Cold Water

TWENTY NINE

                   ♥︎ATHALIA♥︎

   Monday morning came quicker than I expected. As I stood in front of the mirror, brushing through my hair, I couldn't help but feel a wave of nervousness wash over me.

  I thought about Saturday, about the kiss. It was sweet, unexpected, and in that moment, it felt so natural.

  But now, with school just a few hours away, all I could think about was how Brandon would act. Would things feel different?

  I sighed, trying to shake off the nerves. Maybe it's not that big of a deal, I told myself. It wasn't like I'd never kissed anyone before, but something about this was... different.

   He was different. And that made it feel even more nerve-wracking.

  As I grabbed my bag and headed out the door, I decided I wasn't going to bring it up first.

  If he wanted to talk about it, we would. But I wasn't going to make things weird. I'd act like everything was normal, like nothing had changed-maybe that would take off some of the pressure.

  When I got to school, my stomach flipped as I spotted Brandon near his locker.

  He hadn't noticed me yet. He was fiddling with something in his bag, looking a little distracted. I took a deep breath, steadying myself before walking over.

  "Hey." I said, flashing him a smile like I always did.

  He looked up quickly, and for a split second, I saw the hesitation in his eyes.

But then he smiled back, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Hey." he replied.

  There was an awkward pause, just for a moment. My heart skipped a beat. Was this it? Was it going to be weird now?

  But then I pushed the thought aside and continued, keeping my tone light and playful. "You ready for another week of school? Because I could definitely use a break already."

  He chuckled, and some of that tension I'd been holding onto slipped away. "Yeah, I know what you mean."

  We fell into an easy conversation after that, talking about random stuff like usual.

  I didn't bring up the kiss, and neither did he. Maybe it was better this way, acting like it never happened.

  But as we walked to class together, I couldn't help but notice the small glances he kept throwing my way when he thought I wasn't looking.

  It made my heart flutter, but I pretended not to notice, keeping things normal.

At least for now.

~~~~~~~

  The next day at school felt like it dragged on forever, each class seeming to stretch out as I waited for the end of the day.

  Finally, the bell rang, and I met up with Brandon. We decided to head to the park, where we usually go when we want to talk.

  As we walked to our usual spot, I could sense that something was on Brandon's mind.

  He seemed a bit quieter than usual, and I wondered if he was still thinking about the kiss we shared.

  I tried to push my own nerves aside, knowing that our conversation would be important.

  When we reached the park, we stood by the swings, facing each other. The familiar surroundings made me feel a bit more at ease, but I could tell Brandon was tense.

  He took a deep breath, and I could see he was gearing up to say something important.

  "Hey, Athalia," he started, his voice a bit hesitant. "About the kiss we shared the other day... I've been thinking about it a lot."

  I nodded, feeling my heart rate pick up. I had been thinking about it too, but I wasn't sure how to address it. Brandon continued, his gaze steady.

  "I just want to be open with you, like you told me to be. Why did you kiss me? And... did it mean something to you?"

  His question hung in the air, and I could see the vulnerability in his eyes. I took a moment to collect my thoughts, trying to find the right words to convey what I felt.

  "I kissed you because... I wanted to, and well, it felt right in the moment," I began slowly searching for the right words. "And it meant something to me, definitely. I don't want it to be just a fleeting thing. I like you, Brandon. I really do. A lot, actually." I chuckle, my face heating up.

  "I guess I wanted to see if you felt the same way. Did it mean something to you, too?"

  He looks at me, a mix of relief and nervousness in his eyes. "It did," he admitted. "I really like you too." He quietly admits, a blush slowly creeping on his face.

I grin.

He feels the same way.

As the conversation settled, I noticed a sense of relief wash over Brandon.

  His shoulders relaxed, and he looked more at ease than he had all day.

  We stood there quietly for a moment, both processing the significance of our talk.

  "Thank you for being honest with me," I said softly, reaching out to touch his arm. "I know it can be hard to talk about feelings, but I really appreciate it."

  Brandon looked at me with a small, genuine smile. "I'm glad we talked about it. It makes me feel a lot better knowing how you feel and that we're on the same page."

  We began to walk slowly through the park, the conversation flowing more easily now.

  The earlier tension had given way to a more relaxed atmosphere, and I could sense that we were both more comfortable.

  We stood close, our conversation flowing effortlessly. It felt like the perfect moment to solidify the connection we'd just discussed.

  I smiled up at Brandon, ready to say goodbye. "See you tomorrow?" I asked, feeling a bit giddy.

"Definitely." he replied, his eyes reflecting the same enthusiasm I felt.

Just then, Brandon took a small step closer and gently cupped my face with his hands.

  I looked up at him, a little surprised but also thrilled. Before I could say anything else, he leaned in and pressed his lips to mine.

The kiss was soft and tender, and it felt like it held all the words we hadn't yet spoken.

  It was different from the first one, filled with the emotions we had just shared and the promise of what was to come.

  When he pulled back, our faces were still close, and I could see the happiness in his eyes.

  I was caught in the warmth of the moment, my heart racing with excitement.

Brandon smiled, his hands still resting gently on my face.

  "See you tomorrow." he whispers, his voice filled with affection. I nodded, my smile widening.

  "Definitely." With one last, lingering look, we parted ways, each of us heading home with a new sense of anticipation for what our future might hold.

♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