Even hours later, as I sat curled on the cabin's porch with my hair damp from a shower, I could still feel the weight of Adrian's shirt on my shoulders. I'd returned it to him after we left the lake mumbling a quiet thanks I wasn't sure he even heard but the memory lingered. The way he'd handed it to me without hesitation, the quiet firmness in his voice, the look that said more than his words ever did.
It shouldn't have meant so much. It was just a shirt. Just a small act of kindness. But my mind wouldn't let it go.
What unsettled me most was the way it made me feel...not just safe, but seen.
Dinner that night was lively. Emily had made pasta, Damian insisted on grilling meat outside despite almost setting fire to the grill twice, and Luke kept sneaking spoonfuls of sauce until Emily smacked his hand with a wooden spoon. I tried to blend into the chatter, but every now and then, my gaze slid across the table to Adrian. He didn't talk much, but he was there, steady and quiet. A part of me kept wondering if he remembered the look on that man's face at the lake. If he remembered the way he'd handed me his shirt. If he thought about it at all.
After the plates were cleared and laughter still hung in the air, Damian clapped his hands together like a teacher about to make an announcement. "All right, people. Last night in the cabin. We need a proper send-off."
Luke grinned. "I'm already afraid."
"Truth or Dare," Damian declared triumphantly.
Emily groaned, though she was smiling. "We're not twelve."
"Exactly," Damian shot back. "That means we can make it even better."
Before long, we were all gathered in the living room, sitting in a loose circle on the floor. The fire crackled in the hearth, the room filled with warmth and shadows. I tugged at the hem of my pajama shorts, heart already thudding with anticipation.
The first few rounds were harmless...Emily admitting she once tripped in front of her entire class while trying to impress a boy, Damian being dared to do ten push-ups while Luke sat on his back, Luke revealing he secretly wrote poetry on his phone. The laughter eased us all into it.
Then, inevitably, it was Adrian's turn.
Damian's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Truth or dare?"
Adrian's gaze lifted, calm as ever. "Dare."
Damian leaned forward, grinning like a cat. "I dare you to look Amara in the eyes for a full minute."
My breath caught.
The room erupted with whoops and teasing remarks. Emily laughed but shot me a quick look, her brows raised as though to ask, Are you okay with this?
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to nod. "Fine."
Adrian turned toward me slowly. His eyes met mine, steady, unflinching.
For a second, I thought I'd be able to handle it. It was just looking. Just eye contact. But his gaze wasn't cold or indifferent the way I'd expecte...it was piercing, thoughtful, like he was actually seeing me, layer by layer.
My pulse pounded in my ears. I tried to hold still, but every part of me felt like it was unraveling under the weight of his eyes. Thirty seconds felt like an eternity. By the time Damian announced, "Time!" I was practically breathless.
Adrian turned away calmly, reaching for his glass of water like nothing had happened.
I, on the other hand, couldn't even remember how to breathe.
Emily nudged me lightly. "You okay?" she whispered.
"Fine," I lied, though my voice trembled.
The game rolled on, more laughter, more dares. But the air felt different now, charged in a way it hadn't been before. I couldn't shake the memory of his gaze, the strange intensity of it, the way my chest had tightened in response.
It was only a game, I told myself. Only a dare.
But why did it feel like more?
The night deepened, the fire crackling lower, and Damian grew more daring with his challenges. He'd made Luke sing a love song dramatically to Emily, dared Emily to wear her socks on her hands for ten minutes, and forced himself into eating a spoonful of hot sauce he instantly regretted.
Then Luke smirked, his eyes glinting. "Amara. Truth or dare?"
I hesitated. My instincts screamed to pick truth...it was safer, always safer. But something inside me whispered differently. Maybe it was the lingering adrenaline from Adrian's stare, or maybe it was the awareness that this was our last night together here.
"Dare," I said softly.
Luke grinned like he'd been waiting for it. He glanced between Adrian and me, then leaned back. "I dare you and Adrian to…" He let the suspense drag out, smirking as Damian nudged him to get on with it. "To share something personal with each other. Right here. Right now."
My heart thudded. "Something personal?"
"Exactly," Luke said. "Not a fun fact. Not a joke. Something that actually matters. Something no one else knows."
Emily's eyes widened. "Luke..."
But Adrian's calm voice cut through. "Fine."
All heads turned toward him. He looked at me, and for a moment, I forgot how to move.
"Go first," he said quietly.
The room seemed to fade. My mouth went dry, my thoughts scattering. Something personal. Something no one else knew.
I swallowed, forcing myself to speak. "I… I used to be terrified of standing out. In school, I'd always sit in the back, never answer questions, never raise my hand. I wanted to disappear. People thought I was confident, but most of the time, I was just scared they'd see through me."
The room was quiet. My chest rose and fell quickly, my confession hanging heavier in the air than I expected.
Adrian didn't look away. "Thank you," he said simply.
Then he spoke. "I don't usually let people close. It's easier that way. No one expects anything from you. No one can disappoint you. But…" His eyes flicked briefly toward me before shifting away again. "Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to let someone in."
The silence that followed was thick, pressing in on all of us.
Damian cleared his throat, trying to cut the tension with a laugh. "Well, that got deep fast."
But I barely heard him. My mind replayed Adrian's words, over and over, the way his gaze had lingered just long enough to make me wonder.
And for the first time, I thought… maybe I wasn't the only one feeling something.