STEP CLOSER

Chapter4

The morning sun spilled gently through the kitchen window, but the light did little to warm the cold pit twisting inside me.

Mom was busy packing the last of her suitcase in the guest room while Dad Roman’s dad paced back and forth, his phone pressed to his ear as he finalized some last-minute honeymoon details. The house buzzed with their excitement, but all I felt was a weight sinking heavier on my chest.

I stood in the doorway, clutching my phone like a lifeline, watching them move around like everything was normal. Like this wasn’t going to rip my world apart.

“Are you sure you want to do this now?” I finally blurted, breaking the silence. “I mean, I’m starting university in two months. You won’t even be here.”

Mom paused, her fingers folding a soft scarf. She looked at me with those warm eyes that always tried to soothe but sometimes just made the ache worse.

“We’ve talked about this, Ariana,” she said gently, walking over to place a hand on my shoulder. “Your dad and I need this time together. It’s been a long road for us. We deserve it.”

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice steady. “But what about me? Who’s going to help me? What if something happens? I don’t want to start this new life without you.”

Mark hung up the call and joined us, his usually stern face softening when he looked at me. “You’re stronger than you think, Ari. We wouldn’t leave if we didn’t believe in you.”

“But I’m scared,” I whispered. “I’m scared of messing up, of being alone, of...everything.”

Mom’s hand tightened on my shoulder. “That’s natural. But you’re not alone. We’ve made sure you have everything you need. The money for tuition, books, even some extra for emergencies. And I’ll call you every day. We’re just a phone call away.”

I looked down at the small stack of envelopes Mom had handed me: tuition fees, a letter from the university, my ID card, and cash tucked inside. Practical things that didn’t quite fill the emptiness I felt.

“Roman’s here,” Mark said, nodding toward the hall. “He’s not the easiest guy, but he’ll be around. And you have your friends.”

I bit my lip, thinking of Roman the cold, untouchable presence down the hall who barely acknowledged me most days. The perfect bad boy everyone admired, but the one person I couldn’t seem to reach.

“He’s not ‘here’ for me,” I said quietly. “And friends... I’m not sure I have many.”

Mom knelt down so we were eye-to-eye. “You’ll find your way. I believe in you, Ariana. More than anything.”

I nodded slowly, blinking back tears I wasn’t ready to let fall.

Mark ruffled my hair, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Come on, we’ve got a flight to catch.”

The next hour was a blur of hugs, last-minute reminders, and promises to call every day. I stood in the doorway, watching as their car disappeared down the street, the sound of the engine fading like a heartbeat growing distant.

The silence in the house was too loud.

It had only been a few hours since my mom and Roman’s dad left for their honeymoon, but everything already felt... different. Emptier. Bigger. Every tick of the clock echoed like a countdown. Every breeze that creaked the windows made my skin prickle.

I was alone.

Well. not really.

Roman was still here.

Somewhere behind the wall, probably stretched across his bed, shirtless, brooding, cold as always. Six feet away. That was it. Just a short hallway separated my room from his. And yet, the space felt like a chasm. A dangerous one.

My fingers drummed against the edge of my desk as I stared at my laptop screen. I hadn’t touched anything in the past hour. I wasn’t even sure what I was doing refreshing my emails, rereading the admission letter for the hundredth time, clicking through open tabs I wasn’t paying attention to.

I wasn’t thinking about school.

I was thinking about him.

About how he’d barely looked at me all day. About how he brushed past me in the kitchen this morning without saying a word, his shoulder nearly touching mine, and still didn’t meet my eyes. About how the heat of him lingered long after he walked away.

I hated that it bothered me.

But it did.

I slammed my laptop shut and stood up, pacing across the room barefoot. The carpet muffled my steps, but the thud of my heartbeat made enough noise to fill the silence.

What the hell was wrong with me?

This wasn’t just a crush. This wasn’t some innocent curiosity. Roman wasn’t some high school boy who’d pass like a phase. He was dark, dangerous, and carved like a sin I’d never recover from.

And now, it was just the two of us.

For the next three months.

I paused by the window, arms crossed tight across my chest as I stared out at the empty driveway. Mom’s car was gone. The weight of that hadn’t really hit me until now.

She’d hugged me tightly before she left. Told me she trusted me. That everything would be fine.

“Call me if you need anything,” she’d said, squeezing my hands. “I left you enough cash for groceries and emergencies. And Roman’s here, so you won’t be completely alone.”

I almost laughed at that. Roman was the definition of alone.

He didn’t talk. He didn’t ask questions. He didn’t care.

The door to his room creaked open down the hall.

My heart jumped.

I didn’t move, just listened as his footsteps passed by, headed toward the kitchen. I waited. Counted the seconds.

One. Two. Three.

Then I found myself walking slowly, stupidly toward the hallway.

I peeked around the corner just as he opened the fridge. His back was to me, shirtless, the muscles of his shoulders flexing as he reached for a bottle of water. His tattoos peeked out from the band of his sweatpants, snaking up his side, disappearing under the waistband like a secret.

He turned. Saw me.

I froze.

Roman didn’t say anything at first. Just twisted the cap off the bottle and took a long drink, his eyes never leaving mine.

“What?” he finally said, his voice cool and sharp.

I hesitated. “I was just... I wanted to tell you something.”

“Don’t.”

I blinked. “Don’t what?”

“Don’t try to talk to me like we’re friends.” His voice was cold enough to burn. “We’re not.”

I stared at him, the words cutting deeper than I expected. “Wow. Okay.”

“I’m serious, Ariana.” He leaned against the counter, arms crossed, bottle dangling from his fingers. “We live in the same house. That’s it. I don’t need you hovering around me.”

“I wasn’t hovering.”

He smirked like he didn’t believe me. Like he could see right through me. “Whatever.”

My stomach twisted, heat crawling up my neck. I felt stupid. Embarrassed. But more than that I was angry.

“Why are you like this?” I snapped, taking a step closer. “You act like I’m some kind of disease. I’ve been nothing but nice to you.”

“I don’t need your niceness,” he said, his voice dropping lower. “I need you to stay out of my way.”

I opened my mouth to argue, to tell him about my admission letter, to say something anything that might make this moment less awful.

But the words didn’t come.

Because he was already walking past me. Brushing my shoulder with his as he passed. Not even looking back.

I stood there for a long time, swallowing the lump in my throat.

I hated that he could make me feel like this. So small. So unwanted.

And I hated that even after everything… I still wanted him to come back.