Next Generation ~ a kotlc story

The Galla Part 4 - Kenric

"Come outside with me?" I whispered in her ear, a soft question I hardly remember deciding to ask.

She smiled, squeezed my hand, and let me weave her through the crowd and out into the fresh air of the courtyards.

Out here, everything was quieter. Fireflies floated through the air and the faint sound of the music drifted out to meet us.

This was it. I had to make a choice. It was now or never. Tiergan's words rushed back into my mind.

'So maybe you're right! Maybe it is safer this way! But you, Kenric Foster, have never cared about 'safe' a day in your life! It's not a word in your vocabulary! You clearly love Willa, aren't you willing to risk something that will never be truly right when you could have something a million times better?! If she means this much to you, take a chance for her! You know you'll regret it if you don't.'

And I did. If I lost my chance with this incredible, intelligent, creative, light hearted, beautiful, loving girl with her arms spread wide as if to embrace the world, I would never forgive myself. So I made a choice.

"I need to tell you something."

Her eyebrows did that adorable thing where they creased into a tiny furrow and she tilted her head. "Hmm?"

"Just promise you'll let me finish. Hear me out."

"Of course, Kenric." Her wide, teal eyes gazed up at me, searching for an answer.

"I think I'm in love with you. I know we're friends. I know that doing this could ruin everything, and break this amazing thing we have into a thousand pieces, but I can't not do this. I can't go another day without telling you that when you smile, your nose scrunches up, and it's the cutest thing I've ever seen. And I love that when it rains, instead of pouting, you run out into the rain and dance. And sometimes when you're super focused on something, you stick your tongue out, and it's adorable. And you find good in every person you meet, even if they don't have any. And you make every room, like, 10 times brighter just by stepping into it. And sometimes when you laugh I want to kiss you so bad it hurts."

She stood there, lips slightly parted, tears welling in her eyes. The moonlight spilled over her in silvery waves, highlighting her red curls. "I.. I don't know what to say."

"Agh! No! I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done this. I messed up everything we had and-"

"No! No, I don't mean that! I mean... I think I love you too. And I've tried to deny it and hide it for so long, and it hasn't worked at all because this is... it's something I can't even control. Something I don't think I want to." Before I even knew what was happening, she was leaning in, and I was too, and our lips were fractions of a centimeter apart. She stayed there for a moment, letting me close the distance.

I didn't hesitate.

Kissing Willa was probably the hands down best thing I've ever done. Our lips fit together like they had been made to do this, and all of a sudden her hands were in my hair and I was pulling her close to me, eliminating any bit of distance that dared to separate us.

I could see every freckle that dotted her nose and cheeks, every shade of teal in her eyes. This, having this wonderful girl and being able to call her mine, was worth every risk.

The End.