From the perfect start

Capter 46- old memories, new friends

I love you, my lovelies.

Kaden's POV:

I gently brushed my lips against her enchanting curves, tracing their beauty with reverence. My fingers tenderly caressed her skin as I whispered questions about the true meaning of it all. Her trembles and sighs were my only guide, as I sought permission in the softest of her sighs. To be honest, I didn't have feelings for her, nor did I truly desire her. I was just captivated by her beauty, and in that moment, I felt so painfully alone. But those memories, initially insignificant, lingered in the recesses of my mind, only to be twisted into the most sinister moments of my life.

I found myself begging to go back in time, to take his place, to spare him the torment. I discovered that she had spiked his drink with roofies because she couldn't stand the thought of him being with me. She was the only one who noticed the way I looked at him, and she ruthlessly exploited that knowledge to destroy the person I loved most in this world, my Luke.

And now, she had tainted whatever existed between me and Ally as well. But I had to tell her because, after Luke, she was the one who saw me for who I truly was. I couldn't bear the thought of her discovering it from someone else. I needed to show her the monster I had become and let her decide what kind of forgiveness I deserved.

A tear trickles down my cheek as she presses her lips against mine, and for the first time, it doesn't feel like an act of hate. There was not a hint of disappointment in her touch. I cup her face with trembling hands, my touch bearing testament to the depth of my emotions. Our lips meet in a gentle, stolen kiss, a bittersweet blend of love, desire, and sorrow. The outside world ceased to exist as we cling to each other, savoring this fleeting taste of love that circumstance had denied us.

In another lifetime, where my best friend was still alive, where I didn't have to hurt others to find solace, in a world where I only needed her and him, I would confess everything to Ally.

Our kiss speaks volumes of our longing, a silent plea for a future where our love would no longer be forbidden, where happiness could replace the sadness that had bound us for so long. But for now, all we have are these stolen moments, a clandestine kiss that holds our hearts in its tender embrace, even as it threatens to break us apart.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Kaden. I shouldn't have done that, not after what you told me," she says, shaking her head, her lips still swollen from our kiss, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes.

"No, don't apologize, please," I whisper against her lips, pulling her closer and locking our eyes in an intense gaze.

"I needed this," I confess silently, more than life itself.

"It's not your fault," she reassures me once more.

"And I will keep telling you until you believe me. I have time. I'm a college student. What else should I do with my free time?" She says, trying to lighten the mood, and a small smile forms on my face.

"Now you have to share one of your deep, dark secrets," I tease, taking her hands in mine to warm them.
"I'm really glad the others already slept, so we "had" to be in here together." She whispers, tilting her head in a cute way.

"Ally," I reply with mock seriousness, a flutter of excitement in my belly at her confession, my cheeks blushing.
I study hear features when silence comes between us.

"Okay, okay. Well, sometimes I feel like the loneliest person in the entire world. Sometimes, I'm afraid I don't have a real family, and sometimes, I think it's because I'm unlovable," she confesses, her eyes avoiding mine.

My heart aches at her words. How could she not see what I see in her?

"You do have a family. I know you said your family hated you when we first met, but that can't be true. I'm sure they love you," I reassure her. How could they not?