Somewhere Only We Know

XXIII - You Must Avoid The Moonlight

By the time the clock ticked over to 3 AM, Max and Kai had been talking for hours. The tension that had initially hung between them had long since dissipated, replaced by laughter and the kind of easy conversation that made it seem like the earlier arguments had never even happened.

Max sat comfortably on the couch, a tub of ice cream in her hand, scooping out small bites as she talked. Her laughter filled the room, light and genuine, and it was a sound Kai hadn't realized he'd missed so much until now. He sat across from her, leaning back in his chair, his eyes fixed on her as she spoke.

Something was soothing about watching her eat ice cream, the way she absentmindedly licked the spoon between sentences, a faint smile playing on her lips. Kai couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment wash over him, like they had finally found their way back to each other after a long, exhausting journey.

Max caught him staring and raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. "What? You want some?"

Kai shook his head, grinning. "Nah, I'm good. Just wondering how you can still eat that much ice cream this late."

She chuckled, taking another bite. "It's a gift. Plus, after everything, I think I deserve it."

Kai laughed, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, you do."

They fell into a comfortable silence after that, the kind that only comes when all the hard things have been said and all that's left is the easy, simple joy of being in each other's company. Kai watched as Max scooped up another bite of ice cream, her movements relaxed and unhurried, and he realized that for the first time in a long time, things felt right.

The warmth of the night, the sound of their shared laughter, the way Max looked at him with that familiar spark in her eyes—it was all enough to make him believe that maybe, just maybe, they could put the past behind them and start fresh.

And as they sat there, talking and laughing together, Kai couldn't help but think that this was exactly where he was meant to be.

Max was relaxing in a large, comfortable bean bag, enjoying her ice cream. The living room was softly lit by a lamp. Kai was seated on the couch, glancing at his phone and then at Max with a thoughtful look on his face.

"It's already a quarter to 4 AM," Max said, her voice carrying a hint of disbelief. She took another spoonful of ice cream, her lips smudged with chocolate, and let out a contented sigh.

Kai looked up from his phone and chuckled softly. "Yeah, it's getting late. I should probably head back downstairs. The guys are hammered in the living room."

Max abruptly stopped eating, putting the tub of ice cream down next to her, "Are you gonna go or what?" She asked, chuckling at the expression Kai had on his face.

Kai sighed, shifting on the couch as he glanced around the cozy living room. "Yeah, yeah. My bad. I'll leave you be now."

"Thank fucking Christ." She said as she picked the tub up from her carpet.

Kai stood up, a reluctant smile on his face. "Do you have rehearsals tomorrow?"

"Yeah, why?" She asked, standing up, "You can't come anymore, you know? Plus I'm going there a little later than usual."

Kai chuckled, dusting himself off, "Yeah, I know. Just, I could pick you up." He offered as he walked to the door.

Max followed him, her eyes lingering on him as he looked back in her direction. "Kai, I'm gonna drive to school. How are you supposed to pick me up?"

Kai gave her a warm smile as he stepped into the hallway. "Fine. But, I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

Max waved as he walked away, "Yeah, just text me or something," She sighed softly, closing the front door and then walking to the kitchen to put away the ice cream she had been eating for the past few hours, but the odd feeling of being happy that she was finally alone lingered. She scratched the back of her neck, stretching her other arm out as a sign of tiredness. "Safe to say he's just a friend." She said to herself, cringing at the thought of the awkward hug from earlier. But unbeknownst to her, Kai felt everything but friendship.

As the clock ticked past 4 AM, Max found herself lounging on the bean bag, the TV show she had put on Netflix losing its charm. The plot felt distant and uninteresting as she became increasingly restless. With a sigh, she turned off the TV, the screen going dark and leaving her in the dim glow of the room.

She stood up and walked quietly to the terrace connected to her bedroom. The air was cool and crisp as she stepped outside, her bare feet feeling the cold tiles beneath them. Max leaned on the railing, looking out into the night sky where a blanket of stars stretched out before her. The moon hung low, slowly descending toward the horizon, casting a soft, silvery light over everything.

Her thoughts wandered as she stared at the moon, its serene glow offering a fleeting sense of comfort. She wondered if the moon held answers to her questions—if it knew what her future held. Should she go straight to college, or was there another path waiting for her? The uncertainty weighed on her mind, and she found herself hoping that somewhere in the vast expanse of the night sky, she might find some clarity, "Oh, Luna. Please be there to lead me through the right path." She whispered to herself.

Before she could start fawning over the moon, she slapped herself back to reality, walking back into her room. Thinking of how she has rehearsals by 11 AM later, she chooses to catch some sleep.

short chapter i'm too tired heheh.
word count is 1009.