Kade walked over and looked down to see Lila sitting down at the bottom of the ladder. "Ha, what are you doing?" Kade said, stepping down onto the ladder. "Oh, y'know just getting my daily fall in", Lila said, laughing. She stood up and brushed the dirt off of herself. "C'mon, you go first", Kade said, stepping off of the ladder so Lila could go first. Lila hesitated. "I'll be right behind you. I'll catch you." Kade said. Lila started climbing. She was three bars away from the top when she lost her footing. Kade caught her. 'Kade's hands are strong, but gentle. His embrace reassuring. No, I have to get to the top!' Lila told herself. Lila regained her grip and apologized to Kade. "Sorry" "No apology needed", Kade said, giving Lila and extra boost to get her on top of the roof. Kade made it to the top of the roof and sat next to Lila.
Kade was so busy saving Lila's life, he didn't notice the scratch she had above her left eye. "Whoa!", Kade said, reaching for Lila's forehead. Lila turned away from Kade and said, "Oh, that? It's nothing, really. I just bonked my head on the way down". Kade looked into Lila's eyes sincerely. "Let me take a look". Kade grazed the scratch and inspected it. He slowed his strokes and lowered his hand down to her cheek. She looked so beautiful under the moonlight. 'She belongs up in the sky with all of the stars'. He leaned in, closed his eyes and kissed her.
All time stopped. Their eyelashes fluttered. It was just them. Nothing else, just Kade and Lila. Kade released his head and slowly opened his eyes. His hands were still on her jaw. Her eyes were still closed and her hands were still intertwined with Kade's.
Lila opened her eyes and pulled her hands away suddenly. "I...I should probably get some sleep", Lila said, standing up. "Okay... I'll just, uh, stay up here for a while", Kade said. Lila made it successfully down the ladder with no mishaps. She went inside and crawled over Paige the Sleeping Dragon and drifted off to sleep.
YOU ARE READING
Stragglers
General FictionIn the town of Hawkins Indiana, some strange things were happening. 33 years ago the parents of Lila Harrington along with the parents of Paige Henderson, plus the parents of Kade Byers, dealt with even stranger things. Samson Wheeler's parents we...
