Changing Seasons

Forty-Six

****

"Krist, "She began an earnest expression on her face, "Of course, I am serious about you. About us. You're the only person I have ever pictured myself being with, the only person I have wanted to be with."

Krist took her hands into his, "I love you, baby. More than you probably realize."

"I love you too. I'm so happy I found you again."

He kissed her softly, wishing he wasn't sore at the moment. He needed her. He needed to feel reassured. "Are you serious about moving down here with me in March?"

One thing Atira had never expected Krist to be was insecure; it had caught her off guard. He had always seemed so confident and self-assured when they were teenagers. "Krist, I promise you."

He wanted to believe her. he hated the constant nagging in his head that she would leave and abandon him like everyone else had, but it was such a hard feeling to shake.

"Did I ever tell you that my girlfriends and I all had crushes on you as soon as we saw you Freshman year?" Atira asked him as they slid into bed.

Krist cocked his head. "No, I didn't even know y'all knew who I was."

Atira laughed, "Oh my god, all the girls knew who you were."

He clicked his tongue against the back of his teeth, "Please."

"Krist, you know all the girls liked you back then. You were, like, the hot bad boy."

While it was true that he'd never had an issue getting girls, he sincerely doubted Atira had even known who he was a year before they'd met.

Atira rolled onto her side, propping her head up with her hand. "I can tell you what you were wearing the first time I saw you Freshman year."

Krist himself couldn't remember what he wore that day or even that year. "Is that so?"

"You had in like this slim fitting blue and black checkered flannel, buttoned up with the sleeves rolled up and sagging gray skinny jeans with a white belt." She began to laugh. "big black and green sneakers, like those skate shoes? Oh, and a bunch of those I Heart Boobies rubber bracelets."

Krist's cheeks reddened. He definitely had dressed like that going into the ninth grade. "Oh my god," he laughed, "Thanks for reminding me. Hella cringe back then."

"That was before you started dressing all baggy," Atira told him. "Before everyone started calling you Slim Shady."

He covered his face and laughed, "God, I was such a douche." Krist sat up in bed, careful to not move too quickly. "I remember seeing you back then, too."

"Really?"

It was true, though he hadn't actually had a crush on her or anything. Atira was cute, although she'd been one of those girls Krist had viewed as not approachable because they'd been two different types of people. "Yeah, you were one of the office assistants. I don't remember what period, but you'd be there when I got sent to ISS," he laughed. "A couple times you had told me to sign in."

"You were in there a lot."

"I was a dipshit, what can I say?"

"What did you think of me back then?" Atira wanted to know.

Krist ran his hand up her thigh to the curve of her hip. "I definitely thought you were pretty." He paused, thinking. "You were like the kind of girl that was out of my league, though."

"How so?"

"You were responsible and didn't do dumb shit like I did. I just figured that someone like you would not even be interested in someone like me."

"Oh my gosh, not even. I was super intimidated by you, though. Like, I'd never even kissed a boy and thought that you'd laugh at me if I tried to flirt or something. I used to get the worst butterflies when you'd come into the office," she admitted. "Can I tell you something else?"

"Anything, baby," Krist told her.

"When they partnered me with Brad for debate class and he asked if I wanted to work on our project at your house, I was legitimately petrified about seeing you there. Like, I really, really wanted to see you. It was kind of awkward because I know Brad liked me back then."

"I never asked you, did you like Brad like that?"

Atira's cheeks reddened, "I guess? I mean, I thought he was cute because he looked like you but I absolutely had a whole crush on you."

Krist shook his head, "I do not look like that guy." He always denied the resemblance even though he recognized it as true. Krist kissed her gently, "I'm glad I stole you from Brad."

"Brad never stood a chance." Atira grinned, stroking his face.

"Lame ass Brad," Krist laughed. He brushed a stray hair from her face, "This sounds corny as fuck and like I'm just trying to spit game," he laughed, "But legit, nobody has ever made me feel the way you do." Atira smiled. "I feel...like insecure? Or like one day you're gonna wake up and realize you can do better than me."

"Krist, no. Never."

"I've always felt like that with you. You have always had your shit together and I just feel like a dumpster fire. I honestly wonder what you've always seen in me."

Atira studied his face. "Krist," She began, "Yes, you have had your issues but I have always been able to see that under everything, you have a good heart. Look at you now, everything you've been through. You are responsible, you're a good father, a good son, you're caring, you're insightful. You are probably the most emotionally open man I could ever meet."

"So, I'm a crybaby," he joked.

"Not even. You have emotions and you aren't ashamed to be vulnerable. When I met you, you put up this huge facade of being overly confident and cocky. All my friends thought you were going to be some fuck boy asshole."

"I'd be lying if I said I haven't at points in my life been that," Krist admitted.

"You've never been that to me. No fuck boy is going to respect me the way you did."

Krist gazed tenderly at Atira, "I can't ever imagine treating you like that. Legit, never." He thought for a moment. "I'm glad you saw something decent in me because you are one of the best things that has ever happened to me. I keep waking up thinking it's a dream."

"I feel the same way about you," she smiled.

"You are an amazing woman. You are sweet to Rocco, my mom loves you. You have your shit together. You actually have goals. I love you so much, baby."

"I love you too."