My Last And My Only

Chapter 86: Normal

Normal was supposed to feel... normal.

But Aiah realized very quickly that there was no returning to "normal" after last night.

Not when she woke up with her phone already open to Khae's messages.

Not when she reread I missed you three times before getting out of bed.

Not when her first instinct was to smile into her pillow like she had something to hide.

She lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling.

Then her phone buzzed again.

Khae

Good morning.

Aiah smiled instantly.

Then another message came in.

I don't know if I'm allowed to say this yet, but I miss you already.

Aiah laughed softly.

She typed back:

It's 7:03 AM.

Three dots appeared immediately.

So I'm early?

You're always early.

I was trying to be romantic.

You're trying too hard.

I know.

I'll stop.

Then—

I won't.

Aiah smiled so hard she had to turn onto her side.

Don't stop.

Downstairs, Gwen was already in the kitchen when Aiah walked in.

She looked up immediately.

"...You look suspiciously happy."

Aiah poured herself a glass of water.

"I'm not."

"You're smiling at nothing."

"I'm thinking."

"About what?"

Aiah paused.

"...Nothing."

Gwen narrowed her eyes.

"That was a bad lie."

Aiah walked past her.

"It wasn't a lie."

"It absolutely was."

Aiah didn't respond.

Which was, in itself, an answer.

Gwen sighed.

"Just don't break anything in my house emotionally or physically."

"I won't."

"Mm."

"I won't."

Gwen watched her leave.

Then muttered:

"You already did."

Khae arrived at school twenty minutes early.

Again.

She sat in her car for a moment before getting out, gripping the steering wheel slightly tighter than necessary.