When (he)arts Prevail

4

After sharing a few words with Kaylee and Brian, Alyssa walked over to the patio, leaving Brian and Kaylee to gather food from the main table.

Brian nudged Kaylee with his elbow as she prepared a plate with a mix of snacks. "So, how are you really feeling about going to New York?"

"I'm excited, but a bit nervous too. It's the first time leaving Cali."

"It's what you've always wanted," he noted while filling up another plate of food.

Kaylee let out an almost inaudible sigh. "I know."

Brian looked up at Kaylee's lack of enthusiasm. "What's happening in that silly head of yours? The plushie is non-refundable, I'll tell you that."

That was enough to crack a smile out of Kaylee. "Just caught my parents talking. Do you think it's the right decision to go?"

Brian stopped what he was doing, twisting toward Kaylee and crossing his arms over his chest. 

"Are you kidding me?" he asked seriously. When Kaylee only shrugged, Brian grabbed her by the arms and turned her to face him. "Look at me." She obliged, tilting her chin up to meet his gaze, his brown eyes intense on her. "This is what you've been working for. All those late night sessions taking photos, all those days getting the perfect drawings and designs, building that mind-blowing portfolio. You've done it, goddammit!"

"What if I fail?"

"What if?!" he replied, eyes wide.

"Ok," Kaylee sighed.

"You're not backing down, I won't let you." Brian resumed his mission on getting as much food as possible in that tiny plate. What he said next, however, made Kaylee freeze, her heart skipping a beat. "Even if I'll miss you terribly."

The corner of her lips inevitably tugged up in a smile. "Liar."

He peeked sideways at her with a smirk of his own. "100% truth."

Kaylee didn't know how that made her feel. Despite flirting back and forth with Brian the last few months, both of them being single for a while, Brian had never made a move. And Kaylee didn't really feel comfortable giving the first step either.

And now it was a little too late, anyway.

"Well," Brian said, cutting through her thoughts, "you're going to New York and you're gonna do great."

They way he said it made it seem like he was convincing himself of that fact. That brought a sad smile to Kaylee's face.

She raised her eyes to Brian and when he caught her staring, his own lips curved into a smile. Kaylee's gaze inevitably dropped to his mouth, and despite the briefness of the action, it was enough for Brian to notice and the smile to turn into a smirk. Kaylee was almost sure her knees wobbled slightly at that.

Trying to overcome the quickness of her heart, she continued to fill up her plate.