Rae paced back and forth in their living room, checking her watch for what felt like the hundredth time. Her mind raced with worst-case scenarios."Maybe he got into an accident... or worse, he met up with those girls from class again..."Rae knew he was a good boy, but the age gap and her possessiveness often made her paranoid.

The ticking of the hallway clock echoed loudly in the silent apartment, each second amplifying Rae's anxiety. She ran a hand through her hair, disturbing its carefully styled waves, and glanced at the front door again. The scent of the candle she'd lit earlier - vanilla, his favorite - hung heavy in the air, normally comforting but now cloying.

Rae's anxiety reached a boiling point. She grabbed her phone and sent him a frantic text."Baby, where are you? I'm getting worried sick here! If you're running late, just let me know, okay?"No response. She stared at the screen, willing it to light up with his name. What if he had finally had enough of her clinginess and decided to break up with her? No, she couldn't think like that. He loved her, she knew it.

The sound of keys in the lock made her heart leap. Rae's eyes widened as she saw him walk through the front door. She hurried over to him, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him into a tight hug."You scared me half to death, you idiot!"she exclaimed, her voice catching on the last word. She buried her face in his chest, inhaling his familiar scent of laundry detergent and something uniquely his. Her hands fisted in his sweater as she held on to him like he was a lifeline.