SOMEONE YOU LOVED | sean&kaycee

3

january 1st 2017

"bubba! wake up! it's the new year! 2017! happy new year!"

her giggles filled the morning air, bringing a sense of warmth and familiarity to the room that made the boy smile. sleepily tugging on the hem of her shirt, the boy willed her to tuck herself back in next to him. she was so energetic this early 7am morning, but it was nothing new.

kaycee rice was literally just a ball of happiness and sunshine, and sean was mad lucky he got an angel like her in his life.

"i know, kayc, we were all up until 1am celebrating it." the boy chuckled, his voice coming out raspy and still sleepy. "happy anniversary to us, bub. one year of being with your annoying antics, and i'm still alive."

"you love it though." she giggled softly, poking his red nose. the girl snuggled deeper to his side, taking his arms and wrapping it around her waist. her eyes traced every part of sean's puffy face. "i got you a little something! don't you want to see?"

slowly, sean's eyes peeled open and the softest smile was painted on his lips. he leaned forward to leave a tender peck on her forehead, snuggling in her hair for a moment before pulling back to look at her.

"if those are more socks, i don't want it," he spoke, a sarcastic tone in his voice. "i have a years end of supply for that from christmas."

"no.." she slowly said, shaking her head with a grimace. "maybe yes. but it was those cute black socks you saw two days ago..?"

the boy only shook his head with a smile on his face, carefully standing up from his position. of course she would remember the black socks with cat ears he teased her with days ago, and of course she'd get him that for the laughs.

kaycee's eyes followed his stretching figure, wondering where the boy was going in this early hour. everyone else was probably asleep still.

"i was joking! i got you socks, and something else." her lips jutted out in a cute pout, and sean can't help but feel even happier just by the sight of his girl.

"hold on, you clingy goof. i made you a little something." he stretched for a little more, before reaching under the bedside table for his laptop. "it might suck, it might not. i don't know. i just hope.. you'll love it as much as i did making it."

the girl looked even more confused, with her head cocked to the side and her eyes squinted in a calculating stare. but she attentively crossed her legs on the bed, excitement mixing in her eyes.

"just watch," was what sean said as he put the laptop infront of her. it was already booted up, with a black screen of a video tab opened. "and i'll brush my teeth really quick."

it was something sean made while she was asleep on the drive going to big bear. she was all snuggled up on his lap, all clad in her fluffy sweater and the beanie he placed on her head.

he was only supposed to look at all the videos he had in 2016, and delete all the scrapped videos. but instead, it turned into an endless scrolling through his archives that was named 'happiness'. and all it had was videos of him and kaycee, doing random stuff at random choreographing sessions or dates.

and then his bright little mind thought of something to craft for her.

it wasn't too grand, or too perfect, or too romantic. but it was simple and special, just like her.

(watch the video on the media above)

he finished up his business in the bathroom that was in their room, and the first thing he saw going back to the bed concerned him.

kaycee looked up with puffy eyes and a sniffling nose. there were streaks of tears going down her cheeks, with her lips quivering a little.

"frick you," was what she first muttered. and sean hurriedly dived to the spot next to her.

the boy's eyes grew wide in worry, taking her face in his hands and wiping away her tears with his thumbs. "you didn't like it? did you hate it? i cou—"

he couldn't finish his words when the curly-haired girl tackled him in a huge bear hug, with her head buried in his neck and her arms tightly secure around him.

she felt cozy, and warm, and like home; like she always was — his home.

"i love it, so so much, bub. i love it. what do you mean it sucks? it's the best gift i've ever gotten, and i'm so so thankful for you and your creative little head and your corny little mind.

"i'm obliged to love you even more now, shamu. damn it. i love you."

and the boy's body relaxed, his lips curving up in that familiar soft smile in both relief and happiness. his arms automatically cradled her in his lap, kissing the crown of her head. "and i love you, angel, happy first anniversary."

"KAYCEE CAITLIN RICE!"

kaycee stumbled back in her seat, almost falling off of the high chair she was in.

i really have to get my shit together.

"are you okay? you've been spacing out today.. like, a lot." bailey sok's eyes were searching all over her face for a sign of something. "we can go home if you like."

"no, no." kaycee cleared her throat, embarrassingly fixing her position on the chair as she was distracted yet again. "i'm just.. really woozy, and this essay is wearing me out."

bailey looked unconvinced, as much as tahani who watched all of this unfold from the counter of poppy's café.

it was almost a year since it happened, and it was almost a year of their bestfriend trying to forget.

the first months were the hardest for her because even just the slight mention of his name sent her to another mess of crying. they knew it wasn't going to be quick and easy because.. it was two soulmates breaking apart after almost two years.

but entering the summer break, she was coping greater than before. the old kaycee rice shine came back, and she started to become her old self again.

she seemed as if she was finally moving on, and they were all so happy she wasn't hurting like she did.

but it all turned to shit when the first day of classes came around, and she saw him again for the first time.

her friends realized she wasn't okay; she never was. she was just good at temporarily forgetting who he was.

"just tell me if you want to go home, okay?" bailey said once again, filling up with so much concern for her friend who looked like she was getting more and more exhausted by the day.

the girl could only nod, her lips stretched in a fake smile.

her eyes drifted back again to the couple seated by the window — the couple she was staring at before she spaced out.

they were laughing in glee, clearly in love with the way they looked at each other with the most starry-eyed faces. the boy held a phone to the girl's face, capturing her candid smile as she laughed again at something he said.

she used to have that. but now, someone else does.