Chapter 18
1206 Words
****Dylanne
Kim hasn't been home for seven days. Seven days of her not responding to my texts. Not even a call back or a voicemail. Seven days of utter silence from my best friend.
Kai has been trying his best to reach me, but I can't talk to him right now. He's the reason all of this happened. If he hadn't been there, I would have told Kim differently.
It still bothers me knowing she won't pick up. She's been at Brooke’s place — I know because Brooke messaged me three days ago to say she's with her. I can remember the last time we saw eye to eye. She came back that night, packed a few things, and left. She said nothing to me. Not even goodbye, and it hurts.
I walked out of the office, my bag slung over my shoulder, and ran into a wall of chest. I looked up and my eyes landed on a smiling Kai. He had both hands tucked into his pants pockets, wore an Armani black suit, and smelled like a million dollars.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, infuriated. Just seeing him now annoyed the crap out of me and what was with that smile?
“You've been ignoring me. Come on, it's been seven days.”
I rolled my eyes, pushed him aside, and walked past. He followed me like a puppy chasing its owner.
“When Kim talks to me, then we can have a conversation,” I said, stepping to the side of the road as I hailed a cab.
“I know I f****d up, but we still have a deal.”
I stared at him in shock, as if he had suddenly grown two heads. Was he kidding? Talking about some flimsy deal when my best friend probably hates me.
“You must be out of your mind, Kai Reed. Sometimes you act like you think with your—” I groaned, “—with your c**k instead of your brain!”
That flimsy smile spread across his lips as he flashed a cocky grin my way.
The taxi pulled up and stopped right in front of us.
“Please… just give me one chance to make it right and let you believe me?”
“Kai…”
“Don't you want more? With me, I mean. Don't you want more with me? I want more with you. So please, don't deny me this chance.”
I glanced at him, then at the taxi driver, who was already getting impatient; his face was twisted with annoyance. Kai sounded sincere, and maybe a part of me wanted more with him too.
But it would cost me my friendship with Kim. What if she leaves me?
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself and looked back at Kai. “Okay,” I said.
A slow smile spread across his lips as I waved the taxi driver off.
“What now?” I asked.
He stretched out his hand, smiling brightly, and for some reason that gesture warmed my heart. I placed my hand in his and took a deep breath.
—----------------------------------------------------
We had gone to a park, and for the first time in years I felt alive. I wasn't worried about anything—no thoughts running through my head. It felt as if this was where I was supposed to be.
We rode the roller coaster, and afterward we had to stop because Kai vomited. He acted like a little baby on the ride; screaming, holding onto me, like he was going to be sick.
Typical. We also played games, which we both won, and we played a dance game too. Honestly, I can't remember the last time I danced that much. When night finally came, he drove us to a drive-in movie theater. We bought tickets and eventually a few chocolate bars, two bottles of Coke, and a big bowl of popcorn.
I watched him spread a warm cloth over me when I shivered from the cold. His hands held mine under the moonlight, and I blushed so hard. Fifteen minutes into the movie, probably while watching him, I decided to speak.
“Is this what you wanted? To bring me out to watch a movie?”
He paused, took a sip of his Coke, and turned to me. “No. And yes.”
I giggled. “Well, which is it?”
He moved closer, so close that our mouths almost touched. I gasped, mourning whatever that was.
He took my other hand in his. By this time, both of us had our eyes on each other; no one paid attention to the movie playing in front of us.
“Five years ago…”
My breath hitched.
“You don't have to—” I tried to say.
“No. I do. Five years ago, I was stupid and confused. When you told me that you loved me, I was happy and surprised. I mean… me. How could a beautiful, smart young woman fall for me? I was a mess. I had enough baggage that I was ashamed of.”
“What baggage?” I asked, interested. He only shook his head, as if brushing it away.
“It is nothing to worry about. Because now I'm different. I know it will probably take a year for you to believe me,” he joked, and I smiled wholeheartedly.
“But all I'm asking for is one chance. One chance to show you how much you mean to me, Dylly.”
Dylly. My chest did a backflip just from hearing him use that nickname for me.
“Kim…”
“And I will talk to her. I know we should have told her all those years ago, and we will… together. But right now I want to give her space until she's calm. As much as I love my sister, I won't let her decide who I fall in love with.”
Slowly, a reddish hue crept up my cheeks as I listened to him. My heart raced with him near, and I wanted him closer, so I shifted toward him and snuggled in. I closed my eyes, taking in his scent. This wasn't just my imagination. This wasn't a dream like I usually had.
This was real, f*****g life. And he was saying the exact words I had always wished to hear.
“Give me one month to prove it,” he said, holding my chin up and making me look at him.
“Give me a month to date you and prove that I've changed; that I'm no longer the Kai who left, leaving you with only a letter.”
It even hurt my chest thinking about the letter, about how many times I cried in my room for days and then ripped it apart.
I had tried my best to hide it from Kim, and I succeeded all those years. But I'm a grown woman now. A grown woman with feelings, and just like Kai said, I don't think I want my best friend to decide who I fall in love with.
Especially if he is her older brother. My first love. My first everything.
- Writer
