Sleep had eluded me the night before. I'd tossed and turned, haunted by questions that wouldn't let me rest. My feelings for Larry were getting complicated. What if he had history with Lara? Would that make me the villain in a story I didn't even know I was part of?
Eventually, I drifted into a shallow sleep, only to be woken by the soft glow of sunlight spilling through the window, warming my cheeks. I stretched beneath the covers, not quite ready to rise. The silence in the house told me my dad had already left for work, and my brothers too.
I brushed my teeth and soaked in the bath for longer than usual, then slipped into a blue pair of shorts and a white crop top that revealed a sliver of my stomach. I admired myself in the mirror briefly—my skin glowing, my figure defined even without regular workouts.
You look good, Uriel, I thought. Now if only you felt that way on the inside.
I padded to the dining area, but paused when I saw my mom sitting on the living room couch. No files in hand. No laptop. Just a steaming cup of tea and her favorite talk show playing at low volume.
That wasn't normal.
My mom didn't sit around at this hour unless something was on her mind. Either a delayed meeting… or a conversation she needed to have with me.
I snuck up behind her and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. She turned, calm but direct.
"Morning, baby," she said. "I was just about to wake you up. Go have your breakfast quickly—we need to talk before I head out."
My stomach dipped. There it is.
I sat at the table, trying to focus on the toast in front of me. I wasn't even hungry anymore.
She muted the TV, turned toward me, and folded her arms.
"I'm not here to pry," she began gently. "But something Lara said last night got me thinking."
I looked up, confused. "Lara?"
"Yes. She made a comment in passing about you having a boyfriend," my mom said, studying me closely. "She said it like it was a joke, but you know I don't joke with things like that."
I swallowed hard. "Mom, we're not even having that conversation yet. Honestly."
She raised her brows slightly. "That's what I told myself. But seeing Lara say it so confidently made me pause. You're nineteen, Uriel. A young woman. You're bound to feel things, and meet people… but I want to make sure you understand something."
I stayed quiet.
"I'm not mad. I'm not accusing you of anything," she said, her voice softening. "But I want you to know that you don't have to rush into something just because others are. I'd rather you make no decision at all than make one that isn't good for you."
My heart tightened.
"It's either a good decision," she added firmly, "or no decision at all. There's no middle ground when it comes to your future."
I looked down at my plate, unsure what to say.
She leaned forward and reached for my hand. "You're my daughter, and I'm proud of who you are becoming. But some mistakes… some entanglements… they don't just sting, Uriel. They stain. I want you to live freely, not with regrets."
I nodded slowly, my throat thick with emotion.
"Okay," I murmured.
She smiled faintly and squeezed my hand. "That's all I needed to say. Now go finish your toast, beautiful. I've got a meeting to attend."
And just like that, she stood, grabbed her bag, and walked out the door, leaving me to my thoughts.
Little did she know, the decision I'd already made wasn't just risky. It was dangerous—because I'd already fallen for the one person she would never approve of.
Perfect. Here's the opening direction for Chapter 9, focusing more on Lara's suspicious behavior and building the tension before Uriel and Larry reconnect again:
---
The rest of the day felt like I was walking on glass. Every corner I turned, Lara was either already there… or would show up moments later. Coincidence? Maybe once. But now, it was starting to feel deliberate.
She wasn't subtle either. The way her eyes trailed over me—calculating, questioning, maybe even mocking. It was like she knew something and was waiting for me to crack.
At one point, I caught her watching me through the hallway mirror, standing in the corner with her arms folded, lips curled into a smirk like she was watching a slow-burn drama unfold. Me being the drama.
I was helping my mom in the kitchen when Lara came in under the pretense of getting a drink.
"You've been glowing lately," she said, leaning on the counter. "College must be doing you real good."
I looked at her cautiously. "I guess so."
She nodded, then let out a soft laugh. "Or maybe someone is doing you real good."
I froze, spoon halfway into the bowl.
My mom looked between us but said nothing.
Lara took a sip of her water and added, "You know, love is funny. Sometimes you think you've got something real, but it turns out it's not yours to have. Life has a way of reminding you."
I didn't reply. I couldn't.
Her words hit too close to a truth I wasn't ready to admit aloud.
Later, I found her in the guest room with her laptop, speaking to someone on video call. She didn't see me outside the cracked door, but I heard her say, "Yeah, she's acting strange. Real secretive. I'll find out what's going on. I always do."
I quietly backed away.
My heart pounded—Lara was onto something. Onto me. And if she found out, if she proved it…
Everything could fall apart.