Kenna smiles, and I swear it’s like the sun coming out after a storm. It makes my chest feel tight, but in the best possible way.
“You didn’t have to do this,” she says, her voice quiet but filled with warmth. “But thank you. That’s...really sweet.”
I shrug, not sure how to respond to that. “You’re worth it,” I say without thinking, and when she looks up at me, her expression softens even more.
She opens the container and takes a bite of the spaghetti. For a moment, she’s silent, chewing slowly as if she’s evaluating it. I hold my breath, waiting for her reaction.
She swallows and then grins at me, her eyes sparkling. “Okay, I’ll admit it. This is pretty damn good, Cole.”
A weight lifts off my chest, and I chuckle. “I told you I’d get it right.”
“You’re a keeper,” she teases, shaking her head, but her smile is genuine, and it makes me feel like I’ve done something right.
I stay there for a moment, just looking at her, realizing how much I’ve missed her. How much I’ve always cared for her.
Then, without thinking, I take a step closer. The air shifts.Slows. She’s still holding the container, but her free hand brushes against mine. Our fingers tangle briefly, like they remember each other.
I feel a spark between us, a connection that’s been there from the start. I don’t even hesitate. Leaning in, I kiss her, my heart pounding like it’s the very first time all over again.
The kiss is soft at first, tentative, like we’re both testing the waters. Her lips are warm, a little hesitant, but then she leans in. Deeper. And I know we’re both here. This isn’t just a dream.
The world blurs around us. My heart stutters in my chest.
When we finally pull apart, a smile tugs at my lips that I can’t hold back. Her eyes are a little wide, a little breathless, but there’s something else there too, something I can’t put into words, but I know it’s the same feeling I have.
“Wow,” she says, her voice a little unsteady.
“Yeah,” I breathe out, my chest still tight. “Wow.”
She looks up at me for a second, and I see a little vulnerability in her eyes, a little confusion. But she doesn’t pull away, and for the first time in a long time, I feel like maybe we’re on the same page.
“I should, uh…probably get inside,” she breathes, her voice barely above a whisper. “Millie’s probably freaking out. I was supposed to help her with our history project.”
I nod, my fingers brushing hers before I let them fall away. “Yeah. I should probably head home too before my mom sends out a search party.”
Kenna lingers there for a second, like she’s thinking something over. Then she smiles just enough to make my chest hurt. “See you tomorrow?”
“I hope so,” I say. “You know where to find me.”
She tugs at the sleeves of her hoodie, biting back a grin. “Locker 327. You’re kind of predictable.”
“Predictably awesome,” I joke, and she rolls her eyes, but she’s still smiling when she steps backward toward the front door.
I watch her go. Watch the porch light catch in her hair, theway she glances over her shoulder one last time before disappearing inside.
Then I walk, hands in my pockets, as my heart does something weird and heavy in my chest.
This…whatever it is between us. It isn’t loud or dramatic. But it’s real. Real enough that I already know I’m in deeper than I meant to be.
She’s not just another girl in the hallway anymore. She’s the one I wait for between classes. The one I notice when she’s not around. The one I’d walk any damn direction for, as long as she’s on the other end of it.
The night air is cool on my skin, but I don’t care. All I can think about is her. Her laugh. Her eyes. That quiet little look she gave me right before the door shut. Like maybe this scared her a little too. Like maybe it mattered.
And I don’t know what’s going to happen next. I don’t know if we’ll last past senior year, or if we’ll even make it past Friday. But I know this:
I’m in. All the way.
I’ll be the guy who walks her to class. The guy who learns her coffee order. The guy who shows up, even when it’s hard.
