Chapter 25
By Saturday night, the internet had officially lost its mind.
Sabrina knew this because Chloe burst into her apartment holding her phone like breaking news had personally attacked her.
"You trended."
Sabrina looked up from the couch slowly.
"That sounds threatening."
"Lucas almost committing homicide over coffee guy became a national event."
Wonderful.
Absolutely wonderful.
Chloe collapsed dramatically beside her.
"The edits are insane."
"I don't want to know what that means."
"Yes you do."
Before Sabrina could stop her, Chloe shoved the screen directly into her face.
Unfortunately, the first video already felt emotionally catastrophic.
Clips from the rooftop flashed across the screen:
Lucas staring at Ethan.
Lucas stepping closer to Sabrina.
Lucas saying "I don't care about them."
Oh no.
Someone had added music.
Emotional music.
The comments underneath were even worse.
he looks at her like she invented happiness
Sabrina accidentally domesticated a celebrity
his whole personality changes around her
Lucas went from emotionally unavailable to guard dog boyfriend SO fast
Sabrina threw herself backward into the couch cushions dramatically.
"I hate everyone."
"You love it."
"I'm terrified actually."
Because the worst part?
The edits weren't entirely wrong.
A knock sounded against the apartment door before Chloe could emotionally harass her further.
Sabrina froze immediately.
Because she already knew.
Chloe grinned wickedly.
"Oh this is my favorite genre."
"Leave."
"No."
Another knock.
Then Sabrina finally stood and opened the door.
Lucas looked exhausted.
Again.
But the second his eyes found her, something in his expression softened automatically.
Like relief.
The realization hit Sabrina hard enough to hurt.
"Hi," he said quietly.
"Hi."
Chloe appeared instantly behind Sabrina like a demon summoned specifically for embarrassment.
"Lucas," she said warmly. "Congratulations on publicly discovering feelings."
Lucas looked genuinely exhausted by her already.
Reasonable.
"I liked you better before social media."
"I liked you better before emotional repression."
Sabrina nearly laughed.
Lucas rubbed a hand over his face tiredly before stepping inside.
"You're both terrible."
"And yet you keep coming back," Chloe pointed out smugly.
Interesting point honestly.
An hour later Chloe finally left after extracting enough emotional suffering to sustain herself for weeks.
The apartment fell quiet afterward.
Lucas sat beside Sabrina on the couch while low music drifted softly through the room.
Neither spoke immediately.
The silence wasn't awkward anymore.
Just heavy with things both of them kept almost saying.
Finally Lucas leaned back slightly and closed his eyes briefly.
"You know what my publicist asked me today?"
Sabrina glanced sideways at him.
"What?"
"If the jealousy was intentional for engagement."
Her stomach twisted instantly.
Ouch.
Lucas laughed softly without humor.
"They wanted me to lean into it."
That felt awful suddenly.
Because of course they did.
The internet loved them now.
Loved the chemistry.
The tension.
The obsession.
Sabrina looked down at her hands quietly.
"And what did you say?"
Lucas opened his eyes then.
"I told them no."
Her breath caught slightly.
"No?"
"It wasn't planned." His gaze held hers steadily now. "I wasn't performing."
The honesty in his voice settled directly into her chest.
Real.
God.
Lucas leaned forward then, elbows against his knees.
"I think that's what scares me."
Sabrina's pulse slowed.
"What?"
"You."
The answer came quietly.
Immediately.
The room suddenly felt too warm again.
Lucas looked down briefly before continuing.
"You make me forget where the line is."
Oh.
That was devastating actually.
Sabrina's chest tightened painfully.
Because she understood exactly what he meant.
With everyone else, Lucas knew how to perform.
How to separate himself emotionally.
But with her?
The lines blurred.
Everything became instinctive instead.
And maybe that terrified him because instinct was impossible to control.
"You know what's funny?" Sabrina asked softly.
"What?"
"I don't think you've been pretending with me for a long time."
Lucas went still.
A quiet silence followed.
Then he admitted softly:
"I know."
Her heart nearly stopped.
Because he sounded tired of fighting it now.
Not cured of the fear.
Just exhausted by resisting it.
Neither moved for a second.
Then Lucas turned toward her slightly.
"Sabrina."
The way he said her name now should honestly be illegal.
"What?"
His gaze dropped briefly toward her mouth again.
Dangerous.
Every time.
"You're staring," she whispered.
"So are you."
Fair.
The tension between them sharpened slowly.
Softly.
Lucas reached for her first this time.
Not hesitant anymore.
His fingers slid gently against her jaw before he kissed her again.
And somehow this kiss felt even worse for her emotional stability.
Slower.
Warmer.
Like Lucas was finally allowing himself to want her openly.
Sabrina melted instantly against him while his hand settled against her waist, pulling her closer carefully like he still couldn't fully believe she was real.
The kiss deepened gradually.
Not rushed.
Intimate.
And God, Lucas kissed like he was trying to memorize her.
Sabrina's fingers slid into his hair instinctively while he exhaled softly against her mouth.
The sound nearly killed her.
When they finally pulled apart, both breathing unevenly, Lucas rested his forehead lightly against hers.
Neither spoke immediately.
Then quietly:
"You're trouble."
Sabrina smiled faintly.
"You started this."
"I know."
And somehow that sounded less like regret now.
More like surrender.