I feel the fear that runs over her, that same feeling she had earlier is back again. I walk to the window and look out but see no one in sight. "I'll be right back," I tell her and walk out of her room. I head to the front door and motion for Ace to follow me, he gets up and walks out the door.

I step out and make my way to the side of the house. "What's going on?" Ace questions.

"Do you smell that?" I ask him, as I look around.

He looks around and nods. "Star has had this feeling of someone watching her all day." I inform him. We walk around the properties, sniffing out the scent. Our primal instincts kick in, and I feel my fangs protrude. The moon lights up our path as we search for the source of the scent.

"I've never smelled this scent before." Ace says, "It's definitely not from here."

I agree and continue searching. As we walk deeper into the woods behind our houses, the smell starts to fade. We back away and walk back toward the girls' house.

"Whatever it was, it's gone now," Ace states.

"Yeah," I say, keeping alert as we continue to walk, searching our surroundings.

As we get closer to the house, Ace starts to jog, "The one smell I know I'm certain of is Chinese food." He runs to the girl's house, and I begin to laugh.

I walk up to the house, and I hear Star ask, "Where's Gage?"

"I'm right here." I walk in and close the door behind me. She runs to me and wraps her arms around my neck. I kiss her and tell her no one is outside and that she shouldn't worry. She seems to be more at ease as she sits down and hands me a plate.

"How much do I owe you?" I ask her as she sits on the floor in between my legs.

She looks at me and smiles. "Nothing." We all sit and eat and talk about the upcoming school year. Star and I realise we have two classes together, as she was able to get into the third year of biology and chemistry.

"Damn, are you that smart?" Ace questions her.

"She's extremely smart." Laura pipes up, "She finished high school at 16."

"Didn't you say you took a year off prior to coming here?" I ask, choking on my food, hoping she didn't lie to me about her age.

"I never said that; Laura did," Star says as she takes a bite of her food.

I give her a confused look, hoping she will explain it to me. She begins to laugh. "I graduated early and worked until Laura was done. She took a year off, and I continued to work at my dad's company. And that brings us to now." She smiles.

"So my girl is a genius?" I question.

"Basically," Ace says.

I lean over and kiss her cheek. I am proud of her, and her intelligence never fails to amaze me. She is truly one of a kind. Once we finished eating, Ace and I help clean up. Laura heads to her room and comes back out with a bag.

"Where are you going?" Star asks.

"I'm sleeping over at Ace's, why?"

"On a school night?" She shakes her head. "I still wonder how you got into pre-med. Have fun."

They both leave, and it's just us. I look at the time, and it's nine p.m. She takes a seat on the couch next to me and tells me she's excited to be in two classes with me. I ask her to be my partner in those classes, and she agrees. I pull out my wallet and ask her how much I owe her for dinner. There's no way in this world that I would allow my girlfriend to pay for dinner.

"You don't owe me anything. But if you want to make it up to me, I do have an idea." Her lips curl into a sultry smile.

"What do you have in mind?" mused by her answer.

"Spend the night with me this weekend."

"Well, why not tonight?" My eyes lock on hers as I question her.

"Don't you have an early practice?"

"Yeah, I can leave from here and then hop in the shower with you when I'm back." I smile.

"I like that idea." She grabs my face and kisses me. I pull her to my lap and take in the taste of her tongue. As we continue to kiss, I feel the heat rising between us and can't wait to feel her body against mine. My grip on her waist tightens as she begins to rock against the hardness I have for her. She pulls away, breathless.

"Okay, go get your stuff for the night."

"Give me your keys." She gets up and hands them to me. I tell her to lock the door behind me, and I'll be back quick. She nods and does as I say.

I head home and quickly pack a bag for the night. I feel like I should make some room for her in my room so she can stay here and get ready, too. I grab my toothbrush from the bathroom, along with my body wash and shampoo. I walk into my room and throw in my clothes for tomorrow, my clothes for practice, and my cologne. I throw everything in my bag and head out. I grab my equipment and head to Star's.

I unlock the door and yell, "Hey, can I leave my equipment in the living room?"

"Yeah," she shouts back. I bring everything in and place it on the floor by the coffee table. I take my overnight bag and head to her room after locking the front door behind me. I place her keys on her dresser and close the bedroom door.

"Hey," she says.

"Hi," I say as I quickly get undressed and join her under the covers.

She searches through Netflix, and I wrap my arm around her waist. "This needs to go," I say as I tug on my shirt she is wearing. She laughs and takes it off, throwing it across the room. We settle on a movie and snuggle up on the bed, enjoying each other's company. As the movie progresses, I can feel her warmth and softness against me, making me never want to let go.

I kiss the crown of her head, and she looks up at me. I place my palm on her cheek and say, "You're the only girl I want to love for the rest of my life." She smiles, and we share a passionate kiss, knowing that we have found something special in each other.

Her hand caresses my chest, and I feel my heart beating faster with every touch. We pull away from the kiss, and I whisper in her ear, "I promise to always cherish and protect you."

"Boy, you really know the right words to make a girl swoon over you." She softly says. I smile and hold her close, feeling grateful for having her in my life. "I mean every word," I reply, kissing her lips.

I feel her soft breath on my skin as her hands continue to caress me. Her body on top of mine as her lips press against me. My fingertips grip her hips, and she rocks back and forth, making me hard for her. She pulls away slightly, looking into my eyes with a mischievous smile. "I love you," she whispers, before kissing me again with renewed passion.

"I love you," I tell her. I hold her tightly, feeling the warmth of her body against mine. I flip her onto her back and kiss her neck, leaving my mark. I kiss every inch of her body. She moans softly as I continue to explore her body, and I know that she is mine. With every touch and every kiss, I am reminded of how lucky I am to have her in my life.

"I want you," she says as her eyes lock on mine. I grab the condom from the nightstand, and she begins to laugh. "Where did those come from?"

"I put some in there last time." I give her a side smile.

"Good call." She smiles.

"There's some in your bathroom also." I smile and raise my brow. She laughs again, saying, "I'm glad you're thorough."

I slide it on, making sure to maintain eye contact. With a deep breath, I enter her, and we both let out a sigh of pleasure. As I continue, I feel her body responding to mine, and the rhythm of our movements becomes more intense. Our connection is electric, our movements seemingly synchronised as we both reach the peak of pleasure together, collapsing into each other's arms with a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction.

I pull her close and kiss her head. "Goodnight, my love."

"Goodnight," she responds as her head lies on my chest.

We lay there in silence, basking in the afterglow of our lovemaking. I can't help but feel grateful for this moment and the person lying next to me. I never thought I could experience such a deep level of intimacy and connection with someone, but with her, it feels effortless and natural. I feel a sense of security and comfort knowing that she's by my side. As I close my eyes, I whisper, "I love you." She stirs and whispers back, "I love you too." And with those words, I fall into a peaceful slumber, feeling content and grateful.