𝓗𝓲𝓼 𝑅𝑒𝑖𝑔𝑛

49

My life was black and white before I met Kailani. She brought color to it in a way that I had never thought possible. Everything felt different with her. The air smelled sweeter, the world seemed softer, and the chaos in my head quieted when I was near her. I could never have anticipated how much someone like her could mean to me, how she could bring light into the deepest, darkest corners of my soul.

"When you know, you know," they say, and it's true. The first time I saw her, I just knew. I knew she was mine, and I knew that I'd move heaven and earth to keep her. She didn't just walk into my life; she changed it completely. The clock of my life started ticking the day I saw her, like it had never mattered before then.

I stood in the bathroom, fixing my hair, staring at my reflection in the mirror, lost in thought when I heard the soft padding of her bare feet behind me. Kailani, with her long, wild, tangled hair, still half-asleep, shuffled in, her eyes barely open as she wandered over to the toilet.

"Morning," she mumbled, pulling her frilly, white dress up and plopping onto the toilet, her voice sleepy but sweet. She started talking about a dream she'd had, her voice rising as she got more animated, the words running together in her usual chatter. I couldn't help but grin through my mask.

As I washed my hands and moved to leave, she shot up, panties bunched between her thighs as she waddled over and grabbed my arm, tugging me back. "Wait! You didn't listen!" she said, her voice insistent, dragging me back toward the tub. I let her pull me, her grip firm, making me sit on the edge of the bathtub.

She waddled back to the toilet, and with all the confidence in the world, sat back down and continued her story like nothing had happened. I couldn't take my eyes off her. The way she spoke, the way she could hold my attention so effortlessly, the way she had no shame in being herself around me-it was everything. She didn't even know how much I adored every second of it.

And I just leaned back, grinning behind my mask as my eyes wandered over her.

---

Later in the day, we found ourselves sitting on the porch, enjoying the quiet of the afternoon. It was one of those lazy days where neither of us had anywhere to be, and the sky was a mix of clouds and sun. Kailani sat beside me, her head resting on my shoulder, her fingers lazily tracing patterns on my huge arm as we listened to the wind rustling through the trees.

"Salvatore," she started, her voice soft and thoughtful. "What's your favorite color?"

I didn't have an answer for her, at least not a simple one. I'd never cared about things like that before. But before I could even respond, she perked up, sitting straighter, her eyes lighting up with enthusiasm. "I bet it's black!" she said, her voice filled with such excitement that it made me smile, actually smile...for the first time in 10 years.

Black wasn't my favourite colour though, but I couldn't bring myself to tell her. Not with the way her eyes sparkled as she waited for my response, so sure she was right, nodding slowly, watching her face light up.

"I knew it!" she said, her voice triumphant, as if she'd won some great victory. She beamed up at me, so proud of herself, and I'd say it a thousand times, ink it on my skin, make an announcement to the whole world just to keep that smile on her face.

We stayed like that for a while, just enjoying each other's company until the sky darkened. When the first drops of rain started falling, Kailani jumped up, pulling me to my feet. "Dance with me," she said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

I followed her out into the rain, the cool droplets hitting our skin as she twirled around, laughing like a little kid. She reached for my hand, pulling me into her spin, her wet hair sticking to her face as we danced together in the downpour. Her favorite song played faintly from inside, but it was barely audible over the rain.

She pressed herself close to me, her body warm against mine despite the cold rain, her laughter infectious as we swayed together. It was one of those moments that felt like a dream, like time had stopped just for us. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close, feeling the rhythm of her heart against mine.

"Do you think it'll always be like this?" she asked, her voice soft as she rested her head against my chest.

I didn't hesitate. "yes"

---

The next day, we went for a ride. I held up the light pink helmet, carefully placing it on her head, making sure it fit snugly. Kailani giggled as I tightened the strap under her chin, her eyes playful as she looked up at me. I leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her lips through the helmets. The plastic separated us, but it still made her giggle.

She hugged me tight as I helped her onto the back of the bike, her arms wrapping around my waist as I revved the engine. The roar of the motorcycle echoed through the quiet streets as we sped off, the wind whipping around us, her laughter filling the air. Her grip on me tightened with every turn, her legs squeezing against my sides for stability.

We weaved through the streets, her arms never loosening their hold on me, and I couldn't help but feel the warmth of her body pressed against mine, the trust she had in me to keep her safe.

When we finally pulled up to a stoplight, she rested her head on my back, her breath warm against my neck. I glanced in the side mirror, catching a glimpse of her pink helmet and the way her wide eyes took in everything around us. It was cute-too cute. And I'd never felt more at peace than I did in that moment with her holding onto me.

As we passed by a group of bikers at a café, I felt Kailani tense behind me. One of the guys whistled in our direction, his eyes locked on her.

"Nice helmet, sweetheart!" one of them called out, laughing with his buddies.

Without even turning to look at them, I revved the engine, the loud, threatening sound cutting through their laughter. Kailani's arms tightened around me, her body pressing closer as we sped off, leaving the catcallers behind.

By the time we got back home, she peeled off her helmet, her hair a mess of wild curls, but that bright smile was back on her face. "You're my favorite colour," she said, her voice soft but filled with so much affection it made my chest tighten.

I pulled her close, kissing the top of her head through my mask. "You're my everything."