When (he)arts Prevail

25

Things had finally started to go well for Kaylee. She had found a routine that worked and day by day, being a photographer and working on her designs became natural again. She couldn't remember the last time she felt as focused as she had been feeling recently.

The last years had passed almost in a blur. She did what was required of her; she did her job, she paid her bills, but she was merely surviving. Now she truly believed she was living life. The simplest things seemed brighter and she no longer felt that dragging apathy when waking up. She had a purpose now and it kicked her out of bed.

She headed to the office much earlier now to work on her things before work actually started and people started crowding the place. She put her headphones on and worked for nearly 1h before unwillingly moving to her usual business.

That part was becoming hard. The projects she was in didn't excite her anymore. She would do the same thing over and over again, and despite asking for different types of stimulus, her manager not always had something to give her.

Kaylee tried to give her job the same energy she gave her own personal projects, and yet she couldn't.

After lunch, as Kaylee sipped on her coffee on the balcony of her office floor, the view of the beach on the horizon only increasing the longing to be there, she received a text from Brian.

'What're you doing later? It's hot as hell, I think I'm up for a swim.'

Kaylee's lips tugged at one corner.

'I'll probably do a photo shoot, but I can meet you at the beach after', she replied.

A seconds later her phone buzzed with a call. She didn't need to look before picking up.

"Hey, Bribri."

"Ugh, I hate it when you call me that."

Kaylee grinned. "I know, that's why I do it."

"Bitch."

She let out a small laugh.

"So, I was thinking I could make you company while you do your thing. Or are you going up to the pier?" Brian went on.

"I can shoot at the beach."

"It's a plan then!"

Kaylee smiled and looked behind a shoulder to make sure she was alone. "Yeah. I'll call you when I leave this prison."

"Kisses." Brian's emphasis on that last S always brought Kaylee to giggles. She was about to end the call when Brian's voice sounded on the other end. "What?" she heard him ask, amused.

"You're silly."

"My middle name."

"You have a lot of middle names."

She could tell he was smiling just by the way his voice sounded on the speaker. "Tell me another."

"Pain in the ass! What about that one?"

Brian snickered. "You adore me."

"Yeah, sure I do. Bye."

This time he was the one hanging up with a laugh and Kaylee just shook her head, smiling.

She and Brian had reconnected to levels similar to before Nate— and she didn't quite know what to make of it. It happened naturally with both working on their projects and supporting each other. They had been spending so much time together that they always had something to say to one another, whether through text messages or calls or spending nights together at each other's places until late hours.

Kaylee didn't mind for the most part. But when she really put her mind to it, it scared the shit out of her.