Unspoken Goals

Suspicious

Next morning

Juliette stirred as soft light slipped through the hotel room curtains, piercing her eyelids with an unwelcome brightness. Her head throbbed faintly—remnants of one too many drinks—and her muscles ached, but not unpleasantly. It was the kind of ache that reminded her of how fully alive she'd felt the night before.

She shifted to stretch, but froze as warmth pressed into her side—fingers gently splayed across her stomach, a steady breath tickling the skin just above her collarbone.

Abigail.

And just like that, the night came rushing back in vivid, heated fragments—Abigail's hands on her skin, her breathless voice whispering her name like a prayer, the way their laughter had dissolved into something hungrier, more desperate.

Juliette's lips curled into a soft smile. She tilted her head, careful not to disturb the weight beside her, and caught a glimpse of her girlfriend tangled in the sheets.

Abigail looked ethereal in sleep—cheeks flushed, lips parted slightly, her brow smooth in a rare moment of complete peace. Her hair was a wild halo on the pillow, a chaotic crown that made something tender swell in Juliette's chest.

She reached out, letting her fingers trace a feather-light path down Abigail's spine. There was something sacred about the stillness—this little bubble where nothing existed but the soft hum of breath and warmth and the aftermath of finally giving in.

As if pulled by Juliette's touch or some unspoken tether between them, Abigail stirred. A sleepy hum slipped from her lips as she shifted closer, her face nuzzling into Juliette's chest.

Juliette giggled and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Morning."

"Mmm. Morning," came the muffled reply against her skin.

Abigail lifted her head, blinking slowly up at her, her eyes hazy with sleep but already full of something fond and familiar. "Do we have to get up?"

Juliette smiled, brushing Abigail's hair back from her face. "Eventually. But not just yet."

With a relieved sigh, Abigail curled back into her, arm wrapping tighter around Juliette's waist. "Good. I'm still exhausted."

Juliette smirked. "I tend to have that effect on people."

Abigail let out a half-hearted laugh and shoved her gently. "Shut up. I meant from the game."

Juliette laughed, pulling her back in and tangling their legs beneath the sheets. "Mhm. So you're saying you don't regret last night at all."

Abigail's eyes softened. "Not in the slightest."

Their lips met in a quiet kiss of gratitude, but just as Juliette leaned in further, Abigail placed a hand between them. "Morning breath."

Juliette groaned dramatically, collapsing back onto the pillow. "You ruin everything."

Abigail chuckled, nestling back into the crook of her neck.

But the serenity was short-lived.

A knock sounded at the door, making them both flinch.

They exchanged a look—Abigail's easy smile vanished, replaced by alarm.

"Julie? Abby?" Sophie's voice rang from the hallway.

Juliette sighed, the bubble around them popping. "I'll get it," she muttered, giving Abigail's leg a gentle squeeze before slipping out of bed.

She scrambled into the first clothes she could find—sweatpants and an oversized hoodie—then cracked open the door just enough to see Sophie, who looked rough. Her hair was in a messy bun, sunglasses shielding bloodshot eyes, and she held a paper bag and two iced coffees.

"Took you long enough," Sophie grumbled.

Juliette forced a casual smile and stepped fully into the doorway to block any view of the bed behind her. "Sorry. Feeling a little hungover. What time is it?"

"Almost noon. Coach wants us downstairs in an hour." Sophie lifted the bag. "Brought breakfast. Just checking in. You guys kinda disappeared last night."

Juliette's heart thudded against her ribs. "Yeah. Just needed a quiet night, that's all."

Sophie tilted her head, studying her. "You sure everything's okay?"

Juliette nodded quickly. "Yeah, of course. Thanks for this," she said, taking the coffee gratefully.

Sophie didn't hand over the bag yet. "You're acting really weird."

Juliette forced a laugh. "I don't know what you mean."

"Is Abigail okay? Can I see her?"

The words hit like a slap. Juliette faltered for half a second, but recovered. "She's still asleep. Drank a little too much. You know how she is with alcohol."

Sophie narrowed her eyes but didn't push. "Right. Well... see you downstairs."

Juliette shut the door and leaned against it with a long breath, as if she could keep the world out just a little longer.

Behind her, Abigail was sitting up in bed, sheets gathered around her, hair still tousled from sleep and the night before. She looked both beautiful and wrecked—eyes full of worry.

"What did she want?" she asked softly.

Juliette crossed the room and handed her the coffee. "She was just checking in. Brought breakfast."

Abigail took the cup, her hands shaking just slightly. "Did she seem... suspicious?"

Juliette exhaled slowly. "You know Soph. She's always suspicious."

"Yeah, but did she say anything? About us?"

Juliette looked at her, searching her face. "No, Abs. She just mentioned us disappearing and asked to see you. I told her you were hungover."

Abigail looked down into her cup. "We're going to have to be more careful."

Juliette's patience frayed. "Careful of what, exactly? Sophie didn't say anything. It's not weird for us to sneak off together—we've been doing that since freshman year."

Abigail's lips pressed into a thin line. "We don't know what they were saying after we left. Maybe we should just... keep more space when we're in group settings."

Juliette stared at her, incredulous. "So... in our apartment too? Because they live there too."

Abigail hesitated. "Yeah. Actually."

Juliette barked out a bitter laugh. "You can't be serious."

"I'm just trying to be cautious, Jules."

"Cautious?" Juliette paced now, tension radiating off her. "You said you wanted to keep it quiet. Fine. I agreed. But I didn't realize that meant pretending we're strangers in our own home."

Abigail climbed out of bed and pulled on a t-shirt. She crossed the room and stood in front of her. "You said you'd wait for me to be ready."

"I know," Juliette said, voice tight. "And I meant it. But there's a line, Abigail. And I think we're crossing it."

Abigail reached up and gently cupped her face. "Just a little longer. Please. Over break, I'll talk to my family. I promise."

Juliette looked into her eyes—and that was always her downfall. She could never say no when Abigail looked at her like that.

"Okay," she whispered.

Abigail smiled and wrapped her arms around her. "Thank you, Jules."

Juliette hugged her back, burying her face into her shoulder. But even as she held her, the ache returned—a dull, familiar one. Not from last night's passion.

This time, it was from the quiet way she could feel herself slipping—slowly losing pieces of herself just to keep someone else comfortable.

[A/N]: Hey guys sorry for the really long wait. I just graduated college so I was focused on my classes and spending time with friends but I am back now. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!