A soft knock echoed against my door, pulling me from the swirl of thoughts that had been haunting me all night. I jumped from the bed, smoothed my hair, and unlocked the door.
It was Mom.
"Hi, Mom," I said, trying to sound casual.
"Hi, Laranie. How was your day at home without anyone around?"
I forced a small smile. "Well, I went out with Jeremy—just to pass the time. We came back around eight. I took a bath, arranged the house, and listened to some music."
She stepped into my room and sat down on the edge of my bed. My stomach twisted; this could only mean one thing—another one of her talks. I sat beside her and braced myself.
"Laranie, I've told you before—"
"Yeah, yeah, I know," I cut in softly, not rudely but wearily. "Wait for marriage, choose wisely, don't rush into anything. You've told me that since I was fifteen, Mom. I get it. And I don't have any guy in my life apart from Jeremy, who's just my best friend."
Mom looked at me knowingly. "You know, sometimes best friends turn into something more."
I sighed. "I know. But Jeremy's not like that."
"Alright," she said gently. "It's your life, sweetheart. You'll know when something is worth holding on to—or letting go of."
Her words lingered in the air. I hesitated, then said, "Mom, can I ask you something? It's for… a friend."
She smiled. "Of course."
"So, Lisa—she's had a crush on this guy since twelfth grade. They're together now, but she also has this childhood best friend who's always cared for her. Recently, he asked her out too. Who should she choose?"
Mom thought for a moment. "I'd tell her to choose the best friend. That kind of bond runs deep. When love grows out of friendship, it lasts."
I smiled faintly. "Thanks, Mom. I'll tell her that."
She gave me a hug before leaving the room. When the door closed, I sat in silence for a while, her advice replaying in my head like an echo I couldn't shake.
A few minutes later, I heard my parents' bedroom door close and my brothers' laughter fade away. The house was quiet. Everyone was finally in their rooms.
I crept to the sitting room just to be sure—empty. My heart pounded.
Back in my room, I locked the door and grabbed my phone. I called Louis.
"Laranie," he said almost immediately, "is everyone asleep?"
"Yeah. You can come over," I whispered.
"Okay. I'm on my way."
He hung up, and I lay on my bed, every second stretching into forever until I heard a faint tap at my window.
It was him.
I ran to the window with a smile, opening it to let him in. He climbed through quietly, tall and steady, and for a moment we just stood there—his eyes on mine, mine darting away shyly. He tilted my chin upward, forcing me to meet his gaze.
"Hey," he whispered.
"Hey," I said back, my voice barely audible.
Before I could say anything more, his lips brushed mine. It was soft, hesitant, like a promise that neither of us wanted to break. I pulled away just long enough to check that my parents' door was still closed, then locked mine again.
When I turned around, Louis was sitting on my bed, smiling.
"Come here," he said quietly.
I crossed the room and sat beside him. He reached out, took my hand, and held it like it was the most fragile thing in the world.
"What's wrong, Laranie?" he asked gently.
"Nothing. Why do you ask?"
"You seem worried."
I hesitated. "It's just my mom. She keeps asking if I have a boyfriend. She wants me to open up, but I can't." The lie rolled off my tongue before I could stop it.
"Don't worry," he said, squeezing my hand. "Even if your parents stood in the way, I'd still love you. Nothing could change that."
My chest tightened. "I love you too, Louis."
He smiled, brushed a stray strand of hair from my face, and kissed my forehead. The warmth of his chest, the sound of his heartbeat—it made the world feel distant, peaceful. I rested my head against him, and before long, sleep pulled me under.
When I woke up, sunlight was filtering through the curtains, painting the room in pale gold. Louis was still beside me, watching me with a quiet smile.
"Morning," I whispered.
"Morning, beautiful. Did you sleep well?"
"Mm-hmm. It was wonderful," I said shyly.
"Why's that?" he teased.
"Because I got to spend the night with the person I love," I murmured.
His expression softened. "And I'm lucky I got to wake up next to mine."
I smiled, but the warmth didn't last. A sharp knock rattled the door.
My breath caught. "My dad," I mouthed.
Louis was already pulling on his jacket. He kissed me quickly, whispered, "I'll text you," and slipped out through the window just as I rushed to throw on my robe.
When I opened the door, relief flooded me—it wasn't Dad. It was my younger brother, Justin, holding a breakfast tray.
"Breakfast," he said with a grin.
"Thanks," I said, trying not to snap at him. I took the tray and shut the door before he could step inside.
I sat on my bed, heart still racing, and forced myself to eat a few bites. Just as I was finishing, my phone buzzed.
It was a message from Jeremy:
@Laranie: Are you on your way?
My stomach dropped. Oh, no. I'd completely forgotten about our plans.
I jumped from the bed, hurried through my breakfast, and dashed to the bathroom. Fifteen minutes later, I was dressed—black leather pants, a red oversized shirt, and black sneakers.
As I stood in front of the mirror, I stared at my reflection. My lips still carried the memory of Louis's kiss, but my mind was already racing toward Jeremy.
Two names. Two hearts.
And only one choice.