Forever Chasing

Chapter 24: Telling everyone

Harper woke up with a sense of nervousness twisting in her stomach. The soft morning light filtered through Connor's window, casting a golden glow over his room. She blinked, her eyes adjusting as she realized her head was resting on his chest. His arm was draped protectively around her, the steady rhythm of his breathing providing a momentary sense of calm. But as soon as she remembered what the day would bring, the anxiety returned, gnawing at her insides.

Today was the day. They were going to tell their friends about them—about this. And as excited as Harper was to finally be open about their relationship, the idea of actually saying the words out loud made her stomach twist in knots.

Connor stirred beneath her, his hand instinctively tightening around her waist as he woke. He blinked a few times, his gaze settling on her face, and he offered her a soft, sleepy smile.

"Morning," he murmured, his voice deep and husky from sleep.

"Morning," she whispered back, trying to keep her voice steady, but she knew he could sense her nerves.

Connor frowned slightly, propping himself up on one elbow so he could look at her properly. "You're nervous," he said, more of a statement than a question.

Harper sighed, nodding. "Yeah. I guess I'm just... worried about how everyone will react."

He shifted, pulling her closer, his hand cupping the side of her face as he tilted her chin up to meet his eyes. "Hey," he said softly, his thumb brushing over her cheek in a gentle caress. "It's going to be fine."

She offered him a weak smile, but the worry was still there, lurking beneath the surface.

Connor, sensing that words alone wouldn't be enough to calm her, leaned in and pressed his lips to hers in a soft, lingering kiss. His hand trailed down her back, pulling her against him as he deepened the kiss, and for a moment, Harper felt the tension in her body melt away. He had that effect on her, the ability to make everything else fade into the background.

When he pulled back, he rested his forehead against hers, his breath warm on her skin. "It'll be fine," he repeated, his voice full of quiet confidence. "We'll do it together. And if anyone has a problem with it, they can deal with me."

Harper laughed softly at that, the sound easing some of the tension. "Yeah, because that won't make things more intimidating."

He grinned, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'm serious. We've got this."

Taking a deep breath, Harper nodded. "Okay. Let's do it."

By lunchtime, Harper's nerves were back in full force. The cafeteria was loud and buzzing with activity as students gathered at tables, talking and laughing over lunch. Harper and Connor made their way to the table where their group usually sat, hand-in-hand. The weight of what they were about to do seemed to hang over them both, but Connor squeezed her hand reassuringly as they approached.

Noah, Ella, James, and the rest of their friends were already seated, chatting animatedly about something Harper couldn't quite focus on. She sat down next to Connor, her heart racing as she tried to gauge everyone's mood. It felt like a moment suspended in time, the world around them moving too quickly while her thoughts moved too slow.

Noah was the first to greet them, flashing them a cheeky grin as he took a bite of his sandwich. "You two look... cozy," he said, raising an eyebrow as if he already knew something was up.

Harper tried to laugh, but it came out shaky. Connor, sensing her nerves, placed a hand on her thigh under the table, giving her a reassuring squeeze.

They sat there for a few minutes, making small talk about the latest classes and gossip, but Harper could barely focus on the conversation. The pressure was building, the anticipation of their impending announcement making her chest tight.

Then, without any warning, Connor cleared his throat. The group kept talking, oblivious, until Connor spoke again, louder this time. "So, we have something to tell you guys."

The table went silent almost instantly. All eyes turned toward them, curious and expectant.

Harper's pulse quickened. This was it.

Connor didn't hesitate, his voice steady and calm as he continued. "Harper and I are dating."

For a second, there was nothing but stunned silence, and Harper held her breath, waiting for someone to say something. Then, as if on cue, the table erupted into noise—everyone talking at once, their reactions all spilling out in a chaotic jumble of voices.

Ella was the first to react, her eyes widening with a mixture of surprise and excitement. "Oh my God, finally!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "I knew it! I knew something was going on between you two!"

Noah let out a loud laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. "You guys seriously thought you could keep that a secret? Please, I've seen the way you look at each other for months."

Harper felt her face flush, a mix of embarrassment and relief washing over her as their friends reacted positively. Ella was already leaning over the table, peppering them with questions, and Noah was grinning like the Cheshire cat, clearly enjoying the moment.

But as the noise and excitement swirled around them, Harper glanced at James. Her brother hadn't said anything yet. He was sitting quietly, his expression thoughtful as he watched the chaos unfold. Harper's stomach tightened with anxiety, and she knew she needed to hear his thoughts.

"James?" she said softly, her voice barely carrying over the din of their friends' chatter.

At the sound of her voice, the table fell silent again, everyone suddenly aware of the tension in the air. They all turned to look at James, waiting to see how he would react.

James glanced around, realizing that the attention had shifted to him. He cleared his throat, his gaze moving from Harper to Connor and back again. For a moment, Harper was sure he was about to say something harsh, the protective older brother in him rearing its head. But then, something shifted in his expression. His shoulders relaxed slightly, and a small, genuine smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"I'm happy for you guys," he said simply, his voice warm and sincere.

Harper blinked in surprise, her heart swelling with relief. "You are?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.

James chuckled softly, nodding. "Yeah, I am. I've known Connor for a long time, and if anyone's going to be with my little sister... well, I'd rather it be him."

A collective sigh of relief seemed to wash over the table, and Harper felt like she could finally breathe again. The weight that had been pressing down on her chest for the entire morning seemed to lift, replaced by a sense of happiness and warmth that spread through her like sunshine.

Connor, too, looked visibly relieved, though he tried to play it cool. He shot James a grateful nod, the tension between them easing as James gave him an approving smile.

"Well, that's settled then," Noah said, breaking the moment with his usual humor. "Looks like we've got ourselves a new power couple on campus."

Ella grinned, leaning across the table to give Harper a playful nudge. "I'm so happy for you guys. It's about time you stopped pretending you didn't like each other."

Harper laughed, her nerves completely forgotten as she felt the love and support from her friends wash over her. She glanced at Connor, who was smiling at her with that familiar warmth in his eyes—the kind of smile that made her feel like everything was going to be okay.

As the conversation around the table shifted back to its usual rhythm, Harper felt a sense of peace settle over her. She reached for Connor's hand under the table, squeezing it gently as he intertwined their fingers. Everything was out in the open now, and it felt... right.

For the rest of lunch, Harper barely paid attention to the noise and chatter around them. She was too caught up in the quiet, comfortable happiness that came from knowing they didn't have to hide anymore. They were together, and that was all that mattered.