Threads of Hope

Chapter 13: Rushing to Reality

It was a typical Wednesday morning, the kind of day that felt like it was in the middle of nowhere—neither the start nor the end of the week, just the slow climb toward the weekend. Natalie and Nova were walking through the crowded halls of school, hands brushing against each other, their glances filled with a shared secret. The air between them felt electric, even more so since what had happened the night before. They were trying to act casual, but the gravity of being close to one another was pulling them into a world of their own.

The bell rang, signaling the start of the next period, but Natalie wasn't quite ready to let Nova go. She caught her by the wrist just as she was about to walk away. "Wait," she said softly, her voice just barely cutting through the hum of voices in the hallway.

Nova turned to look at her, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips. "What's up?"

"I just... don't want to go to class yet," Natalie whispered, leaning in closer, her breath warm against Nova's ear. "Come with me."

Without a second thought, Nova nodded, her heart thudding in her chest. They ducked into the nearest bathroom, the door clicking shut behind them as the noise of the school faded into the background. Alone, their world suddenly felt smaller, intimate, like it was just the two of them.

Natalie leaned against the sink, pulling Nova toward her by the waistband of her jeans, her lips immediately meeting hers in a heated kiss. It was fast, hungry, the kind of kiss that was fueled by everything they couldn't say in public. Nova's hands slid up Natalie's back, pulling her closer, and Natalie sighed into the kiss, feeling the way Nova's body pressed against hers.

"God, we're going to be late," Natalie muttered between kisses, though her actions showed no sign of stopping.

"I don't care," Nova breathed, her lips grazing Natalie's jaw as she kissed her way down to her neck. "Not yet."

Their mouths found each other again, and for a while, they forgot about everything else—the world outside the bathroom, the club meeting they were supposed to attend, and the ticking clock on the wall. Time seemed to blur as they got lost in each other. The space between them felt nonexistent, the room around them fading as their connection grew more intense. Natalie could feel the heat rising between them, the excitement of sneaking away like this making her pulse race.

Suddenly, Nova's phone buzzed in her pocket, the sound breaking through the haze of their embrace. She groaned, pulling away just enough to reach for her phone. "Hold on," she murmured, glancing at the screen.

It was a message from Casper: "Where are you two? The meeting started ten minutes ago. Hurry up!"

Nova showed the message to Natalie, who groaned in frustration, her forehead resting against Nova's shoulder. "We have to go, don't we?"

"Yeah, we should. But..." Nova glanced at Natalie's neck, where the evidence of their little moment was clear—dark purple marks blossoming against her skin. "Uh, you might want to check the mirror first."

Natalie turned to face the mirror and gasped. "Oh my God, Nova! My neck—"

Nova just grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, I guess I got a little carried away."

Natalie quickly ran her fingers through her hair, trying to pull it down to cover the hickeys as much as she could. "This is so bad. Everyone's going to notice!"

"We'll just have to hope no one cares too much," Nova said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek before grabbing her hand. "Come on, let's go."

They rushed out of the bathroom, practically sprinting to the club meeting. When they burst through the door, breathless and a little flushed, the room was already full. Casper shot them a knowing look from across the room as they took their seats, late but not unnoticed.

The meeting was in full swing, with people discussing ways to help spread awareness about living conditions like Natalie's. They talked about organizing an outreach program and creating posters to put up around town, maybe even starting a social media campaign.

Natalie tried to focus on the conversation, but she could feel the eyes of some of the other club members on her. People were whispering, glancing at her neck, and she knew exactly why. Her attempts to hide the hickeys had clearly failed, and now the evidence was out for everyone to see.

Finally, one of the club members, a girl named Marissa, cleared her throat and spoke up. "Uh, Natalie, I think you should know that... um, you've got some bruises on your neck. Are you okay?"

Natalie's face flushed bright red as she stammered, "Oh, uh, yeah. I'm fine. It's nothing."

Casper smirked, clearly trying not to laugh. "Yeah, looks like nothing to me."

The room erupted in quiet giggles and whispers, and Natalie buried her face in her hands, mortified. Nova gave her a reassuring pat on the back, but even she was grinning at the situation. "Don't worry," she whispered in Natalie's ear. "We'll survive this."

Eventually, the meeting moved on, but Natalie couldn't shake the feeling of embarrassment. She kept her head down for the rest of the discussion, hoping to avoid any more comments about the marks on her neck.

After the meeting, Natalie and Nova hurried home, eager to put the day behind them. Nova's mom was out for the evening, so they had the house to themselves. They settled into the living room, picking out a movie to watch. Natalie still felt a bit embarrassed, but Nova's playful teasing helped lighten her mood.

They chose a lighthearted comedy, something that didn't require too much focus, and curled up on the couch together, arms and legs tangled as they shared a blanket. As the movie played, Natalie rested her head on Nova's shoulder, feeling the warmth of her body next to hers.

"Today was kind of insane," Natalie said with a small laugh, thinking about the bathroom, the hickeys, and the whispers during the meeting. "But... I wouldn't change it."

Nova smiled, kissing the top of Natalie's head. "Neither would I."

As the movie played on, the two of them slowly drifted off, wrapped up in each other, the warmth of their connection soothing the chaos of the day. Despite everything, they couldn't imagine being anywhere else. And as they fell asleep in each other's arms, Natalie knew one thing for certain—no matter how wild or crazy their days got, being with Nova made everything feel right.