closer. "Ella's not subtle. She probably knew before we did."
Harper let out a soft laugh, but the lightness faded as her smile wavered. She sighed, leaning her forehead against his, her voice dropping to a more serious tone. "I'm just... I'm scared of James's reaction."
Connor's heart sank a little at the mention of her brother. He understood her fear. James wasn't just her brother—he was protective, fiercely so, and Connor knew that telling him wouldn't be easy. James had been one of Connor's closest friends, but the dynamic would change once he found out about this. And there was no telling how he'd react.
"I get it," Connor murmured, his voice quiet. "I'm not exactly excited to face him either."
Harper let out a soft sigh, her fingers tracing absent patterns along his neck. "I just don't want it to change things between you two. Or make things weird."
Connor's grip on her hips tightened slightly, a sense of protectiveness washing over him. "Hey, we'll deal with James. Whatever happens, we'll handle it. I don't want to keep us a secret forever."
Harper looked at him, her worry still lingering, but there was something more in her eyes too. Trust. It warmed Connor's heart, knowing she trusted him with her feelings, even the difficult ones.
"I know we will," she whispered, pressing her forehead against his again. "But still, I'm like 90% sure James and Ella are dating behind our backs. So maybe we're not the only ones keeping secrets."
Connor blinked in surprise, pulling back slightly to look at her properly. "Wait, what?"
Harper's lips curled into a playful smile, a hint of mischief returning to her voice. "Yeah, I've seen them sneaking around. I think they're trying to keep it low-key, but it's pretty obvious."
Connor let out a deep laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. "A blind man would be able to see that." His laughter faded, replaced by a soft, amused smile as he stroked her back. "I guess we're not the only ones who've been sneaking around."
Harper grinned, the tension between them easing as they shared the moment. For a while, they didn't say anything, just enjoying each other's presence. She let herself relax fully in his lap, her head resting on his shoulder, her fingers lazily brushing along his collarbone. His hands moved gently over her back, soothing and steady, and she closed her eyes, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath her.
"Do we really need to tell them?" she asked quietly after a while, her voice almost hesitant.
Connor pressed a kiss to the top of her head, his hand gently cupping the back of her neck. "We will eventually," he murmured. "But for now... I'm okay with this. With us."
Harper sighed contentedly, her body sinking further into his embrace. "Me too," she whispered.
The TV still hummed in the background, but neither of them paid it any attention. The world outside didn't matter right now. They were wrapped up in each other, lost in their little bubble of quiet happiness.
Harper shifted slightly, her cheek resting against his chest now, listening to the steady beat of his heart. "What do you think everyone will say?"
Connor smiled, his fingers brushing through her hair. "Noah will pretend to be shocked, but he'll be happy for us. Ella will probably freak out and ask a million questions. And James... well, we'll figure that out."
She smiled against his chest, comforted by his calm confidence. Connor always had a way of making her feel safe, even when everything else felt uncertain. The thought of school tomorrow, the routine of classes and homework, loomed in the back of her mind, but for now, it didn't matter. For now, she was here, with him, and that was enough.
"Do you ever think about how crazy this is?" Harper asked softly after a while, her voice barely above a whisper. "You and me. After everything."
Connor chuckled, his hand continuing to trace gentle patterns on her back. "Yeah, it's pretty insane. But I wouldn't change it for anything."
Harper smiled, feeling a warmth spread through her chest. She tilted her head up to look at him, her eyes locking with his. "Me neither."
They exchanged a soft, lingering kiss, their lips brushing together in a way that felt natural, like they'd been doing it for years. When they pulled apart, Harper settled back into his arms, her fingers tracing over his chest as the weight of the day slowly faded away.
"School tomorrow," she murmured, her voice tinged with reluctance.
Connor groaned playfully, his hand sliding down to rest on her waist. "Don't remind me."
She laughed softly, the sound filling the room like music, and for a moment, everything felt perfect. No drama, no secrets—just them. Together.
YOU ARE READING
Forever Chasing
Подростковая литература"Chasing Forever" is a contemporary romance that follows the intense, complicated relationship between Harper Westwood and Connor Cooper. Set against the backdrop of their senior year at an elite high school, the story explores their journey from ac...
