Chapter 73

Chapter 73
KAIA

When I woke up, sunlight was pouring in from the tall windows, brushing its golden fingers over the sheets. I blinked a few times, slowly rolling onto my side, only to find cold space beside me.

Adrien wasn't there.

I sat up, squinting toward the doorway, confused. The sheets were tangled around my legs, and his scent still lingered in the air—faint traces of cedarwood, citrus, and something purely him. But the condo was quiet.

No footsteps. No music. 

It was weird waking up without his warm weight next to me. Especially after the night we had.

God, last night.

A slow, lazy smile crept across my face. My body still ached in all the best ways. I tucked the blanket around my chest and leaned back into the pillows, staring up at the ceiling for a moment, trying to wrap my head around how I ended up here—so wrapped up in him, in us.

He wasn't my first. That title belonged to a random prom night fling back in high school—nothing to write home about. But Adrien... he was something else. Something more. 

He didn't just sleep with me. He held me. Made me feel like I wasn't just a body in a bed but someone who mattered.

I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, stretching, and started looking around the condo. Nothing. No sign of him. Maybe he'd gone to grab coffee or breakfast. Either way, I needed to shower and get my stuff together—start packing for the trip back to my mom's place.

After freshening up, I stepped out of the bathroom, towel-drying my hair when I heard the front door open.

I padded barefoot to the living room, still in Adrien's oversized shirt. 

"Hey," I said, smiling when I saw him walk in.

"Hey," he replied, sounding suspiciously casual—too casual. 

His arms were behind his back, and there was something about his posture that immediately had my eyebrows lifting.

I tilted my head. "What are you hiding?"

"Hiding?" He gave a weak chuckle. "Nothing."

"Adrien."

His smile faltered. 

"Fine, you caught me."

He pulled his arms around, revealing a sleek black helmet. Not a bike helmet.

A motorcycle helmet.

I stared. "What... is that?"

"Okay, so," he said, already grinning, "I may or may not have bought a motorcycle."

I blinked again. "You what?"

He stepped toward the kitchen counter, placing the helmet down and fishing a set of keys from his pocket, dangling them between two fingers like a damn magician. 

"Surprise?"

"Wait—you own a motorcycle now?"

"Yeah. Bought it last month. Just had it delivered today. I asked for a couple custom tweaks, and they had to ship parts from Japan, so it took forever."

He looked so damn proud of himself, like a kid showing off a new toy. And I had to admit—his excitement was kind of adorable. I walked over, slipped my arms around his waist, and kissed his cheek. 

"I'm happy for you. You seem... really into it."

"I am," he said, pulling me closer. "And now that I finally have it... I want to take you on my first ride."

I pulled back, laughing nervously. 

"Oh no. No, no. That's not happening."

His lips quirked into a grin. 

"Come on. It'll be fun. You trust me, right?"

"With my life," I said. "Just not on two wheels going 80 down the highway."

He pouted. 

"That's dramatic. I promise we'll go slow. I'll even get you your own helmet."

I narrowed my eyes. 

"We'll see."

He smiled knowingly and nudged my side. 

"We'll make it happen."

I rolled my eyes and stepped away, grabbing my tote bag. 

"Anyway, I should get back to my dorm and start packing."

His face sobered just slightly. 

"You're heading home?"

"Yeah. Mom's coming to pick me up and we're heading to Sacramento."

We stood there for a beat, the weight of that unspoken truth hanging in the air. Summer break had officially started. That meant time apart. No more nights tangled in his sheets or spontaneous drives to nowhere. At least not for now.

"We'll figure something out," I said softly. "It's only a few months."

He nodded once. 

"I'll drop you off."

I raised a brow. 

"On the motorcycle?"

He laughed. 

"Relax. I'll take the car. We'll save the bike for another day—once you stop looking at it like it's a death trap."

I smiled, shaking my head. As we walked to the door, he slung an arm over my shoulders, pulling me close.

And even though we were heading in different directions for now, I felt it—his quiet promise that no matter the distance, he wasn't letting go.

OoO

About an hour into packing, I sat down on the edge of my now mattress-only bed and let out a deep sigh. My dorm room felt unfamiliar without my posters, fairy lights, or the pile of clothes that usually lived on my chair. 

It was just white walls and empty corners now—stripped of every part of me that made it feel like home.

Needing a break from the echo of my own nostalgia, I walked over to Amy's room. Her door was open, and I found her mid-task, yanking her sheets off while dancing around to a playlist on her speaker. Her energy made me smile.

"I'm gonna miss this place," I said, stepping in and scanning her half-packed room.

She looked up, holding a pillow under her arm, and gave me a soft smile. 

"Me too. It's weird seeing it so empty."

I nodded, eyes sweeping the space. 

"Like we were never really here."

She tossed the pillow aside and walked over to me, pulling me into a warm hug. We stood there in silence for a few seconds before pulling back.

"So," she said, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "How are you getting all your stuff home?"

"Mom's coming to pick me up," I said. "Anyway, where are you going to spend your summer break?"

Amy flopped down on the edge of her bed. 

"Probably gonna end up on some beach in Ibiza, sipping martinis and getting a sun tan."

I laughed. "Of course you will. What about Nate?"

"He's staying here in LA. Got offered a summer job coaching at a youth hockey camp. Pretty cute, huh?"

"That's adorable," I grinned.

"We agreed to do the long-distance thing over break," she added, not looking up. "Sucks, but it is what it is."

I leaned against her desk, watching her for a moment before asking, "You think me and Adrien can make it work too?"

She paused. "Have you guys talked about it?"

"Not yet," I said. "We've kind of been floating in our own bubble lately. I haven't gotten around to the hard stuff."

Amy shrugged. 

"Well, if anyone can keep up with Adrien's emotional chaos, it's you."

That made me laugh again. 

"Thanks, I think."

"Oh, did you know he has a motorcycle now?" I added, remembering the helmet reveal this morning.

Amy's head shot up. 

"Wait—what?"

"Yup," I said, chuckling. "He had it delivered today."

Her mouth dropped open. 

"Are you serious? That idiot probably blew through his entire bank account and maxed out his credit card. Adrien's been obsessed with motorcycles since high school. Dad never let him get one."

She paused and gave me a smirk.

"Has he taken you on it yet?"

"No, not yet. He offered," I said. "I kind of freaked out at the idea though."

Amy rolled her eyes. 

"It's not that scary. I went on one back in high school when I was dating this hot college guy. It's actually kinda sexy. Wind in your hair, arms around his waist, whole main character energy."

I looked down at my hands. 

"You think I should?"

Amy came over and nudged my shoulder. 

"Kaia, come on. You and Adrien have one more day together. One last ride—literally—before summer separates you. Do something spontaneous. You'll remember it forever."

I smiled slowly, the nerves in my stomach giving way to excitement.

Maybe Amy was right. Maybe the idea of being on the back of a motorcycle with Adrien holding the throttle and the city blurring past us wasn't as terrifying as I thought.

Maybe it was just the kind of unforgettable we needed.