Sober

Kyler and I sat on the couch in each other’s arms for at least an hour. Instead of watching TV, we were just enjoying each other’s company which was nice, but I was insanely anxious.

Not only was I not used to being held for so long, but I never thought I’d ever win. I never thought he’d be mine.

I’m so awkward and trip over my words and am frankly too embarrassed half the time to admit my feelings. Nevertheless, Kyler thought it was adorable and read me like a book, which is mildly terrifying but still comforting to know that he gets me.

Most people in the past didn’t like how timid or emotionless I was at times, and so they’d give me the same energy back, despite me not doing it on purpose.

I wanted to act like Kyler’s outgoing personality and flirtatiousness was annoying, but it was almost comforting. Sure, I don’t want him to speak up and stand up for me non-stop, but it’s nice to know that he’s willing and isn’t ashamed to be around me.

Around six, Kyler finally got out of his pajamas and eventually tied his hair back up. Though, when he came back out of his bedroom, I froze.

He laughs. “What?”

“What do you mean what?” 

He’s wearing what he normally wears to work, and man, it doesn’t matter the environment—he just always looks hot in that.

“Now I feel underdressed!” I exclaim and start trying to fix my hair.

Kyler adjusts his suspenders, smiling. “Nikki, you look great. Don’t worry.” He walks to the front door and starts putting on his shoes, so I do the same.

“Anyway, where are we going?” I ask.

“It’s a surprise.”

I groan. “What, why? What if it’s someplace fancy and I show up like this and they kick me out!”

Kyler chuckles. “You’re wearing a collared shirt—it’s fine. And making it a surprise makes it spicier!” He stands up. “This will be our first actual date.”

I blush, and he smiles and kisses my forehead.

“Is that cool with you? No one will have to assume anything or worry about any drunk mishaps. For once, we can actually act like adults!”

There’s a pause. And then we both bust out laughing.

“That is if you want!” He chuckles, and I shrug, grinning.

“Eh, we’ll see how the night plays out,” I state and grab his hand before we finally leave his apartment.

Once in the car, I stare at all the scenery and traffic signs, trying to figure out where the hell he’s taking me. Honestly, I never go too far off campus. There are a few stores and restaurants nearby, along with a few frat houses but other than that? I was a hermit.

I’d already lived here for about two years, but I’m still terrified of getting lost.

I glance over at Kyler, who as usual, looks sexy as hell as he drives with one hand, leaning his head on the other as he reclines back slightly.

His icy blue eyes catch me staring at him, and I flinch.

“You good over there?”

“Mhm.”

He then switches hands and places one on my thigh. He glances at me, smiling.

“You sure?”

I interlace his fingers with mine and nod. We stay like that for the rest of the car ride, and it’s quite nice. 

Before I know it, he backs into a parking space, and we get out. Kyler runs over to the front of the restaurant and does jazz hands.

“Tada!” He beams and then starts laughing at his own action. “I heard it’s the best Spanish restaurant in town! Deja’s been here before, and she says it’s great!”

I snicker, knowing that Kyler probably won’t be able to read or pronounce a single thing on the menu, but I grin and run over to him anyway.

“Have you been here before?” He asks as he holds the door for me.

“Not since I was young. And uh…that was the same day I learned I was allergic to nuts and had to be taken to the hospital.” I joke.

“W-What?! You’re allergic to nuts?”

I shove him as the waiter seats us. “Stop yelling—and yes! Only if I eat them though, and I’m old enough to know what’ll kill me and what won’t.”

We’re led to a booth by the window, where we can slightly see the sunset, and it’s quite pretty. Kyler sits across from me, still freaking out as I look over the menu.

“I’m so sorry!”

I chuckle. “Nene, calm down—I was like six. We can make new memories, not to mention everything tasted great—even the nuts.”

Kyler snickers. “O-Okay, well, that’s true and good to know I guess.” He then starts looking at the menu, and eventually, our waiter comes over and asks what we want to drink.

I ask for water, and Kyler, completely confused as to what’s going on, orders the same thing.

“I didn’t think they’d be speaking Spanish!” He panics quietly.

