Between Us

☆ part thirty two ☆

Sophie's pov

The soft golden light of morning filtered through my curtains, casting a warm glow across my room. For a moment, I forgot where I was—or rather, who I was with—until I turned my head and saw her. Lark. She was lying on her side, her dark hair messily framing her face, her features relaxed in a way that made her seem so vulnerable, so human, that it stole my breath. I didn't think it was possible to feel this much for someone, to feel like your entire world was tethered to them, but here I was. Her arm was draped lazily across my waist, and I couldn't help but smile as I realized how natural it felt—like she'd always belonged there. Last night had been everything. We'd made out for what felt like hours, whispered secrets into the darkness, and laughed about things that probably weren't even funny. It felt like time had stopped for us, like nothing outside this room mattered.

I shifted slightly, careful not to wake her, but Lark's eyes fluttered open. She blinked a few times, disoriented, before her gaze landed on me, and then she smiled—this slow, sleepy smile that made my heart race. "Morning," she mumbled, her voice rough from sleep.

"Morning," I whispered back, my cheeks already heating up.

She stretched a little, her arm tightening around my waist for a moment before she sat up. "What time is it?" she asked, her voice still heavy with sleep as she rubbed her eyes.

I glanced at the clock on my nightstand. "Almost seven. We should probably get ready for school."

Lark groaned, flopping back onto the bed dramatically. "School ruins everything," she muttered, her hand covering her face.

I laughed softly, nudging her. "Come on, we have to face the real world eventually."

She peeked at me from between her fingers, her lips quirking up in a smirk. "You're way too chipper in the morning."

"I just slept really well," I said, shrugging, though my cheeks burned at the double meaning behind my words.

Lark sat up again, this time running a hand through her messy hair. "Yeah, me too," she said softly, and the sincerity in her tone made my heart ache in the best way.

We moved around the room together, getting ready in this quiet, easy rhythm. It was strange how natural it felt—her borrowing a hairbrush, me finding an old hoodie of mine for her to wear over her tank top. It wasn't rushed or awkward. It was... us. At one point, I caught her reflection in the mirror, her fingers smoothing her hair into place. Her eyes met mine, and we both just kind of froze for a moment, like we were still trying to process everything that had happened between us. "Last night..." I started, but my words trailed off as I tried to find the right way to say it.

"Was perfect," Lark finished for me, her voice steady, her gaze unwavering.

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. "Yeah. It was."

She stepped closer, her hand brushing against mine as she looked down at me. "We can do this, you know," she said quietly. "I don't know what it's going to look like yet, but... I know I want this. I want you." I couldn't speak for a moment. Her words hit me like a tidal wave, leaving me breathless, and all I could do was nod.

"I want this too," I finally whispered. She leaned down and pressed a quick, soft kiss to my lips, her hand lingering on my cheek for a moment before she pulled away.

As we left the room together, something in me shifted. I didn't know what the day—or the days after—would bring, but I knew one thing for sure: as long as Lark was by my side, I could handle anything. Lark and I made our way downstairs, the faint smell of coffee lingering in the air. My dad was sitting at the kitchen table, reading the paper like he did every morning. The sound of our footsteps must have caught his attention, because he looked up and smiled warmly at us. "Morning, kiddo," he said, folding the paper and setting it aside. His eyes flicked to Lark, and his smile didn't falter. "Morning, Lark."

"Morning, Mr. Young," Lark replied, her voice polite but still holding that casual confidence she always seemed to carry.

I glanced around the kitchen, noting the absence of my mom. "Where's Mom?" I asked, pulling a chair out to sit for a moment.

"She left early for work," my dad replied, standing up and stretching. "She had some big meeting today." He stepped over and pressed a kiss to the top of my head. "You two heading to school now?"

"Yeah," I said, trying to keep my tone neutral. "We're taking Lark's car."

He nodded, his gaze lingering on me for a second longer than usual, like he was trying to read my mind. But then he gave Lark a small nod of farewell. "Drive safe, you two. Have a good day."

"You too, Mr.Young," Lark said, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. Dad grabbed his coffee mug and disappeared into his office, leaving me and Lark alone in the quiet kitchen. I turned to her, and she raised an eyebrow at me. "Ready blondie?" she asked, her keys already dangling from her hand.

"Yeah," I said softly, grabbing my bag off the chair.

The walk to her car felt heavier than I'd expected. Maybe it was the weight of what we hadn't said yet, the reality of showing up to school together and pretending everything was normal. But when we reached her car, she unlocked it with a quick click, and I slid into the passenger seat without hesitation. As she started the engine, I glanced over at her. Lark looked focused, her hands steady on the wheel, her jaw set like she was bracing herself for something. "Hey," I said softly, reaching over to touch her arm. "You okay?"

She nodded, her gaze still fixed on the windshield. "Yeah. Just... thinking."

"About?"

She hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line before she exhaled. "Everything. Today. You."

My heart did a weird little flip at her words, but I tried to keep my expression neutral. "We'll figure it out," I said, my voice firmer than I felt.

Lark finally glanced at me, her lips curving into a small smile. "Yeah. We will."

And as she pulled out of my driveway and we headed toward school, I couldn't help but feel like, for the first time in a long time, things were falling into place. Even if the road ahead was uncertain, at least we were on it together. "You're quiet," she said, her voice cutting through the haze of my thoughts.

I glanced over at her, offering a small smile that I knew didn't quite reach my eyes. "Just thinking."

"About?" she asked, her tone gentle but curious.

I hesitated, biting my bottom lip. "Do you think Liam told anyone?"

Lark's hands gripped the wheel, her knuckles pale against the dark leather, but her voice was steady when she replied. "No, I don't think so. Liam's not like that." She paused, glancing at me before looking back at the road. "He wouldn't do that to us. To you."

I nodded, but the worry didn't ease. My stomach twisted with the thought of whispers and stares, of people knowing before I was ready. "I don't know... what if someone figures it out?"

Lark didn't say anything right away. Instead, she reached over, her hand resting lightly on my thigh. The warmth of her touch sent a jolt through me, grounding me in the moment. I looked over at her, and she gave my leg a reassuring squeeze, her gaze still on the road. "No one will know, Sophie," she said firmly, her voice carrying that quiet confidence that always managed to calm me down. "This is our secret, okay? Just ours. No one else's." Her words helped, but I could still feel the doubt lingering in the back of my mind. Lark must have noticed, because at the next stoplight, she turned to me fully, her hand slipping from my thigh to take my hand in hers. She brought it to her lips, pressing a soft kiss to my knuckles that made my cheeks flush. "We'll go at your pace," she said softly, her voice soothing and steady. "No one else has to know until you're ready. I promise."

The way she said it—so sure, so unwavering—made my chest tighten in the best way. I swallowed hard, nodding as a shy smile crept onto my lips. "Thank you," I whispered.

Lark grinned, squeezing my hand gently before letting it go and returning her focus to the road. "You don't have to thank me, Soph. I'll wait as long as you need." Her words settled something in me, like a puzzle piece clicking into place. The rest of the drive passed in a comfortable silence, but my mind was still racing, not with worry this time, but with gratitude. Gratitude for Lark, for her patience, for the way she seemed to understand me in ways I didn't even fully understand myself yet.