The Irrefutable Flame⎪✓

❨22❩

♀︎

Walking up to the blue house with white doors, I search for my two best friends. We haven't seen each other since our dinner date after the wedding two months ago and they just called to invite me to this random location in Hetdale. Dani and Relly walk out of the cozy house with radiant smiles on their faces, I run in their direction and throw my arms around them in a big group hug. Their laughter sounds through the air and I smile, this is too random to be some weird announcement. They have something to tell me. 

"Girls," I say and raise an eyebrow when they pull me into the house, their eyes are shining mischievously and it makes me nervous. "What's going on here?"

In the living room, I see Brock seated on the couch, his frame as big as ever and I give him a hug. "Nice to see you, Dakota. I understand those two haven't told you yet," His words weird me out even more and I turn around to face my friends. 

"Spill, bitches."

"Okay!" Dani says and grabs my arms, pulling me down onto the couch next to us. "Brock and I made it official after the wedding and we decided to come live in Hetdale."

My eyes widen in excitement, "Wait! Are you serious? So this is your house then?"

She nods her head and I engulf her in a big hug, Relly joining us seconds later with her loud laughter. "That's not even the best part," Relly suddenly speaks and I look at her. "I'm moving back here, too!"

"What the hell is going on?" I say and pull them into my embrace, the warmth I feel in my chest has me sighing in delight. I have my two girls here, the man of my dreams waiting for me at home, my home town is now the center of our lives again and I fucking love it. "Am I dreaming? This seems too good to be true."

"You aren't," Brock speaks up from the other couch. "We thought about where we wanted to settle down, none of us could see any other option than to move back. Everything started here and all of our friends are here, this is the best decision and we're very happy."

"So this is officially official?" I ask in slight disbelief and point between Brock and Dani, they smile and nod at me. "Impressive. Never thought I'd live to see the day where the two of you owned up to your feelings."

Dani pushes my shoulder and laughs, "No reason to be rude, Kota. You and Elijah aren't any better than us, you guys hide behind long stares and intense eye contact. Don't fool yourselves into believing that you are simply friends."

"That's not true!"

Relly nods in agreement, "Yeah it is, I know you hit it off in Barnsley as well, but you ran away again. It's kind of the norm between you guys, unless you feel like this time is different. He barely made an appearance at the wedding."

Thinking about their words for a second, I allow myself to dwell on what they're saying. Some of it is true, it's easier to run away than to face the problems. In high school I needed to get away from the death of my dad and the abuse of my mother, in college he pushed me away and I accepted it by running away once again. This time feels different, both of us are damaged but we need each other. As much is clear. 

"This time is different, guys," I say with finality in my voice. "We've grown up a lot during these years and it's been good for both of us, even the periods of time without the relationship. It was important to find ourselves before diving headfirst into love."

Brock nods his head, he and Elijah are closer friends now and I know he knows more than he tells us, "I think your time apart did you well, now all there's left is to build your relationship."

Hating the attention on myself, I choose not to answer his comment and instead turn to Relly with a smirk, "What about you, anything new?"

She laughs nervously, "I just told you I'm moving to Hetdale, isn't that huge news?"

"It is. But that wasn't what I implied and you know it," She laughs again by my words and I immediately feel like there is something she isn't telling us. "What are you hiding over there?"

"I may have met one of the mathletes from high school in a grocery store a week ago," She whispers and my widened eyes meet the shocked ones of Dani. 

"Wait," Dani says and raises a hand in the air. "The mathletes that hated you with a passion because of your constant need to talk? How in the world did you manage to catch the eye of one of them?"

"He has his own company and wanted my judgment on some design in his lobby, we had a few business meetings, but it wasn't until I bumped into him a week ago. He asked me out and was curious to know about me and my life now," Her explanation has me fanning myself, she throws a pillow at me and laughs. "I don't know what it will lead to, but he really is a friendly and relaxed person. Which is exactly what I need in my life."

I shake my head, "Wouldn't have imagined us ending up like this. Having the three of us here and slowly finding love is probably the best scenario, definitely better than the times we spent crying in a hug whenever we said goodbye."

The two of them nod in agreement and my heart is content. The rest of the evening is filled with sharing memories and crying over movies. I've missed this so much and I'm so fortunate to have these girls in my life. Not only in this moment right here, but also in the future where they'll live here with me being five minutes away. It doesn't get any better than this.