I laugh, continuing to figure out what I want to eat. “The name of the restaurant is literally in Spanish.”

He sighs while blushing, and starts gulping down his water once the waiter comes back. For once, he looks a bit worried, so I start explaining all the menu items to him.

“I guess this is giving me a taste of what meeting your parents’ll be like,” He says and chuckles awkwardly. “I won’t understand a damn thing.”

“Kyler, you’ll be fine. They’re relatively fluent in English too, and I’m sure the waiter here will speak English if you show visible confusion.”

He plays with his sleeves. “Yeah, but you get to be authentic, and it’s…mildly embarrassing.”

I reach out and rub his hand. “Kyler, it’s fine. Do you want me to order for you?”

He blushes and doesn’t say anything, and it’s kind of cute. It’s so weird to see him flustered.

“Promise you’ll at least teach me the basic stuff before Thanksgiving.”

We smile at each other. “Promise.”

Eventually, our waiter comes back and I tell him what I want. Kyler still decides to speak for himself, and despite butchering half the words, he succeeds while also amusing both of us.

“C-Can I also get some sangria?” Kyler stutters.

“Which kind?” Our waiter asks, luckily responding to him in English. He blushes again and turns to me.

“You think they have peach?” He whispers. “How do I say that in Spanish?”

“Sangria de duranzo.” I chuckle.

“Can I have a sangria de duranzo?” Kyler then asks the waiter, and I hold in my laughter. He writes it down and smiles before walking back to the kitchen.

“Fuck, that was so bad,” The brunet exhales. He drinks the rest of his water. “I should’ve asked for an appetizer—I’m already starving, but I didn’t know what to say.”

“I would’ve talked for you!” I exclaim. “Do you want my soup when that comes?”

He wipes his face and then sighs again, now smiling. “Nah, nah, I’ll be fine. Thanks though. Anyway,” He goes on. “Do you maybe…wanna make this a weekly thing?”

“As in…?”

“Like,” He leans back. “Every weekend, we go out to dinner, maybe?”

I blush.

“L-Like it doesn’t have to be fancy or anything! But we have different classes, and maybe aside from studying together during the week, it’d be the one way to guarantee we’d see each other around.” He plays with the ice in his glass. “And it’ll probably be more fun than those stupid chaotic parties.”

I chuckle. “Yeah, if it’s just us, I don’t have to worry about Zeke popping up out of nowhere.”

“And not just that! Here you can get drunk by your own means if you so desire.”

I shrug, ironic, as the waiter comes back to hand Kyler his sangria and refill his water.

“I think I’m gonna try and lay back on the alcohol for a while,” I mutter awkwardly. “Passing out, not remembering shit, and getting hungover isn’t too fun, even if I only did it on the weekends.”

“Or we could at least drink together in reasonable amounts.”

I snicker as he takes a sip. “I don’t think I trust myself around you with any alcohol in my system.”

Kyler smirks. “Oh? I mean, I don’t think it’s the alcohol that’s the problem—you’re just finally becoming content with the fact that you have a massive crush on me.”

“I-I do not!”

He leans on his hand. “Then why are you sitting across from me right now, huh? If you didn’t like me, I’m sure you wouldn’t be here,” He teases, chuckling as I try to hide my face.

“I love you,” He whispers, rubbing his foot against my leg from under the table.

“I love you too,” I mutter, searching the table for something to distract myself with no luck. 

He bites his lip. “Hm? You’re so quiet—I couldn’t hear you,” He whines. “Say it again.”

“You know you heard me!”

He keeps sliding his foot up my leg, but I just laugh.

“Say it again,” He pleads, still drinking his sangria but not breaking eye contact with me. “Nikki…”

“I love you too!” 

Kyler reaches across the table and kisses my hand. “God, I love you so much,” He whispers and showers my entire palm in kisses, and I blush as some people across the restaurant glance at us.

“K-Kyler, calm down, people are looking,” I snicker, yet he continues. “God, maybe confessing to you was a bad thing—now you’re just overly horny.”

