Rewritten in Her Eyes

VI. Realizing What He Almost Lost

It was Friday morning when Kiera decided that she wanted to try the cafe nearby. She immediately thought of Jaxon. Kiera pulled her phone and started typing a message for Jaxon.

To: Jax

Hey? Are busy after school? Wanna come with me at the Daily Grind?

-

From: Jax

No, I don't have any plans. Sure! I'll come with you.

-

To: Jax

Great! Well, my classes will end at 4PM. You?

-

From: Jax

Mine will end at 3PM. I'll wait for you outside your room.

-

To: Jax

No! Just go there first! Wait me there hehe..

-

From: Jax

You sure?

-

To: Jax

Yes!! I'll see you later!

-

From: Jax

Alright then. See you later, Ken.

-

To: Jax

I told you, STOP CALLING ME THAT!

-

From: Jax

Hahaha.. alright, chill! I'll see u later, Kiera.

-

Kiera can't remove her smile. She's excited because she felt like it's time for her to step up and make a move on Jaxon. Yohan noticed her glowing aura and teased her. "Looks like someone's happy. Any progress?" Yohan smirked and wiggled his eyebrows.

She rolled her eyes as she put her bag down and sat behind Yohan. "Shut up. And what are you doing here? Your sister's my classmate, not you."

The door opened, revealing Brielle and Yuka. "Aw. Such a sweet brother, bringing my things here." Brielle said with a sarcasm tone. Yuka giggled while Yohan mocked his sister.

-

The neon sign of "The Daily Grind" buzzed softly, a familiar beacon in the dusky evening. Jaxon tapped his fingers on the faux-marble tabletop, his gaze fixed on the entrance. He'd arrived ten minutes early, a nervous energy thrumming beneath his usually calm exterior. Kiera had asked him to meet her, just the two of them, and a strange mix of excitement and apprehension had filled him ever since. He considered Kiera one of his closest friends. She brightened every room she entered, a whirlwind of laughter and playful jabs.

He’d been so caught up in his thoughts that he almost didn't notice Cindy from Kiera's marketing class sidling up to his table.

“Jaxon! Fancy seeing you here,” she said, her voice a little too high.

He forced a smile. "Hey Cindy. Waiting for Kiera."

"Oh, Kiera! I was just wondering if she's been struggling with the midterms. I figured I could ask directly since you two seem to be close," Cindy said, batting her eyelashes.

Jaxon, ever the worrisome one, leaned in, listening about Kiera, how she was doing in the classes. He really cared about Kiera and Cindy eventually realized that Jaxon has feelings with Kiera. He didn't realize that Cindy's hand had found its way onto his arm, a habit of hers, as they spoke.

Meanwhile, Kiera, practically bouncing with anticipation, hurried down the street towards the cafe. She smoothed down her favorite floral dress and took a deep breath, her heart hammering against her ribs. This was it. She was finally going to be alone with Jaxon, a chance to maybe, just maybe, show him how she truly felt.

As she neared The Daily Grind, she slowed down, a tentative smile playing on her lips. But the smile faltered and then crumbled completely. Through the cafe window, she saw Jaxon, leaning in close to a girl with long, perfectly styled hair. The girl’s hand rested on his arm, and he was laughing, really laughing, at something she’d said.

Kiera felt a wave of nausea wash over her. The carefully constructed fantasy she’d been building for weeks shattered into a million pieces. Humiliation burned in her cheeks, a stark contrast to the cold, empty ache in her chest. Without a second thought, she turned and fled, tears stinging her eyes.

She fumbled for her phone and furiously dialed Brielle's number. "Brielle, please... I need you," she choked out, her voice thick with unshed tears.

Brielle heard the tremor in Kiera's voice and her own heart jumped with alarm. "Kiera? What's wrong? Where are you? I'm coming."

Kiera, now huddled on a park bench a few blocks away, mumbled, "The Rusty Mug. I need a drink."

Brielle was at the bar in record time. She found Kiera already halfway through a glass of something dark and ominous, her eyes red and swollen. Brielle hated alcohol, she couldn't stand the smell of it. But seeing Kiera like this, so vulnerable and broken, she knew she had to be there.

"Kiera, talk to me. What happened?" Brielle asked gently, taking Kiera's hand.

Between sobs, Kiera recounted the scene at the cafe. "He was... flirting with her, Brielle. He looked so happy! He would never look at me like that."

Brielle felt a surge of anger on Kiera's behalf. Jaxon could be so oblivious sometimes. As Kiera continued to drink, her words slurred, her sobs escalated. Brielle tried to reason with her, but it was no use. Kiera was a mess.

Meanwhile, Jaxon was getting increasingly worried. Kiera was late, and his texts were going unanswered. He excused himself from Maya, feeling a prickle of unease. He had a bad feeling.

