The Volition

Ten.

I felt such an immense sadness. My heart had been broken by a friendship I wasn't even allowed to salvage. My chest felt heavy and with so much pain. Everything became a chore. It was a hassle just to get into the shower. Brushing my hair was torture. It took all of me just to climb into bed.

Kuma stayed by my side the entire evening. She would judge me every so often and I would continue to stare at the wall as I listened to her whine. At one point she bit my arm trying to pull me out of bed but all I ended up doing was roll onto my back and stare at the ceiling.

I was ready. I was ready to give it all to Kyle. I was ready to put all the work in for him. I was ready to try and see where we would grow. I was willing to put in that effort for him. I wanted to do the work. Kyle challenged me, he put me out of my comfort zone and pushed me to think. Kyle pushed me to dream and to create goals. Eli likes me as I am, Kyle likes me for who I am while also striving to be better each day. Eli was comfortable while Kyle had ambition.

I could feel the tears sting my eyes but I was too tired to cry anymore. Kuma began to bark at me loudly. She probably needed to go for a walk. I turned my head to look at her. She barked again nudging me with her head. Frowning I rolled out of the bed onto the floor pushing myself off to stand up. I looked in my closet for a short black dress and found my gold flip flops. Throwing my hair into a ballerina bun on top of my head, I grabbed her leash and she pulled me outside into the night.

Instantly Kuma went to the beach and I found myself waiting for her to get out her energy so I could crawl back into bed. I took her leash off and let her roam around as I just stood there staring up at the sky.

"Hey Ace."

I turned around quickly, "Kyle." I looked at his tired self and felt like hugging him.

"I'm sorry about earlier."

"Me too." I whispered looking down at my flip flop, "What happened?"

"When I found out you were also seeing that other guy I just kind of... Lost it."

I chuckled, "Only a little bit."

"But you have to understand, this is not the first time I was burned by a girl playing some game with me."

"I get it. I've had guys play games with me. I guess I just didn't think."

Kyle looked at me biting his lip, "So..."

"So..." I mimicked.

"I'm starving."

I smiled, "Me too."

After grabbing Kuma, we all walked back to my house. I fed Kuma and refilled her water bowel as Kyle rummaged through my refrigerator taking things out and setting other foods aside. I watched him cut up some chicken and throw seasoning on it.

"Are you cooking me dinner?" I smiled.

"I thought you said you were hungry."

"I am." I nodded sitting on one of the counters watching him cut up an onion and throw it into the frying pan with the chicken.

"Well then okay, hand me that green pepper."

I handed him the pepper watching him slice and dice vegetable after vegetable, "what are you cooking me?"

"Stir-fry. Do you like stir-fry?" He asked cutting up a carrot.

"I love stir-fry." I hopped off the counter looking into the pan as he stirred everything together. It smelled delicious. I quickly grabbed a mushroom out and popped it into my mouth.

"That's for dinner." He frowned.

"It's so good!" I exclaimed smiling.

Kyle laughed and I grabbed another mushroom out of the pan eating it right away. Kyle went back to stirring the pan and I stood behind him wrapping my arms around his waist resting my head on his back. He turned his head to look at me smiling.

"I could get use to this." I said quietly.

Kyle turned around and looked at me with the soft blue eyes he use to look at me with before. He placed his hand on my cheek rubbing his thumb back and forth. I smiled placing my hand over his. He leaned down kissing my cheek.

"Me too Ace." He whispered in my ear.

We sat down and ate the dinner he made. It was incredible and I kept praising him for it. We talked about everything from our hopes and dreams to embarrassing nicknames kids at school gave us. My side hurt from laughing at a story Kyle told when he was a little kid, how he'd snuck into what he thought was a candy store but turned out to be a coin collecting shop. He tried to bite into a penny and just tasted bitter copper.

I began to clear the dishes and put them in the sink. Kyle stood next to me drying the dishes as I washed them and our conversation carried on. After the last dish was dried Kyle grabbed my hand and led me out of the kitchen into the open space near the living room. He pulled my arms around his neck and placed his on the small of my back. We began to dance even though there was no music playing. I threw my head back and laughed.

"What are you doing Kyle?"

"I'm dancing, I don't know what you're doing though."

"I'm following your lead!"

"Not very well" he mumbled.

I laughed again and he drew me closer to him. I rested my head on his shoulder taking him all in. Everything was perfect. This night couldn't have gone better.

Until there was a knock at the door.

I walked over opening the door to see Eli standing there with flowers and soup, "Hey I thought you might be hungry." He said smiling.

My head felt heavy all of a sudden and my vision began to blur, "I don't feel so well." I said.

Eli looked at me with concern. I put my hand to my head feeling a sudden rush of severe pain. Suddenly everything went into slow motion. I felt sick to my stomach. Standing became difficult and I stumbled a bit backwards. I remember hearing Kyle screaming at me as he rushed to catch me fall. Eli dropped the flowers and the soup as I crashed to the ground.

"Ace!" Kyle screamed from so far away that it echoed into the walls. I tried to focus my sight but I couldn't no matter how hard I tried and soon I could feel myself succumbing into the darkness.

Author's note:
Hello readers! Thanks so much for all the love and continuing to read my story! I appreciate all the feedback I can get! Let me know what you think in the comment section and also don't forget to vote! Love you all :)