He snorts. “I’m not horny, you idiot.”

“Then what the hell are you?” I exclaim as I push his foot down from between my legs.

“In love. With you.”

Kyler laughs as I freeze up, unsure of what to say. I didn’t wanna bully him for being flirty and get more weird looks, but I also couldn’t just sit there in silence.

He smiles, interlacing his fingers with mine. “Every time I touch you, you turn red and try and hide your smile, and it’s so damn cute—even when you try and act mad.” He gazes at our hands. “All it does is make me wanna touch you more…” He whispers, and then glances at me, his icy eyes piercing my entire soul.

“That’s so embarrassing Nene, be quiet.”

He was barely doing anything yet was still managing to make me hard. Maybe it’s because of the tone of his voice or the way he looks at me, or maybe how he’s actually mine, and anything can go down.

“D-Do you act like this around other people?”

Kyler laughs. “What?! No! I’m honestly never this flirty around anyone, but it’s so cute when you get flustered that for you, I turn it up to the max.”

I roll my eyes.

“I mean, you blatantly said that is what you’re into earlier, right? Being showered in kisses?” Kyler then runs his lips down my hand and upper arm, and I flinch.

“Nene!”

“It’s not like you’ve cursed me out for touching you or something.”

Just as Kyler runs his tongue across my skin, the waiter comes over with my soup, and I whip my arm away, red-faced.

I thank him and then proceed to stuff my face, using it as an excuse to stop getting lost in Kyler’s eyes.

“You need to calm the fuck down!” I scowl as I wipe my mouth. “Otherwise, I’ll never go to dinner with you again!”

“Oh yeah!” He lights up. “You never said whether you’re down for that or not!”

“I won’t be if you try to eat me out at the dinner table!” I hiss, and Kyler busts out laughing.

“What?! Do you even know what that means?”

“What what means?”

He then laughs harder, completely red-faced. “Please don’t ever say that again!” He cackles. “I was merely kissing your hand—it wasn’t that bad!”

“You were practically making out with my fingers!”

Kyler leans back as I continue eating. “Sure, sure. But did you like it?”

I glare at him. “I think I’d like it if we weren’t in a room full of people.”

He smiles. “Alright, noted.”

“Anyway,” I glance at him. “Doing this…every weekend sounds fun. I’d always have something to look forward to.”

“Yeah! And if Deja’s cool with it, you can come over too!”

“You can always come over to my dorm,” I say, and then Kyler blushes. “L-Like, just in a casual sense!” I elaborate.

He continues smirking. “Sounds fun, either way.”

I finish my soup, and after a few minutes, the rest of our food comes over. Kyler practically drools on himself and starts stuffing his face, respectfully.

“That’s what you wanted, right?”

He nods quickly and continues eating. For once, we sit in silence since Kyler’s mouth is full of food, stopping him from spouting any flirty bullshit. I get another water, and eventually, the waiter brings him another sangria.

I didn’t think he was a lightweight, but then again, at parties, I drank most of the beers he got for both of us. Though, it would explain how affectionate he was being. Maybe he was one of those touchy-feely drunks.

“This is the greatest thing I’ve ever eaten in my entire life,” Kyler admits after finally taking a break.

“Then you’ll probably like my parent’s cooking.”

He grins. “Is it seriously this fancy?!”

I nod. “I mean, it seems basic to me but pretty much, yeah. It’s just spicier.”

“I’m totally down for that!” Kyler beams and downs some of his sangria.

“How’s your peach what-cha-ma-call-it?” I ask and point to his glass.

“Really good! You want a taste?”

“N-No, I’m good. Thanks though.”

Truthfully, it looked delicious. My family often hosted company and my aunt would always bring her own concoctions and after a certain incident…always made a non-alcoholic version for the kids.

My nerves weren’t really a problem right now, but I still wanted to preventatively calm them down. Though, I knew it was an awful idea.

“Kyler,” I awkwardly blurt, catching his attention as he admires the restaurant’s decorations.

He instantly smirks. “Yes, Beautiful?”

I snort again, covering my grin. “Stop! Don’t—why are you like this?!”

