secrets revealed

After hours of working on the project, Kael finally leaned back in his chair and stretched. His back still ached slightly from the fight earlier that week, but he pushed the discomfort aside. He glanced at Aurora, who was quietly packing up her notebook and pens. Her face was still faintly pink, and Kael couldn't stop thinking about the accidental kiss.

"Thanks for coming over," Kael said as he stood. He didn't want the moment to feel awkward, but the memory of what had happened earlier kept replaying in his head.

Aurora gave a small nod, clutching her notebook tightly to her chest as she followed him to the door. Her movements were stiff, like she was afraid to make eye contact with him.

Kael walked her downstairs, trying to think of something to say to break the tension. When they reached the front door, he turned to her with an awkward smile. "Well, uh... I'll see you next time."

Aurora's cheeks flushed again, and she nodded quickly, mumbling a quiet, "Bye." She stepped outside, avoiding his gaze as she hurried down the steps.

Kael watched her leave, rubbing the back of his neck. "Smooth, Kael," he muttered to himself. He closed the door and headed back to his room, hoping to distract himself with something else.

As soon as he flopped onto his bed, his phone buzzed. He picked it up and saw a text from Sean:

**Sean:** "Dude, I'm so bored. Aurora left her diary on the table, so I read it. You're not gonna believe this."

Kael frowned, already sensing trouble. He typed back quickly:

**Kael:** "You *what*?"

The reply came almost instantly.

**Sean:** "Relax, man. I was bored! Besides, it's not like it's a big deal. I'm her brother. I was curious."

Kael sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

**Kael:** "Sean, seriously, that's private."

But before he could send another message, Sean sent another text:

**Sean:** "Anyway, I thought you'd want to know what's in it. Dude, it's page after page of her writing about *you.* Stuff like, 'I wish Kael likes me,' and 'I want to kiss Kael.' It's insane."

Kael froze, his heart skipping a beat. He stared at the screen, rereading the words. His chest tightened as he tried to process what Sean was saying.

**Kael:** "You're messing with me, right?"

**Sean:** "Nope. 100% legit. I can even send you a picture if you want proof."

Kael groaned, tossing his phone onto the bed. He couldn't believe what he was reading. Aurora—the shy, quiet girl he had known for so long—had written about *him* in her diary?

He ran a hand through his hair, his mind racing. The accidental kiss earlier suddenly felt a lot more significant. Had Aurora... felt something when it happened?

His phone buzzed again, but Kael ignored it, lying back on the bed and staring at the ceiling. He didn't know what to think or how to feel. Aurora's feelings were a secret he hadn't been prepared to discover, and now that he knew, everything between them felt more complicated.

End of Chapter 41