Promised To Another

IT FEELS... RIGHT.

Kai drives us to a part of town that is not frequented by students.
We join the throng of people as we walk aimlessly around the mall with no specific destination in mind.

We get ice cream and he gets chocolate and strawberry flavor with almost all the toppings in the display while I just get plain vanilla ice cream without any toppings.

" I still can't believe it is possible to make ice cream look so disgusting." I say looking at his cup.

"And I still can't believe it is possible to make ice cream look so boring," he counters.

He tries to hold my hand as we walk but I swat him away.
I can tell he was expecting that from the way he is laughing.

"I mean, we just kissed in public, don't you think it's a little too late to start being coy now?".

"To be clear, YOU kissed me in public."

"And I didn't hear a single complaint from you. In fact, I think I might have heard a moan," He teases with a smirk on his face.

I just roll my eyes , but can't help the smile that lights up my face up as I look up at him.

It is in this moment that I realize that I really like him. As in, like him a lot! This is now more than just the attraction or crush that I have been feeling but in denial about since the first day we met.
I realize that there is genuine connection and I love being around him, I am definitely going miss him in the next two months of the winter break.

He peers down at me .
What I am feeling must have been clear on my face because an emotion I couldn't quite decipher quickly crosses his face and disappears before I could place it.
Suddenly the playfulness leaves his face as he focuses on his ice cream cup like it has suddenly become very intriguing.

I gently tug at his t-shirt and he looks down at me quizzically.
I just smile and offer him my hand, he hesitates for a second before what I am trying to do clicks.

When it does, he smiles and then takes my hand in his large one and intertwines our fingers.

it feels... right.

This feels more intimate than sharing a kiss in public.
We walk silently hand in hand for a while until Kai clears his throat and I look at him.

"I love holding your hand but..." he smiles sheepishly as he raise his other hand to show me his melted ice cream, the whole thing looks even more disgusting as if that was even possible.

"Are you saying that you would choose that ..." I nod my head towards the his cup, my face scrunched up in exaggerated disgust.
"Over this?" I say lifting our intertwined hands.

"Not exactly, but..." he hesitates a bit as he looks longingly at his ice cream.

"Ooh my word, you choose the ice cream over me" I purse my lips at him feigning to be hurt.

"Ooh never! I will choose you any day." He says as he suddenly pulls at our interlocked hands to bring me closer and peck at my pursed lips.
I break character of being 'hurt' as I burst out in laughter at his antic.

"Do you want this?" He asks trying to feed me his melted mess.

" Hell nawh." I drawl as I quickly slip my hand out of his and back away from him.
I bump into something solid and warm.
I quickly turn around to apologize but the apology stay lodged in my throat.

"Ooh...hie," I say timidly, feeling like I have been caught doing something I shouldn't be doing for the second time tonight.

Sage takes a moment to reply as he looks between Kai and I.
He gives Kai an almost imperceptible nod of acknowledgement and he returns the gesture.
We hadn't had the time to really hang out or chat since the escape at Johannesburg , not because we had a fallout or anything. We have just been too busy.