“What?” He snickers. “Would you rather me call you Nikki or Beautiful?” The man rubs his chin. “Or maybe even My Beautiful Beloved Nikki.”

I sigh as my cheeks burn.

“Anyway,” He finally stops laughing. “What’s up?”

I attempt to organize my thoughts again, but as with most interactions I initiated, my words always came out jumbled. 

“So, I-I don’t know, but I was looking at your sangria, right?”

He cocks an eyebrow.

“And…” I sigh, covering my face. “I don’t why I’m telling you this. Maybe it’s because of earlier and you literally saying I could talk about whatever.” I groan. “And it’s not it’s supposed to be your responsibility—it’s just a fun fact, too.”

Kyler smiles awkwardly. “What is?”

“Oh. Shit, yeah.” I mess with the silverware. “I think I wanna get sober,” I mutter. “A-And it’s probably stupid to tell you since you’re a goddamn bartender and it really has nothing to do with you—you don’t have to help me—you don’t need to help me! I just…”

I feel Kyler brush his foot against my leg from under the table, and I quickly look at him.

“I really couldn’t hear half of that but I’m assuming the moral of the story is you wanna quit drinking.”

“Yeah.” I rub my neck. “I don’t have any good memories of when I was drunk… I mean, I rarely remember anything because I’m a scrawny lightweight and shit goes straight into my bloodstream.” I chuckle. “Well, I remember dancing with you a little bit but that’s about it.”

“And you can still dance with me sober.” He chuckles. “Whenever you want.”

“Y-Yeah.”

“Well, thanks for letting me know. I think it’s a good idea, honestly.” Kyler smiles.

“You don’t have to join me or anything though. It’s my own mission—I guess I just wanted someone who could hold me accountable.”

He stares at his drink. “Er, yeah. But at the same time, I think I could benefit too.”

“You barely drink though!”

“Nikki, I’ve been drinking since I was fifteen.”

I gulp.

“Yeah.” He chuckles. “So, we’ve both got decent reasons, especially since your alcoholism wasn’t really a choice. Zeke forced it on you whereas I was always making a conscious decision. Regardless, my priority is still just being someone you can lean on.”

My leg starts bouncing on the floor while my eyes are glued to his face. His sincerity almost brings me to tears each time. I try to hide my smile, but the joy fizzes through my body.

“Thank you.”

He grins. “Don’t mention it. It’s a good goal. Not sure if it classifies as a main quest or a side quest, but I’m supportive.”

I chuckle. “Main quest is probably graduating.”

He laughs. “True!”

Kyler returns to stuffing his face and well before me, he cleans his plate. I take my time as to not get indigestion, and to no one’s surprise, he returns to his flirts. He keeps it on the low, but it still makes my heart race as I try and eat. Though, it at least relieved my stress about drinking for the time being.

“K-Kyler, if you keep talking like that, I’m gonna vomit glitter and rainbows.”

He snorts. “That’d be a sight to see!”

“Be quiet!”

The boy finishes his second drink, and as I continue taking my time, I glance up at him.

“Are you drunk?”

He laughs. “What? No—I’ve only had two of these, and I’ve been eating.” He organizes his plates and dishes. “Why?”

“N-Nothing, I was just wondering, is all. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you drunk.”

“You have. You were just drunk too so you didn’t remember,” He laughs before sipping some of his water while waiting for me to finish eating. “Regardless, it takes me a while. Most I get is a little tipsy, but even that takes a bit.”

I wipe my mouth and eventually stack my plates with his once I’m done. “Lucky.”

“Not really,” He mutters. “I just have a high tolerance since…I’ve been at it for a while.”

I wipe my mouth. “Why’d…you start?”

“Eh, just to escape my family, I guess. My thoughts would either vanish or at least blur to the point where I couldn’t remember why I was so upset or how much they hated me.” Kyler kept a smile as he spoke somehow. I admired it, but it worried me a little too.

“At parties, I just wanted to look cool with my classmates and I started liking the woozy feeling…somehow.” He laughs. “Drinking with friends is always different. It’s concerning when you’re locked in your room during the dead of night downing bourbon with school the next morning.”

