Under His Roof

chapter sixteen

"So you know what your plans for after you graduate are?"

Kimberly shook her head as she took a bite of her pasta. She and Julian were sitting out by his backyard gazebo (although it was actually less 'gazebo' and more '5-star-lounge', but whatever). He was sitting on the stone steps and she was laying on the grass just below them. From the looks of it, the gazebo seemed to be the same size – if not bigger – than Kimberly's actual house, and she was willing to bet that it cost more to construct.

"No," she shook her head, "most of us will be finding that out once spring break actually ends and we get back to school. For now though, I try not to think about it."

"Why's that?" Julian asked, and in a way that Kimberly noticed he seemed genuinely intrigued as to what her answer would be.

There was just something about the way Julian spoke to and interacted with Kimberly that made her really feel heard when she talked to him. He didn't ask things just to keep conversation going, he asked them because he cared about the answers. He asked them because he wanted to learn more. He wasn't a pleasantries kind of guy, it was all or nothing with him, and it was so exciting.

Kimberly shrugged, "I don't know...I guess it's just stressful to think about universities and decisions when at this point there isn't really anything else I can do to change what they've already decided."

"Yeah, but you don't just sound impassive about it," he said, "You sound pessimistic."

Kimberly dismissed him with a laugh. "I don't need to be hopeful, Julian. I know I'll get into good schools. I work hard and I have a strong application, but in the end, none of that matters. It's all about the money. With the schools I applied to, no option would be better than another, it all just boils down to how much financial aid or how many scholarships I get. If I can't pay for it, then I can't go."

Julian nodded slowly as he listened to her. He took the occasional sip of his drink, being as casual as he could be while his mind ran wild. Money wasn't something that often crossed his mind, and so when it did, it was always for a reason important to him. He wanted to help her, even though he knew he couldn't. Her parents would never accept the money from him, one. But also, if Kimberly found out, he was sure she wouldn't want to use it either.

"What are you thinking about?" Kimberly asked, sitting up on the grass as she looked at him. She could tell that something serious was on his mind – although when wasn't that the case?

He shook his head, "Nothing important."

She sighed, "I hope you know by now I know not to believe you when you tell me it's 'nothing important.'"

Julian just took another sip of his wine and chuckled, "I figured as much."

Kimberly rolled her eyes and laid back down on the grass. She let out a deep breath as she closed her eyes. "So do you think the cake's ready?" She asked, peeping up at Julian with one eye.

After he had made them lunch, he decided that he wanted to bake her a cake and was sure to let her know it would be the best cake she'd ever tasted.

He shrugged, standing up from the stone steps and dusting off his jeans. "I'll go check it."

Kimberly just nodded as he walked briskly to the house and disappeared into the kitchen. She closed her eyes again and smiled, the sun felt good on her skin, she was living in luxury in a fucking mansion – for the next few days at least – , and she was getting that good dick. It was like a dream, the kind of calmness and serenity that was washing over her as she sunbathed, it was all too good to be real.