Lumine X Kody

Ch. 5 - Friends? Friends.

Where could Kody possibly be? I thought to myself as the sun was shining down on my face. School has just ended and supposedly we should have met by my usual bush.. but instead? Kody wasn't there. He was nowhere to be found.
I had already searched all over the school.. but no trace of him anywhere.
Almost losing hope I remembered Aiden's words regarding me needing to protect him from anything, and so i continued to search for him. Until I found him coming out from the gym, his hairs soaked with water.

"Kody!? So you were showering for all this time?!!" I exclaimed, feeling slightly frustrated by the fact that he had me worried for a moment there.
"Problem with that?" Kody replied, actually having a neutral face and almost a sleepy like tone in his voice.
God, he was so annoying sometimes. He always thought he was the one bossing me around.. But if i actually would fight back? He would be obeying me like a small puppy.
All i did was let out a whine as he got closer before walking away; the opposite side of the road from his house.
"Where are you going?? The house is the other way around!" I shouted, waiting for a response.
But all i got back was a whine, while he was quickly getting further ahead.

Almost finding it hopeless to have a logical argument with him i gave up and started rushing behind to catch up.
"Hey! I asked you a question! I'm expecting an answer. I'm your bodyguard, you know?" I said in a quite annoyed tone. As if we both weren't stressed out enough already.
But we haven't realized that the more we kept bickering and being harsh to each other.. we slowly got further and further away. Finding ourselves in the middle of a forest. Right after the small road that led to the school, us walking the opposite way from the house.
"Oh shut up for f***s sake!" Kody yelled to me, throwing his arms in the air and feeling his blood boiling inside him.
I had never seen him get so mad over something so small, so i was smart enough to shut my mouth when i knew i had to.
"Can you just-.. stop?! You're not my f****ng mother! You don't tell me what s**t to do!! You don't even care about me! Why should i even listen to the cr*p you say?!!"
At that point i was taken aback. I knew i was pushing Kody.. but i never thought that i'd have reached that far; he never had even mentioned his mother once, or used that word in any possible case.. so what i had done must've really shaken him up.

"Dude, i know.. sorry.... I'm not your mother.. but i'm your bodyguard. And.. well.. caring for you is kind of what gives me bread at the end of the day, you know?" I replied, almost as an awkward whisper. Although it was not what i really had meant to say.
"Then you can f*** off! You're just like them! Just stop with all your nice bulls**t! I'm not taking any of this!" I gave him a few moments to catch his breath and inhale deeply, immediately after his face wearing a quite gloomy expression.
"...i just.. want my mother back.." He said, mumbling to himself.
But my ears were able to catch that and not even thinking i asked him, out of my curiosity. "What happened to your mother?"

I don't know whether i was just stupid or simply an a**hole back then, but i noticed his eyes getting swollen, barely able to hold back his tears. That's when i changed.
I felt a harsh slap across my cheek, the action burning down to my brain and to my heart. I didn't know how that managed to change me.. but it surely did.
Kody had a stronger impact on me than what i had sworn for.

We were all nervous in that time, Aiden was having.. problems and all the house was always paying extra attention on everything. Then how did i became so reckless and idiotic? Only god shall know..
Anyways, returning back to that... After Kody's slap, i felt something.. crushing me from the inside. That's when i knew.. I was crying.
Kody managed to hold back his tears and hesitatingly hugged me before we were wrapped into a tight embrace, me attached on him. In the end; Kody always had a soft heart, huh?

"I-I'm so so sorry Kody! I've been so stupid all this time.. i shouldn't have-.." But then my tears couldn't hold back anymore, preventing me even from speaking as i clutched tighter Kody's hoodie as he was firmly patting my back. With a repetitive but calm rhythm.
"Shh... It's okay Lumine.. It's my fault.. i shouldn't have put so much weight on you... but... Is money all you care from us..?" My gaze met Kody's in that moment. And i could've sworn he had a tinge of sadness in his eyes.
"No." Was my reply; i pulled away and looked down on the floor, assuming an ashamed expression.
"I lied. My motive of taking care of you and always looking out for you.. isn't because i get money.... It's-.. it's because you're my friend Kody. I've tried befriending you since day one... i spoke back to those bullies and got into a lot of trouble... but i wouldn't have if you weren't my friend...." A smile appeared on his face for just a second and then it vanished.

"Friends?"
"Friends."

It was exactly in that moment when i woke up, taken by a sheer of panic by the sudden change of background.
Where was i? Oh. My room. Where's Kod-...
That's when i let out an almost too loud gasp, realizing he was still curled up behind me, his hands now resting near my stomach and waist.
Jeez, that was quite embarrassing... But that dream, it felt too real.
It was exactly when i was questioning the difference between reality and a dream that Kody snapped me out of my thoughts, leaving a long groan as he pulled away from me and turned to the other side.
But, due to the fact that the bed was too small to be able to turn completely that way... he fell.

"Ow!!"
"Ah! Kody?.. Are you okay??" I asked, almost immediately sitting up and looking over his laying body which was getting cold from the floor.
"Obviously i'm fine, it's not like i just fell off the bed and nearly got a heart attack.. not at all."
We both chuckled a little from the sarcasm and with my good hand i helped him up.
It was exactly in that moment where we had felt it; a strong connection, a bond, an impulse that couldn't be stopped.
Our faces moved closer together, unsure on where to start. We were laughing just a few seconds ago and in that moment? Everything have gotten serious.
But it was exactly then that... we kissed.

I was sitting on the edge of the bed, one arm with a cast and the other holding Kody's hand as we both just lingered there for a few seconds before pulling away, staring into each other's eyes, lost in the sweet moment we've both been awaiting for.
That was until..
"Rise and shine boys!! Time for another spectacular day!!!" We both got startled, surprised by Aiden's appearance out of nowhere.
"Gah!! D-..Dad!!!" Kody said, with a bashful face as he immediately moved away from me.
"What is it? A staring contest?? Well.. sorry for making you lose but breakfast's ready~"
And with that he vanished in a rush. We just stood there, with the memory of the kiss still printed on our lips.

Trying to forget everything; we both just walked it off and went to eat breakfast, where a plate of pancakes were awaiting us. Shortly after Aiden had announced his leave and went off to his other studio where he could work in all peace and quiet.
"Uhm.. Nice weather isn't it?" I said in attempt to break the awkward tension between us, but him not responding gave me the signal that he didn't intend to talk to me.
But he only did when i finally finished my plate of pancakes.. turning to face me and staring into my eyes with a serious expression.
He placed both of his arms on my shoulders and kept staring. In that moment? It really seemed like a staring contest.

"Lumine.. promise me you won't talk about this to my father." He said; his words penetrating me like a dagger.
Does he not.. like me? Was that too fast? Gosh.. maybe he's just not into guys.. or maybe not into me. Ugh! I'm so so stupid! I shouldn't have-... But that's when Kody snapped me out of it again, hugging me and pulling me close to him.
"I.. like you Lumine.. but.. I don't know how to say that to Aiden... so.. let's keep it a secret? If you like me back that's to say...." Almost immediately i hugged him back, my worries flying away like birds set free, a smile on my face as i rubbed my cheeks against his chest.
"I like you.. too... And.. that's fine with me.. as long as we get to be together!"
He nodded and smiled back as we both kept hugging for a long while before we realized we should've better get going and do everything else we needed to do.

Now that i knew Kody liked me back... i was filled with happiness. But.. will we be able to hold the secret for long?
I mean.. a relationship like ours.. we even live together! How long will we be able to keep it hidden?
But i was too happy to worry about it that much, because now? Now i know Kody likes me.
And that's all i ever need to know.