My jaw drops and Kyler shrugs, chuckling.

“But I at least stopped doing that. Once I moved out, that is. I really only drink with friends now, but the thoughts are still there.” He glances at me. “I know,” He continues. “You thought I was more stable than that, yeah?”

“I-I mean, a little! I don’t know! That’s just…really scary.”

“Eh,” He adjusts his sleeves. “Yeah. At the time I felt like I had nothing to lose and thus nothing to fear aside from my family.”

“God, I can’t even imagine.” I rub my face.

The image of adolescent Kyler drinking until he couldn’t walk is unsettling, especially since…he wanted to. When people gave me shit, I chugged it to get it over with, but he could never get enough.

“Thank God you weren’t hospitalized.”

Kyler quickly averts his gaze.

“W-Were you hospitalized?”

He grew anxious. “I mean, no. My dad would’ve lost his shit over me raiding the regular liquor cabinet, his locked liquor cabinet, and forcing him to pay overpriced medical bills…” He mutters. 

“I remember getting close a few times, at least I feel like it. Then again, no one ever came to check on me even in the daylight, and if I felt like something was wrong,” He pauses, smiling at the table as he sinks in his seat. “…it’s not like I could ask for help anyway.”

“Kyler…”

“It’s fine,” He laughs, but I can tell by how he grips his glass that he’s struggling. “It was a terrible phase of life but at least it’s over. And I made it out alive.”

He covers his face, but I can’t tell if he’s embarrassed, tired, or trying to hide the fact that he’s wiping tears from his eyes.

“Sorry, this shit is so unromantic for our first date. You got anything better to talk about?” He peeks through his fingers, but I can’t clear my head at the moment.

“Did you…wanna make it out alive?”

He lowers his hands. “Huh?”

“That phase of life. Did you…”

“God, no.” He laughs loudly and I jump at the sudden positive outburst, but it quickly ends. “I-I don’t know,” He whispers. “It’s just weird to think about. I’m so happy now—I have friends who actually like me for me, and I’ve got the cutest boyfriend in the world, and despite everything, I still have Deja as my best friend.” His voice quivers a little. “It’s weird to think I ever felt so bad but back then it felt impossible to believe I’d ever have a chance after high school.”

Kyler sighs, leaning on his hand. He looks me over, but he can never seem to make eye contact. “My brothers drilled it into my skull that I had no purpose. My interests weren’t important, I wasn’t good enough at school—I was the worst Wells brother.”

“So,” He exhales. “I just tried…to have fun. Either drown out my thoughts with beer or live each day like my last. Because of them I was afraid of the future.”

I struggle to swallow. “How could they treat you like that? They’re your family!”

He shrugs. “Yep. The Wells are fucked up. It came in waves throughout high school, month by month, but…yeah.” He pushes his glass away from himself. “I would drink until I physically couldn’t repeat the action to take another sip. Some days I had boundaries, some days I didn’t. The days I didn’t were rare…but when they came along, I was determined not to wake up the next morning.”

He goes quiet. I could hear the conversations from tables around us and the music playing throughout the restaurant. Kyler stares at the table, frequently buttoning and unbuttoning the end of one of his sleeves. 

“Deja is the only person who would miss me,” He says after a while. “And she’d be completely blindsided because I was a dick and never told her anything important. She’d give me her life story but whenever I seemed off and she brought it up, I’d lie and say I was perfectly fine.”

“And you were never fine.” I mutter.

“Not a single day in my life back then.”

“Kyler…”

“I’m fine now though, promise.” He finally looks at me.

“No, you’re not—don’t promise that. This conversation is a clear sign you’re not.” I explain.

“Yeah, well, at least if I stop drinking, I can finally leave it all behind. I swear to God, there wasn’t a single alcoholic drink I hadn’t tasted. Everything I drink reminds me a little bit of how it was back then.” He sighs. “And sometimes I get reminded of the parties and all my old friends, and other times…it’s…yeah.”

“Yeah.”

“I-I’m sorry.” He mutters.

