Love Prevails (Kris Bryant)

15| Second First Date

McKayla

How do you prepare for a second first date? Can I even call it that? I don't know what I'm supposed to think really... I slip on a light pink summer dress with white sandals and let my hair do whatever it wants, there isn't much controlling it. I put a pair of sunglasses on top of my head and wait for Kris to text me that he's here. Once I get the text I meet him downstairs and he walks me to his car.

"You look amazing" he says opening the door for me.

"Thanks, you're looking pretty great yourself" I compliment while getting into the car. We drive off to Millennium park and find a place to enjoy whatever he prepared.

"The food smells really good" I mention while helping him set out the blanket. We get it out and scatter the food on top of it. It was pretty calm out here and there was plenty of space for us to relax the day away.

"That's Anthony, turns out he's taking the whole 'being Italian' thing a bit too seriously. He made us pasta with meatballs and garlic bread" he laughs. Of course he did. We fix our plates and sit on the blanket just taking in the town. I look around at the tall buildings surrounding us, this city is truly a sight to see. It makes you feel so small in comparison yet so big in the way it makes you feel.

"What is it like playing professional baseball for a city such as this one" I ask.

"It's crazy, I've been here for like two weeks and everyone already knows who I am, they even have my jersey and everything. I mean I saw this city when the Blackhawks won their, what third championship in six seasons. They really latch onto sports around here and it's crazy to see all the ways they show their support. And playing on a field like Wrigley, it's indescribable. Just taking a second to look around and see all the faithful fans always on their feet, I get chills just thinking about it" he daydreams. I always loved listening to him talk about baseball, it was his favorite thing in the whole world. It's more than just a sport, it's a way of life for him.

"So tell me, how was your college experience" he asks taking a big bite of pasta.

"Kind of boring actually. I stayed on campus most of the time, during the summers I would work as a baseball instructor, helped some high school teams with pitching and what not. During the school year I helped a lot of the sports teams as part of my school work but also organized a lot of the events out there. Never went to a party or got close enough to a can of beer to drink it. I didn't need any type of comparisons to my father. Didn't date anyone so there was no good reason to leave the campus. I did get to meet David Ortiz and next to watching you get drafted that's my favorite college memory" I admit.

"I haven't drank either. My body is my tool and its not good to be putting that stuff in it" he claims.

"Says the same guy who's had three gigantic meatballs so far" I laugh.

"Okay but these are so good" he moans.

"Yeah they are" I admit. We finish up lunch and talk about baseball because duh. Eventually the sun starts to set and it was time to go. We get into his car and he turns to me with wide eyes.

"There's one more part of the date but this one was my idea" he informs me.

"Oh, okay" I smile and he smiles back. I love that I can do that. We take off and end up at the Willis tower. As soon as we got here I knew what was happening.

"Remember when we came here for New Years and you said you wanted to see the city and the stars" he asks and I nod. We get out the car and he pulls me through the building and into the elevator as we ride it to the top. The sun had now set and no one was around as I step out over the city. It was really beautiful, the lights illuminate the towering buildings as people continue to carry on. I set my hands on the glass that separated me from the mass amount of free space, high up in the sky. I look up to be met with thousands of stars, they seemed a little brighter up here. I find the one that reminds me of Kris and smile to myself, even on the nights when I can't see the other ones, that one still shines bright, just like him. He places his hands on my waist as I lean back into him.

"Do you like it" he whispers into my ear causing the hair on the back of my neck to fly up.

"I love it, it's beautiful" I say looking up to the sky. I see a shooting star light up and let out a gasp, I tell myself that I'm supposed to make a wish but I don't. Everything I ever wanted I standing right behind me, as long as he's there I would be okay. I feel him pull on my necklace and smile to myself, this locket was my prized possesion.

"I can't believe you still wear this" he mentions.

"I haven't ever taken it off, not once since you put it on. If I ever felt down or needed a reason to keep going. I would open the locket and look at how happy we were, we weren't together yet but we were still in love. That was both the darkest and brightest time of my life. I can't begin to tell you how tired I was, but every time you came around I felt like I was in a bubble that shielded me from the storm that raged on around me. I didn't have to hide anything around you, it was just Kayla and Kris, Breezy and Mac, you and I and I didn't have a care in the world. At that moment everything was perfect" I say with a smile looking back at the picture.

"I think we need a new picture in there" he mentions.

"I think so too" I admit. He drops me off at home and I curl up into bed and smile to myself. I've been on many dates with Kris, but that one was my favorite.