What we thought we knew

Chapter 13

The days leading up to the wedding felt increasingly strained, a tightening grip that both Kaylee and Connor couldn’t ignore. The joy they once found in planning was now overshadowed by the weight of their unspoken feelings and the tension brewing with their respective partners.

It all came to a head one fateful evening. Kaylee and Connor had planned to meet at their favorite burger joint for a casual dinner. But as they settled into a booth, it quickly became apparent that something was off. Kaylee’s usually lively demeanor was subdued, and Connor couldn’t shake the feeling that something was weighing heavily on her.

“Hey, you okay?” Connor asked, concern creeping into his voice.

Kaylee sighed, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the rim of her glass. “Matt and I had a talk earlier. He wants us to take things to the next level, like… moving in together.”

Connor’s heart sank at the news. He had sensed that Matt was getting more serious, but hearing it out loud made it feel all too real. “Wow, that’s a big step. What did you say?”

“I told him I need time to think about it,” Kaylee replied, her eyes clouding with uncertainty. “I mean, I’m engaged to you. It just feels too soon to make that kind of commitment to him.”

Connor nodded, feeling a knot form in his stomach. “I get that. Jenna’s been talking about planning a weekend getaway for us, but I’m just… not sure if I want to go.”

Kaylee looked up, her gaze meeting his. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I’m not sure if I can see a future with her. It feels different with you,” he admitted, his voice dropping to a whisper.

The weight of their words hung heavily in the air, and for a moment, neither of them knew how to respond. Just then, Kaylee’s phone buzzed on the table. It was a message from Matt, and when she read it, her expression shifted to one of frustration.

“What’s wrong?” Connor asked.

“It’s Matt,” she said, shaking her head. “He’s upset about my indecisiveness. He thinks I’m not fully committed to him.”

“Did he say that?” Connor asked, a flash of protectiveness surging through him.

“Not in so many words, but it’s implied,” Kaylee replied, her voice thick with emotion. “He doesn’t understand why I’m engaged to someone else while dating him.”

Connor felt a surge of anger at the thought of Matt making Kaylee feel like she had to choose. “You shouldn’t have to explain yourself to him. This is all so complicated.”

Kaylee looked at him, her eyes shimmering with frustration and confusion. “And what about you? Are you planning to tell Jenna the truth?”

Before he could respond, Connor’s phone buzzed as well. It was a message from Jenna, asking about their dinner plans. The annoyance in his chest flared. He could feel the pressure building, both from their partners and from the expectations they had set for themselves.

“I don’t know, Kaylee,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “I don’t want to lead Jenna on, but it feels like we’re stuck in this weird limbo. I can’t see myself moving forward with her when I keep thinking about you.”

Kaylee’s breath caught in her throat, and she stared at him, realization dawning. “You feel it too, don’t you? That there’s something here… something more?”

“Yes,” he admitted, the truth spilling out like a dam breaking. “Every time I’m with you, everything else fades away. I’ve been fighting it, but it’s true.”

They both fell silent, the air thick with unsaid words and unacknowledged feelings. It was as if the universe had conspired to bring them to this moment.

Suddenly, Kaylee’s phone buzzed again, this time with a video call from Matt. She hesitated, glancing between the phone and Connor, and a sense of urgency washed over them both.

“Answer it,” Connor urged, his heart racing. “You need to figure out what you want.”

With a deep breath, Kaylee accepted the call. “Hey, Matt,” she said, forcing a smile.

The conversation that followed was tense. Matt pressed her for answers about her feelings, pushing her to choose between him and the engagement. Kaylee tried to explain her hesitation, but every question he asked only served to amplify her internal conflict.

After a few minutes, Connor could see the frustration mounting in Kaylee’s expression. He wanted to reach out, to comfort her, but he knew this was a conversation she needed to have on her own.

When the call ended, Kaylee’s shoulders slumped. “He’s really not happy,” she said, her voice shaky. “He thinks I’m playing games.”

Connor reached across the table, placing his hand over hers. “You’re not. You’re trying to figure this out, and that’s okay.”

As they sat there, the gravity of their situation sank in deeper. The idea of marrying each other, which had once felt like a pact born out of necessity, now began to take on new meaning. They both realized that the thought of a future with anyone else felt wrong, as if they were trying to fit into a mold that didn’t suit them.

“Maybe we should think about what this really means for us,” Connor suggested gently. “What if we’re not just doing this out of obligation? What if it’s because we want to be together?”

Kaylee met his gaze, the weight of the moment pressing down on them. “You’re right,” she whispered. “I can’t picture my life without you. It’s never felt like this with anyone else.”

In that instant, the barriers they had both built around their hearts began to crack. The realization that their connection was more than friendship, more than a simple pact, hung in the air between them.

“I think we need to be honest with ourselves,” Connor said, his voice steady. “And with Jenna and Matt. We can’t keep living this lie.”

Kaylee nodded, a sense of relief washing over her. “We’ll figure it out together, whatever that means. No more pretending.”

As they left the café, the weight of their feelings felt lighter. They were on the precipice of a new chapter, one that could lead them to a future they had never imagined but were finally ready to embrace.

No longer merely fulfilling a pact, they were now stepping into a journey guided by love, friendship, and the promise of what could be.