“Why are you sorry?” Despite my own nerves and racing thoughts, I reach across the table and grab his hand. Oddly enough, his hands are freezing cold.

“I feel like this is every other conversation you have with me!” I joke. “I’m an angsty brat and swore that would’ve repelled you, but here you are.”

Kyler smiles a little. “Here I am. I like where I am right now.”

“Yeah?”

He examines my fingers. “I’m glad I met you. I’m happy with the people I’m surrounded by now. I don’t know what home feels like, but I imagine it’s something like this.” He kisses my hand.

“Aw, Kyler…”

He chuckles. “It’s fine. After tonight, I’ll do the hard reset.”

“You’re gonna quit drinking like, tomorrow?”

He shrugs. “Sure, yeah. If I procrastinate by starting next weekend or at the beginning of next month, I’ll never start. You too, I’m assuming.”

“That’s true, yeah.”

I watch the waiter approach the table and Kyler tries to fix his face, but his cheeks are still flushed. He looks shaky and it’s probably from holding in ninety percent of his tears, but it’s not like I could do anything about it.

“Do you…want dessert?” I ask as our waiter grabs our empty plates.

He gazes at me, smirking. “Only if you’re on the menu.”

I turn red, unsure what to say, and Kyler finally laughs for real. In the end, we get the check, and he proudly pays for our meals.

“I can’t wait to do this again!” He exhales, stretching like he just awoke from a full night’s sleep. “Maybe with lighter content next time.”

I chuckle at his expression. “Nah, next time it’s just my turn.”

Kyler snickers and wraps his arm around my waist as we leave the restaurant, but since he’s Kyler, he slips his hand into my back pocket. He’s practically latched onto me so I can’t push him away.

“Keep your hands to yourself!”

He rolls his eyes. “What? We’re outside now!”

I return the gesture, only to steal his keys from his pockets afterward.

“What are you doing?”

I scoff as we get to his car, and I hop in the driver’s side. “You drank—I’m not letting you behind the wheel even if it was only two glasses.”

“Oh shit, yeah. God, I’m so scatterbrained right now.” He mumbles sadly.

I turn on the car. “Hey, no worries. Even if you weren’t, it’s still cool.” I was proud to be taking initiative, but at the same time, I had no idea how to get home. I mess with the GPS on my phone as Kyler fiddles with the radio station.

“So uh, are we going back to my place…or yours?”

He glances up. “Whichever you prefer.”

I pull onto the road. “You think Deja’s home yet?”

Kyler gives up on the stations and then puts in a CD. He starts jamming beside me, and it’s hard not to join him since it seems to be some pop from a few years ago.

“I don’t know—I can text her if you’d like!”

I blush a little, both hands on the wheel. “Uh no, that’d be weird.”

I zone out as I drive, that is until Kyler starts singing, and it catches me completely off guard. Here I am, driving my boyfriend’s car as he’s dancing to Katy Perry in the passenger seat, dressed like the hottest bartender I’ve ever seen.

“Join me!” He says mid-verse, and I roll my eyes. “C’mon!”

“I-I don’t sing,” I explain awkwardly as I notice incoming raindrops on the windshield.

“Dude, how can you say no to car-karaoke? It’s the greatest form!” He says proudly and then goes back to singing.

After a few seconds, I give in and join him. He laughs as I do so, both of our faces red as we manage to perfectly quote everything in Teenage Dream.

Kyler takes his hair out and rolls the window down, frankly, having the time of his life. It was satisfying to see after earlier, but Kyler is just…so Kyler.

“Dude, it’s raining!”

He shrugs and combs his fingers through his hair, and it’s super-hot. “Yeah, well, it’s my car! Live a little!”

I scoff and then roll down my own as the song changes. “Nene, you’re in dress clothes!”

Every time I call him that, he pauses for a nanosecond, and if he’s not already blushing, he turns red. I don’t hold much power over him except for that, and it’s great.

“I’ve got many more of these outfits Nikki, it’s fine.”

