Kiss & Tell ( Asa and Chiquita)

Chapter 30: Rebuilding Trust

Asa's POV

I wasn't sure when I'd stopped breathing. My heart felt like it had stopped, too, stuck somewhere between wanting to reach for her and wanting to run. Chiquita's hands held mine gently, but I could feel the weight of everything we'd been through pressing against us. It felt like we were standing on a precipice, balancing on the edge of something fragile, something that could shatter if either of us stepped wrong.

I had to admit — hearing her say she wasn't interested in anyone else, hearing her say she wasn't going anywhere, it was like a balm to my raw wounds. But the scars, the fear, the doubt? Those things weren't gone. Not yet. And that was what scared me the most.

She's still the same Chiquita. The one who flirts with everyone. The one who seems to get everything she wants.

But then again, she had me. And I wasn't sure if I was enough for her.

I took a deep breath, trying to gather the words I needed to say. "I know I overreacted last night. I don't want to be that person who is constantly looking over their shoulder, waiting for you to betray me. But... when I saw her with you, I felt this thing inside of me. A fear I never thought I'd have. It was like... like you were slipping away."

Her thumb brushed across my hand, a gesture so simple but grounding. I didn't know if I was ready to completely let go of the fear, but I also knew that standing here with her — with Chiquita — was the first step.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "For not seeing it sooner. For not understanding how my actions would affect you." Her voice faltered for a second, something I rarely saw from her — vulnerability, raw and unguarded. "But Asa, I need you to trust me. I won't hurt you. Not intentionally. I swear."

The words hung in the air, heavy and vulnerable. The part of me that feared loss, that feared disappointment, wanted to keep a safe distance, to shut her out and protect myself. But the deeper part, the one that had been quietly craving this connection with her, whispered: Let her in.

I squeezed her hand, holding on to her warmth. "I want to trust you, Chiquita. I do. But it's hard for me. You have to understand, I've spent my whole life protecting myself from things I can't control. And you... you're unpredictable. And that scares me."

Her lips curled into a sad smile, but it wasn't one of defeat. It was a smile of understanding. "I know, Asa. I know. But sometimes, we have to let go of that control. Sometimes, we have to let ourselves feel. And I'm asking you to feel with me. To let me show you what it's like to be loved without reservations."

To be loved without reservations.

The thought settled into my chest like a quiet promise. It was everything I had ever wanted, everything I'd been too afraid to admit.

I looked into her eyes, and for the first time in days, the walls I'd built between us felt like they were crumbling. She was right. I had to feel. I couldn't keep holding her at arm's length, testing her every move, waiting for her to fail me. If I wanted this, if I wanted her, I had to trust.

"Okay," I said, my voice steady but uncertain. "I'll try. But I'm not perfect. I'm going to mess up."

"And I'll be right here, Asa," she whispered. "Messing up right alongside you."

Chiquita's POV

When Asa finally spoke, when she finally said she was willing to try — my heart skipped, then settled into something deeper. Something softer.

I didn't need her to be perfect. Hell, I wasn't perfect. And if there was one thing I'd learned from the chaos of my life, it was that perfection didn't matter. What mattered was the willingness to try. To trust. To be there for each other even when things were messy.

I stepped closer to her, feeling that familiar pull between us. I reached up to gently touch her cheek, brushing away a stray lock of hair. "Thank you for trying, Asa. I know it's not easy for you."

She leaned into my touch, her eyes closing for a moment, as though savoring the simple connection. "Thank you for not giving up on me," she whispered.

"I don't plan on it," I said softly, my lips brushing against her forehead. "But you've got to promise me something."

She tilted her head up, her eyes curious. "What?"

"Promise me you'll tell me when something bothers you. Don't bottle it up, don't keep it to yourself. I can't be perfect, but I'll listen. I'll be here. Just... promise me you'll let me in."

I saw the hesitation in her eyes — the ghost of the walls she'd built. But slowly, she nodded. "I promise."

And in that moment, standing in the quiet park with the soft breeze stirring the trees around us, I felt something I hadn't expected: peace.

Asa's POV

I never thought I'd be here, standing in the middle of the park, sharing something real with someone like Chiquita. But here I was, vulnerable and raw, standing with a woman who had somehow managed to slip past every defense I'd built over the years.

She wasn't what I thought I wanted. She wasn't predictable, wasn't safe, wasn't the kind of person who would make all my fears go away. But maybe that was the point. Maybe I needed someone who could make me feel, even when it was terrifying.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. "I can't promise you that I won't get scared again, Chiquita. But I can promise that I'll try. I'll try to trust you. To trust us."

"Good," she said, smiling softly. "That's all I need, Asa. That's all I need."

Chiquita's POV

It wasn't perfect. It wasn't clean. It wasn't easy. But that's what love was, right? Imperfect, messy, full of little cracks and corners. But it was ours, and that made it all worth it.

I stepped back, looking at Asa with something new in my eyes. "We'll figure it out, you know. Together."

She smiled at me, a smile that reached her eyes in a way it hadn't in days. "Together."