Whatever he meant to say dissolves. Another question arises, one that’s been circling his mind since she first saidlove.
“How did you know? That you were…in love?”
Her face softens. “It’s not always fireworks like those V-link dramas.” She leans against the counter. “Sometimes it’s just…feeling like someone really has your back. Like they see you—even the parts you didn’t see yourself.”
Rafael swallows, nodding before he really means to. The comparison hits a bit too close to home.
“And yeah, I worry sometimes,” she goes on. “What if it doesn’t work out? What if something happens? What if Mom’s right and I’m gonna end up dead in the streets?” Her stance loosens. “But with him, those fears feel…far away. And honestly, I never felt like I fit in Midtown, anyway. Being with Idris just made that obvious…Does that make sense?”
He wants to say no. His throat tightens, gaze falling to thefloor.
What she’s describing is exactly how he felt with Kane. Not confusion. Not attraction.
Love.
His chest constricts.
The truth’s been there for weeks, long before he ever looked. Now that it’s finally cornered him, there’s nowhere left to run. This time, when the memories flood in, Rafael doesn’t fight them.
Kane’s hand on his back. Their fingers laced on the rooftop. That low, steady voice in his ear, always offering what he needs to hear.
Their time together wasn’t just exciting. It felt grounding and real. Like he had found exactly where he was supposed to be.
A burn rises behind his eyes. He blinks them, trying to clear his vision.
“Rafael,” Maria whispers.
The seriousness in her tone draws his head up.
Her eyes are wide. “You’re crying.” She steps closer. “Wait. You’re in love with someone, aren’t you?”
He drags a hand across his cheek. “I’m not. I—”
The dam is broken now. Why hold anything back?
“Yes,” Rafael says, the word dragging on a breath. “I guess—I guess…I am.”
Maria’s expression eases instantly. “Oh, Rafa.” She doesn’t hesitate, wrapping her arms around him.
His composure shatters. He buries his face in her shoulder, clinging to her.
For a long moment, there’s only his sister and her unwavering support.
When she eventually pulls away, her hands linger on his shoulders before letting go. Rafael moves into the kitchen, avoiding her gaze.
As he busies himself checking his dinner, he drags his sleeve across his cheek to clean off the tears.
Her voice follows him. “What happened? Do Mom and Dad know? Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Mom and Dad don’t know.” He turns around. “And I didn’t tell you because—well, even my friends don’t know most of it.” His feet shift on the ground.
But can he trust Maria with the truth? Her boyfriend writes stories on whatever the Veil is, and seems to have ties to the anti-corps crowd. What do they think of street gangs? And what will Maria do when she finds out how they met? Would she go after Kane for kidnapping him? She’s always been protective of him.
In the end, discretion seems safest.
He forces himself to meet her eyes. “It’s…complicated…We’re from different worlds. So I ended it.”
“Okay…” Maria’s quirked brow suggests she doesn’t believe him. “But I get it. We’re not the same. You’ve always wanted something stable, or as close as you can get in Nova City. A steady job, a decent apartment, friends. But is all that really worth not being with someone you love?”