"I need to call Ten," Brielle sighed, seeing Kiera was now completely wasted. She rummaged through her contacts, finding Kian's number. "Kian, it's Brielle. Kiera's... incapacitated. Do you have Ten's number? I need him to come get her."

A few minutes later, Ten arrived, his face etched with worry. He scooped Kiera up in his arms, his gaze hardening as he looked at Brielle. "Thanks. I'll take care of her."

As Ten disappeared with his sister, Brielle received a call from Kian. "Hey, I heard what happened. Do you need a ride home?"

"No, I'm fine. I need to talk to Jaxon," Brielle said, a determined glint in her eyes.

She found Jaxon pacing outside The Daily Grind, his face a mask of anxiety. "Where's Kiera? What happened?"

"Ten took her home," Brielle said, crossing her arms. "We need to talk, Jaxon. And this time, you're going to listen."

They walked to a quieter corner of the street, the air thick with unspoken tension. Jaxon explained his conversation with Maya, emphasizing that he was only trying to help a classmate.

Brielle listened patiently, then said, "Jaxon, do you have any idea how Kiera feels about you?"

He looked genuinely confused. "Yeah, she's one of my best friends! I care about her a lot."

"No, Jaxon," Brielle said, her voice firm. "She cares about you. Like, really cares about you. It's not a joke, it's not playful teasing. She's in love with you."

The words hung in the air, heavy and undeniable. Jaxon stared at her, his face draining of color. He'd always thought of Kiera as his little sister, a constant source of sunshine in his life. The idea that she harbored deeper feelings for him was completely foreign.

"She's... she's my treasure, Brielle you know that," Jaxon stammered, his mind racing. "I would never want to hurt her."

"Then you need to figure out what you want, Jaxon," Brielle said, her voice softening. "Because right now, you're hurting her without even realizing it."

As the first rays of dawn peeked over the horizon, Jaxon stood in front of Kiera's house, a bag of her favorite pastries in one hand and a bouquet of sunflowers in the other. He had barely slept, replaying the conversation with Brielle over and over in his head. He needed to talk to Kiera, to understand her, and to finally confront his own feelings.

Inside, Ten, still furious about the previous night, slammed open Kiera's door. "You have a visitor," he growled. "And you better deal with this."

Kiera groaned and pulled the covers over her head, the remnants of last night's tears still clinging to her eyelashes. "Just go away," she mumbled. "I don't want to see anyone."

But Ten was already gone, leaving her no choice but to face the day, and the person waiting for her on the other side of the door.

-

The playground was bathed in the warm afternoon sun, the bright colours of the slides and swings a stark contrast to the knot of anxiety twisting in Kiera’s stomach. She walked beside Jaxon, the bouquet of sunflowers he'd given her feeling heavy in her hands, heavier than it should. The scent of the freshly cooked chicken wings he'd brought was making her stomach churn more than entice.

Jaxon, hands shoved in his pockets, kicked a loose pebble across the cracked asphalt basketball court. "So," he began, his voice tentative, "How are you feeling? Ten said… you weren't doing so great last night."

Kiera winced. "Headache. And a whole lot of regret." She avoided his gaze, focusing instead on the little kids squealing as they chased each other around the climbing frame.

"Look, about last night," Jaxon continued, his voice softening. "I was really worried. Brielle told me you ran off…because of Cindy?"

Kiera’s cheeks flushed crimson. "It doesn't matter." She muttered.

Jaxon stopped walking, turning to face her. "It does matter, Kiera. Look at me." He gently tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his concerned gaze. "Cindy's just… an acquaintance. We were discussing about something. That's it. Why would you think…?" He trailed off, confusion etched on his face.

She couldn't help it. The words blurted out before she could stop them. "Because you were smiling at her like she was the only person in the world!" The heat of embarrassment bloomed on her face as soon as the words left her mouth.

Jaxon’s eyebrows shot up. He looked genuinely surprised, then a slow understanding dawned in his eyes. He let out a soft, disbelieving chuckle. "Kiera," he said, his voice laced with affection, "you’re unbelievable. I smile at everyone, you know that. I smile at grumpy old Mr. Chen when I get the mail. It doesn't mean I’m… flirting. And, we were talking about you! That's why I'm smiling."

Jaxon was sure about his true feelings towards Kiera this time. He won't waste another day to tell her everything.

He took a step closer, his eyes searching hers. "But, Kiera, why would you even care if I was?" The playground noise faded away, leaving only the sound of her own hammering heart. She wanted to run again, to disappear into the brightly coloured plastic jungle gym. But she was trapped, pinned by Jaxon's gentle, curious gaze.