Chasing Tomorrow

chapter 34

The room was bathed in the soft golden glow of the morning sun. Jake and Raya had just woken up from a peaceful night spent together, wrapped in each other's arms. The air between them felt lighter now, filled with an undeniable warmth that neither of them had been able to fully embrace until this moment.

Raya sat up slightly, her back against the pillows, watching Jake as he stretched, the sheets falling away to reveal his bare chest. She smiled to herself, still amazed at how comfortable and right everything felt with him by her side.

Jake caught her staring and smirked. "What?"

She shook her head, teasing, "Nothing. Just... you look different. You're making me fall for you all over again."

Jake's smile softened, and he reached for her hand, gently pulling her closer. "I'm glad I'm making you feel that way." He kissed her forehead before resting his head on her shoulder.

For a moment, the world outside seemed distant-until the sharp, unexpected sound of the doorbell rang through the apartment. Both of them froze for a split second.

"Who could that be?" Raya asked, her voice filled with a hint of concern.

"I didn't expect anyone..." Jake said, glancing at the door, then back at Raya, sensing the change in the atmosphere.

The doorbell rang again, followed by the sound of her parents' voices. Raya quickly scrambled out of bed and hurriedly threw on a robe, looking flustered. Jake sat up, his eyes wide with confusion.

"What's going on?" he asked, still trying to make sense of the situation.

"It's my parents," she whispered, clearly distressed. "I haven't told them about us... about you staying here."

Raya bit her lip nervously. She hadn't told her parents that Jake had been living with her for almost a year now, nor had she mentioned that they were officially a couple. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks-she had no choice but to face the truth now.

Jake stood up and started to pull on his shirt, but Raya stopped him with a hand on his arm. "No, let me explain this first," she said, taking a deep breath. "You don't have to leave, but I need to handle this."

Jake nodded, feeling a mixture of emotions-apprehension, but also a determination to face this with her. "I'll be right here," he said softly.

Raya quickly opened the door to find her parents standing in the hallway, both looking pleasantly surprised to see her looking so well.

"Good morning, Raya!... Do you like the surprise?" Her mom said with a smile, but it faltered when she noticed her daughter's flustered expression. "Everything okay?"

Raya cleared her throat. "Yeah, everything's fine. Just, uh, Jake and I... we were in the middle of something."

Her father raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. "Jake? He is here ?"

Raya hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah, Dad. Jake's been here with me in New York for almost a year now. He... he's been living here."

There was a long silence as her parents processed the information. Her mother's eyes softened, while her father's expression remained unreadable for a moment.

"I didn't know you two were this close," her mother finally said, her tone gentle. "You've always been so focused on your studies, Raya, we didn't expect... well, this."

"I know, Mom," Raya said, her voice cracking slightly. "I didn't mean to keep this from you, but everything just... happened so fast. And we've both been busy with our own lives. But it feels right now. I want you to know that."

Her father looked at Jake, who had stepped forward, waiting for the conversation to unfold. "And you, Jake?" he asked, his tone still guarded. "What are your intentions with my daughter?"

Jake stood up straighter, his heart pounding, but he answered with confidence. "Sir, I love Raya. I know this might be surprising to you, but I'm staying here with her because she's important to me. I respect her, and I want to be with her. I care about her deeply."

Raya's heart fluttered at his words. She glanced at her parents to gauge their reaction, but neither of them seemed particularly angry, just... concerned.

Her mother nodded thoughtfully, exchanging a look with her husband. "Raya, darling, you've grown up so much. It seems like you've made your decision, and Jake is a good young man. But remember, both of you are still young. You should take your time to grow together, understand each other fully before making any big decisions."

Raya sighed in relief. "I agree, Mom. We have time. We've both worked hard to get where we are now. We don't want to rush things."

Her father softened slightly. "Just don't forget, life isn't always as easy as it looks. You both have so much ahead of you-don't let anything distract you from that."

Jake nodded respectfully, understanding the wisdom in her father's words. "We won't. I promise."

Her mother turned to him with a gentle smile. "Then I think it's okay for you to stay here with Raya. But remember, we expect both of you to keep your priorities straight."

Raya felt a weight lift off her shoulders. It wasn't the harsh confrontation she'd feared, but rather a gentle reminder that they still had a lot of life to live, and her parents were only looking out for her best interests.

After a few more moments of conversation, Raya's parents gave them both a reassuring smile. "Well, we won't keep you two long," her mom said, winking. "Just... take care of each other."

They left, and as the door closed, Raya let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

Jake turned to her, a playful glint in his eyes. "Well, that went better than I expected."

Raya laughed, shaking her head. "I was terrified, honestly. But they're okay with us, I think."

"Of course they are," Jake said softly, pulling her into his arms. "You're an amazing person, Raya. Any parent would be lucky to have me as a part of their family."

Raya smiled, feeling her heart swell at his words. "You know, I think they just want us to take it slow, enjoy each other, and figure things out. They don't want us rushing into anything, and I get that."

"I agree," Jake said, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "We have time. We can take things at our own pace."

As they stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, it became clear to both of them that they had indeed come a long way. They had faced challenges, but together, they had found a way to make it work. And now, with everything out in the open, they could look forward to whatever the future might bring-side by side.