Fighting the Fall ✔

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

Dustin King

I may have lost in our game of mini golf, but her triumphant smile made me consider my loss a victory after all. I'd lose a thousand times to see that smile.

"I won! I won!"

When Lydia started dancing, I crossed my arms. "All right, you won. I get it. Everyone here gets it."

She stopped dancing and mimicked me, crossing her arms. "You're such a sore loser."

I shrugged. "Didn't expect to lose."

"Well, get used to it!" she said with a grin.

"I didn't expect to fall, either..."

Her playful expression became serious in an instant. I wondered if I shouldn't have made that confession. There was no taking it back now, though.

Slowly, she closed the distance between us. I waited for her to say something, anything, that would make me feel less like a fool. I knew, though, that there was no helping that when she was around.

"Lydia, say something..."

She shook her head, her intense, brown-eyed gaze never leaving my eyes. "I'd rather show you..."

My heart began to pound wildly, and I felt a little tickle inside my stomach as she came even closer.

I was paralyzed.

Her hand found my cheek and cupped it gently. Still, I couldn't move.

Why was I hesitating? I wanted this. I wanted her. I wanted what was about to happen.

I did not expect to fall, and so quickly. It was sudden. It was terrifying. But, most of all, it was exhilarating. Even so, I was resisting.

Why was I fighting it so hard? Why was I fighting the fall?

No matter how I fought back, I was no match for this feeling. No matter how I ducked, no matter how I parried, it got me every time.

"Dustin..."

Every part of me was screaming at me to surrender. So I did.

I stopped fighting.

My hands held her face. My eyes closed. My breathing halted.

"Dustin..."

I leaned closer--

"Dustin!"

I opened my eyes to see Bishop standing over me. He started to jump, and each time his feet landed back on my bed, it shook, and I sunk. I was too devastated over the fact that it was just a dream that I had to say anything.

Instead, I covered my face with a pillow and groaned.

"Bishop, stop it," McKenna said.

He jumped one more time, then hopped onto the floor. "Happy birthday, Dustin!"

"Bishop..." McKenna whined. "We were going to say that at the same time. You were supposed to wait for me!"

I took the pillow off my face and started getting up until she placed a plate of tuna and another of orange slices on my legs.

"Happy birthday!"

"I helped make the tuna," Bishop said with a proud smile.

I hugged them one at a time as they each wished me happy birthday again. "Thank you both. This looks fantastic!"