Chapter 3: When Fairy Tales Get Complicated

But once we were actually together, I realized it wasn’t that simple.

The fairy tale faded, replaced by reality. Dating Carter was nothing like I’d imagined. It was harder, sweeter, and more confusing than I ever expected.

Who spends every date at the library, drilling GRE vocab?

I’d show up in a cute dress, hoping for a romantic walk, and end up quizzing him on vocabulary words instead. He’d smirk, handing me a stack of flashcards, and I’d groan, but go along with it.

Who’s always entering competitions to show off his muscles, making his girlfriend take pictures the whole time?

He’d drag me to track meets and swim meets, making me take a hundred photos from every angle. I’d cheer him on, camera in hand, secretly loving every minute of it.

Who really just talks about love, never making a move, never letting you make a move either?

We’d sit together for hours, talking about everything and nothing, but he never crossed the line. It was sweet, but also maddening. I wanted more, but he always held back.

But he was like forbidden fruit—so tempting it made me dizzy.

Every time he smiled at me, every time his hand brushed mine, I felt the urge to close the gap. But he always stopped just short, leaving me wanting.

Once, I couldn’t take it anymore and, tipsy, tried to kiss him. He covered my mouth, laughing wickedly.

He caught me, his eyes dancing with amusement. "Someone’s bold tonight," he teased, making me blush even harder.

“What’s with all these dirty thoughts in that little head of yours? You sure you’re not just into my looks?”

He grinned, nudging me. I pouted, refusing to answer.

“Your looks are part of you.”

I said it quietly, looking away. He laughed, shaking his head.

“Give my looks a break. Try appreciating some of my other good qualities, okay?”

He winked, and I rolled my eyes, but inside I was melting.

I blushed, but wouldn’t let go. Finally, I worked up the courage to ask, “...Don’t you want to?”

My voice was barely a whisper, but he heard. He went still, eyes darkening.

He stared at me, his eyes darkening, Adam’s apple bobbing hard.

For a moment, I thought he might give in. But then he shook his head, smiling softly.

“No rush. Take it slow—let things happen naturally…”

He brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, voice gentle. I wanted to scream.

“But I want to.”

I cut him off, frustrated, and kissed him.

I leaned in, heart pounding, and pressed my lips to his. It was impulsive, reckless—and completely worth it.

The moment I pulled back, he turned the tables, pinning me against the wall. In a burst of impulse, I left a hickey on his neck.

He froze, then his eyes flashed. He spun me around, trapping me with his arms. I giggled, triumphant, but the look on his face made me pause.

He was furious. Didn’t see me for a week.

He stormed off, jaw clenched. I texted, called, waited by his dorm, but he didn’t answer. I felt sick, replaying the moment over and over.

I was ashamed, swore I’d never do it again.

I apologized a hundred times, promising to respect his boundaries. I missed him more than I wanted to admit.

I’d always thought he was a wild boy on the outside, pure on the inside. But now… maybe not.

I started to wonder if I’d gotten him all wrong. Maybe I was the problem. Maybe I wanted too much, too soon.

“What’s up with you two? Who dates and doesn’t want to kiss and cuddle?”

My friends grilled me, voices full of disbelief. I just shrugged, not sure how to explain.

“Sorry, I was wrong. I used to be jealous of how good you had it, but turns out you’ve been starving.”

They laughed, but I could hear the concern underneath. I forced a smile, not wanting to talk about it.

“No way, this needs to be addressed.”

They started plotting, coming up with wild schemes to help me out. I rolled my eyes, but part of me wondered if they were right.

…