I continue driving and singing, occasionally glancing at the GPS now and then. We end up stuck in traffic but to prevent motion sickness and potentially throwing up all over his dash, I get off at a random exit and try to find a back road.

Kyler doesn’t seem to mind all the extra time this is taking, which is a relief, because I suck at directions. Though, he had a full gas tank, so we could literally go anywhere. I don’t think he’d mind as long as we were together.

Just like when I was in the passenger seat, Kyler places his hand on my thigh as we have our little concert, all while trying to get home in the pouring rain. After about four more Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and Shakira songs come on, he glances at me, smirking.

“Are we lost?”

I chuckle awkwardly. “Uh, I don’t think so! I hope not?”

Kyler grabs my phone and looks over the directions. Suddenly, he laughs.

“W-What?”

“We’ve been lost for almost an hour now! You typed in the wrong address! We’re way across town!”

I eventually pull over and end up stopping in some empty parking lot. Kyler turns the music down as I hide my face.

“Dude, it’s okay! I’m still having fun—aren’t you?”

The sound of the rain pounding the windshield overpowers both the CDs and my whispers. Kyler leans over and lifts my head.

“To me, this day just keeps getting better.”

I chuckle. “R-Really?”

He pecks my nose and then turns the radio back up, suddenly hopping out of the car.

“Yeah!” He beams, laughing as he stands out in the rain. He looks like a lunatic, but he’s adorable, and hey, at least he’s my lunatic.

“W-What are you doing?! You’re insane!”

In a few seconds, his body is completely drenched, and against all better judgment, I get out there with him.

“Damn right I am!” He runs over to where I am and grabs my hand. He pushes my hair out of my face since it quickly got stuck to my forehead, and I couldn’t see anything.

He pulls me into him. “Dance with me!”

I chuckle as we start jamming to the music coming from the car, echoing across the parking lot. 

“God, your life really is like a movie, huh?”

Kyler shrugs and spins me. “Nah, that was only once you came around.”

All I can do is laugh as he continues to twirl me in the pouring rain. I’m afraid of getting cold, but at the same time, Kyler’s body temperature makes me feel like I’m on fire. And while I usually hate that feeling, this time, it was all I wanted.

The song switches, and he pulls me closer to him, us both grinning like idiots.

“I think this is the most fun I’ve had on a date in my whole life!” I beam, his hand on the waistband of my drenched jeans.

“It better be!”

Kyler starts singing along with me and steps back to get his own little jam session on. I can’t pull my eyes away as his hair flies everywhere, and I realize I can see his entire chest through his white dress shirt. It’s gotta be the sexiest thing I’ve ever laid my eyes on, and that wasn’t an adjective I frequently used for anyone.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’ve done this before!”

Kyler laughs. “I mean, dancing? Yes. Dancing in the rain with my favorite human ever? That’s new!”

I laugh along with him, completely aware of how red my face probably is. “You’re so cheesy!”

He pulls me back into him as the song fades out. “Only cuz I like you so much!”

I grin and play with his hair as he places his arms around my waist. “I like you too!”

Kyler leans in slightly, and as we oddly bump noses, he snorts, and the sound makes me break into laughter again.

“What was that!?” I exclaim, trying to catch my breath.

“Shut up! I was trying to kiss you, but you moved!”

“Okay, okay, now you can try again.” I exhale.

“You sure?”

I roll my eyes. “What the hell are you asking me for?! You know it’s like my favorite thing ever!”

He smirks as rainwater drips from his hair. “Oh yeah?”

I scoff and instantly grab his face, slamming my lips onto his. He loses his balance for a second and tightens his grip around me, somehow managing to decrease the gap between us, despite how we’re already pressed against each other.

He runs his hands up and down my back and hips as we sway a little, hearing only the sound of the rain and our breathing.

As we pull away, we stare at each other while I play with his hair a little.

“Promise me you’ll do that more often,” He whispers against my lips, already leaning back in again.

“Only if you promise to stay with me.” I tease as he closes his eyes.

Kyler pecks my lips, my body overheating immensely due to his touch.

“I promise.”

Start: 9.8.2021—8:08pm
End: 9.28.2021—2:20pm