I'm Choosing
1189 Words
KENDRICK
“You say things like that too easily,” she muttered under her breath, arms folded like she was protecting herself from something she couldn’t name.
I knew what she meant. I also knew she was right, but I didn’t care enough to stop.
“I think plenty,” I told her. “I just don’t always stop myself.”
She stood there in the cold night air, hair slightly caught by the wind, staring out over the city like she was trying to calm herself down.
She was beautiful. Not in the obvious way people usually meant it either. It was quieter than that. Lethal in a quieter way.
The kind of face you kept wanting to look at for no reason. The kind that sticks in your head when it shouldn’t. The kind that made silence feel less empty.
And for some dumb reason, I couldn’t stop thinking about her.
I barely knew anything about Yulia. Not really, but I wanted to.
I wanted to know what made her laugh unexpectedly. What annoyed her. What she looked like first thing in the morning. Why she always acted tougher than she actually was.
I wanted to learn everything about her slowly. That realization should’ve concerned me more than it did.
Without thinking too much about it, I moved toward her and wrapped my arms around her waist from behind.
She relaxed into me, tilting her head sideways. I buried my face lightly against her neck just to breathe her in.
It was stupid how quickly that calmed me down.
The noise from inside faded instantly. Damon’s loud voice, music, and glasses clinking—all of it disappeared until it was just us standing there beneath the balcony lights.
I kissed her temple lightly. “You’re quiet,” I murmured against her skin.
“I’m thinking.”
“About?”
“They’ll start to notice our absence for too long.”
A laugh left me before I could stop it. “Babygirl, I don’t think they care right now.”
“You’re right.” She turned in my arms to look at me. “Why do you keep calling me babygirl?”
I brushed my thumb against her cheek slowly. “Your father calls you that,” I said. “And it suits you.”
Her brows lifted.
“You are too delicate like a baby,” I teased.
She rolled her eyes instantly, but the smile spreading across her face betrayed her. “Kendrick, please.”
I looked at her for too long because every time she smiled at me, something in my chest shifted in a way I didn’t fully understand yet.
“You’re beautiful,” I said before I could stop myself.
The words slipped out naturally. No teasing. No sarcasm. Just truth.
She heard it too; heat flooded her cheeks.
For a moment, neither of us spoke. The city lights reflected faintly in her green eyes, and I had the sudden irrational urge to kiss her again.
Then the balcony door slid open.
“Yulia?” Sophie called. “You guys still out there, or did you disappear into—”
Yulia pulled away from me instantly like she’d remembered where we were. The sudden loss of her warmth irritated me immediately.
I didn’t like that feeling at all.
Sophie stepped outside mid-sentence before stopping completely.
Her eyes moved between us once. “Oh,” she said lightly. “There you are.”
She tilted her head innocently. “Am I interrupting something?”
“Girl, mind your business,” I grunted.
Sophie burst out laughing.
“Yeah, whatever.” She waved dismissively. “You two should come back inside before you freeze your arse off.”
Then she disappeared again, clearly entertained by herself.
I leaned down toward Yulia once the door closed. “Never pull back from me like that again, babygirl,” I murmured near her ear.
Her brows arched immediately, though I caught the pleased look she tried to hide.
“Alright, Lord Fernsby,” she teased, grinning at her own joke.
I shook my head once, amused despite myself.
“Let’s go before this gets messier,” she added.
“It’s already messy,” I admitted quietly as she grabbed my hand and pulled me back inside.
The second we entered the living room, Damon noticed us.
“Alright!” he announced dramatically, standing up with his drink raised. “Someone explain what’s happening, or I’m making assumptions publicly.”
“Sit down,” I ordered flatly.
The i***t sat anyway, still grinning like he’d won something. I almost respected the commitment.
The room felt warmer than before, music echoing through the speakers while conversations overlapped around us.
Sophie looked far too amused.
Adeline looked observant in the dangerous way only close friends could be.
And Victor looked like he already knew more than he was saying.
Damon kept talking because silence would probably kill him. “You two have been acting like you’re in a Netflix drama all night.”
“There’s no drama,” I replied calmly.
Victor snorted into his drink. “Sure. No drama.”
That made Sophie smile knowingly.
Yulia crossed her arms. “Why is everyone acting weird?”
Damon pointed directly at us. “Because you two are weird.”
Everyone laughed.
Even Yulia. She moved away from me, sitting beside Adeline and Sophie like she suddenly needed distance.
I watched her without realizing it at first. The way she tucked her hair behind her ear.
The way she laughed softly at something Sophie whispered.
My eyes kept finding her automatically. That was the problem.
Victor saw that. He leaned against the wall beside me casually. “You’re doing that thing again.”
I took a sip of my drink. “What thing?”
“The one where you pretend you’re not watching her.”
I looked directly at Yulia then. “Well, I’m watching her now.”
Victor smirked faintly. “Sure.”
He took another sip before lowering his voice slightly. “Just don’t want to become a godfather too early.”
I exhaled sharply through my nose. “Boy, shut up.”
Victor laughed quietly while Damon suddenly reappeared beside us like an annoying ghost.
“You watch her like you’re plotting your next move,” he announced loudly enough for everyone to hear.
The room went quieter for a second. Yulia looked up immediately. So did Sophie, and Adeline practically leaned forward.
Damon looked entirely too proud of himself.
I stared at him blankly. Then I answered without hesitation. “I’m not plotting.” My voice carried easily across the room. “I’m choosing.”
Sophie’s eyes widened slightly.
Victor looked down at his drink, clearly trying not to laugh.
Damon looked like Christmas had arrived early.
And Yulia… she just stared at me.
Like she didn’t know what to do with those words.
Honestly? Neither did I, but I meant them.
Because somewhere between her laugh, her stubbornness, and the way she fit against me on that balcony…
This had stopped being casual a long time ago.
- Writer
