Chapter 5: Under the Morning Light

5

The next morning, I slept in.

Maybe because of how bold I’d been the night before, I dreamt of Caleb all night long.

Tossing and turning in my dreams, I woke up with my back aching.

After a quick wash, I went downstairs to find Caleb already waiting for me.

He never sleeps in—always up early, always disciplined. The kitchen TV droned with the weather report, and the smell of bacon hung in the air. Sunlight caught the dust on the Formica countertop.

He only ever stayed up late to do my homework, copying my handwriting until the early hours.

“Morning,” I yawned lazily.

Caleb nodded silently and pushed the breakfast in front of me.

“Did you eat?” I asked, taking a bite of the soft toast.

He grunted in reply, but I noticed his voice was terribly hoarse.

“Did you catch a cold?”

He froze, then realized his voice was off. “No,” he denied quickly.

Then the live comments flew by: [Tsk tsk, who knows who spent all night in a cold shower—how could he not catch a cold?]

[Girl, look at me—I know you can see! Is today another day to deepen your relationship with our boy?]

I nodded, as if replying to the comment. The milk in my glass sloshed as I set it down, my heart thumping for no good reason.

Caleb, watching me closely, suddenly spoke. “You seem a bit different today.”

Did he notice something…

“What?” I asked, a little guilty.

“You used to put on makeup before seeing Derek.”

I froze, my fork halfway to my mouth. Did he know? Or was I just imagining things?