Salvia High School

Chapter 27: Picnic

After making a few sandwiches, packing some sides, and a variety of drinks the couple had finished making their picnic feast. Lain had grabbed a wooden basket from out of a cabinet and a blanket from a nearby room.

After setting the food down at the bottom of the deep basket, Mallix laid the light weighted blanket on top of it all as he shut the lid.

"Right on time." He felt accomplished seeing the sun slowly lowering itself near the mountain peak from out the kitchen window.

"I'll get Kaila. You pack the car, we'll be right there." Mallix kissed her cheek as he walked back into the living room seeing Kaila giggling to herself.

The sight was precious.

'Precious?' He grinned while pondering the word to himself as he walked over to her.

Getting down on his knees he rested his hand on her shoulder. "You ready to go to the park now?"

Rather than getting a response Kaila turned to face him throwing her finger in front of her lips before turning back around to face the stuffed toys all lined up in front of her.

Elie was front and center.

One by one she grabbed them, giving them a small shake, before moving to the next. Every time one of the plush's rattled Kaila giggled at the noise.

"Come on, we're going to the park now. Tell your new friends bye." He tried again before being shushed.

"No. Elie's putting on a show!"

Mallix couldn't have been happier to see her playing around so carelessly. But they still had plans to stick by. "Kaila, baby, you can play with all your toys when we come back." His voice was so soft, it seemed almost fragile.

He didn't mean to let it slip. But seeing Kaila so free and content to the stuffed animals and rattling noises—it forced it out of him. The small girl didn't move or say a word. She just stared ahead at the animals blinking slowly.

"Kaila. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that yet." He tried to removed his hand from her shoulder but what happened next was the last thing he'd expect.

Instead of Kaila shutting down or turning away from him, she jumped into his lap and went into his embrace. He would have fell back if he hadn't got a hold on his balance. He froze feeling her small body cling on tighter to him by the second.

"Don't be sorry." Her voice was shaky. Digging her face into his strong neck she wrapped her arms tightly around him.

Feeling his arms surround her she shuttered at the warmth. "Are you sure?" He was still baffled.

He felt her nod her head against his skin. "You said it yourself in class earlier...I like it. You like it. So it's okay!" She perked up seeing a tear steak down the side of his face.

Using her tiny hand to wipe the rogue tear off his cheek Mallix just pulled her in for a tighter hug. "I was afraid we'd lose you." He admitted loving the feeling of her body against his.

"I...I did some research about all this...you know...stuff." She looked down shyly. "And...and I'm not scared."

"When did you have time to do the research?"

"The night you dropped me off home. I...I wanted to know more about it but I was too nervous to ask you or Lain. So I looked it up." Her smile was sweet.

"And it doesn't scare you?" He wanted her to clarify again just to prove to his extremely shocked and lost brain what she said was true.

"Nope. I...I thought it was kinda...well cute." She felt flustered staring into his eyes.