Stay With Me ✔

26.

Rave

Friday night Kylie texted me and told me to be at her house the next morning at 8 a.m, with Ever. She didn't tell me why or what we were doing, she only told me to dress comfortable and to not argue with her about it when I found out where we were going to be doing. 

To be honest, I was nervous. I knew I could trust Kylie, but I don't like surprises - I never have. Ever however, is ecstatic. She hasn't been able to stop talking about Kylie's text, asking me if I have any idea where we're going or what we're doing. I haven't seen her this happy in a really long time - if ever, and I'm already thanking Kylie for bringing this much joy to my sister when we haven't even left our house yet. 

At 7: 47, I pull my car into Kylie's driveway and see her loading a backpack into her backseat. She's wearing a pair of running shorts and a t shirt, paired with some black Nike's. Her outfit is similar to Ever's, a fact that they both point out by shrieking "Twins!" once Ever is out of the car and running towards Ky. 

"Where are we going?" Ever asks as Kylie gives me a smile and wave before turning her attention back to my sister. She leans into the car and pulls out three small tickets from the backpack she had just placed in the car, handing them to Ever. 

"What are they for, Ev?" I ask, as I walk over to the two girls and stand beside Kylie, throwing my arm around her shoulder and kissing the top of her head as a greeting. 

"The zoo! We're going to the zoo, Rave!" She jumps up and down in excitement both Kylie and I laugh at her reaction. 

A few minutes later we're all loaded into Kylie's car and on the road to the zoo. Kylie was telling Ever all of the animals they had there and how you can feed a giraffe lettuce from your hand, making Ever more and more excited by the minute. 

When Kylie pulls up to the booth to pay for parking, I try to hand her some cash, only to have her wave it off. "Ky, just take it." 

"No arguing, remember." She pushes my hand away and hands the woman in the booth cash from her own wallet. 

We park the car and I takr the backpack from Kylie, putting it on my own shoulders and earning a small smile from her as she takes my hand in hers and we walk towards the entrance with Ever listing all the animals she can't wait to see. 

Once we're inside, Kylie took an expensive looking camera out of the backpack and gave it to Ever, showing her how to use it before setting her free to take as many pictures as she wants of the animals on exhibit. As we walk around, Kylie holds my hand and Ever runs from animal to animal, snapping pictures and shouting for us to "hurry up". 

There weren't many people at the zoo today, so we were able to keep an eye on her easily without the trouble of a crowd. After we had lunch at an overpriced burger place by the Lion exhibit - with Kylie insisted on paying for, reminding me once again that I was not allowed to argue. 

If it weren't for the look in her eyes, the smile on her face, and the fact that Kylie is just a good hearted person - I would think this day is about pity. Pity for Ever and I because we don't have money or parents that ever took us to do normal, simple things like go to the zoo.  Even before my mom left, we never did anything like this, the park was really the only place we ever went, and it wasn't even the nice park across town with the huge wooden boat you could play inside of. 

Somehow we had spent an entire day at the zoo, running back and forth from one animal to another and back again. Ever had to have taken a million pictures on Kylie's camera before the battery finally died. Kylie promised to print off a bunch for Ever so that she could have them as souvenirs, and then they bought matching souvenir bracelets at the gift shop - this time Kylie let me pay since it was only a couple of dollars. 

I thought that the entire day was fun and I liked seeing the animals that I had never gotten to see up close before -but my favorite part of the day was Ever's smile and her mood. It was like she was finally being a kid and had no worries. She wasn't scared and she wasn't nervous, she was happy and she was having the time of her life - all thanks to Kylie. 

We fed the giraffes one more time before heading back to the parking lot, Ever on my back with her arms wrapped around my neck. Kylie was now carrying the backpack and was searching for her car keys in the front zipper as we walked. We hadn't talked much today,, but that was fine with me, she had been too busy with Ever -  making sure that she had the best zoo experience possible, and I'd rather her do that than talk to me. 

Ever loved Kylie, even before today, but now she idolizes her. I'm fine with that too, who could possibly be a better role model than this selfless and caring girl beside me? 

Kylie opens the door to the backseat of her car and I slide a sleeping Ever into the seat, buckling her in gently as her eyes flutter for a second and then she's back to sleep. Sleeping in uncomfortable positions and places is a talent of ours, I guess, so I'm not surprised when she doesn't wake up. 

I take the backpack from Kylie and slide it in the car too before closing the door and turning to her. Her face is a little red from spending all day in the sun and her fair is falling out of the ponytail she had it pulled back in. There's no make up on her face, but her eyes are wide and so is her smile. "I think she had fun."

I look back at my sister, who is now leaning her head against the car door, still sleeping. "She did." I take a step closer and pull Kylie to me. She wraps her arms around my waist and I place a kiss on the top of her head. I don't know how I can ever thank of show Kylie just how much today meant to me, even if this is a one time thing, I know Ever will cherish it forever and so will I. "Thank you, Kylie." 

Tilting her head up she places her lips on mine and I return the kiss, one that is sweet and more meaningful than any I have ever received or given before. "She deserved a day away from everything, a day to just be a kid, and so did you." 

I didn't know what to say, she was absolutely right about Ever, but me? I don't even think of me anymore, I just do everything I can to keep our heads barely above water and that doesn't come with off days or breaks - until now. 

It felt good to not have to worry about anything and to enjoy where I was and who I was with, to not have to hide or lie about anything for an entire day. Maybe I deserved it too, I don't know. I do know one thing for sure though, and that's that I am tired of Kylie not being mine and only mine. 

She steps out of our embrace and twirls the car keys in her hand as she moves to walk around the car and get in the driver's seat. Before she takes another step, I reach out and take her hand, "Ky."

Her brown eyes look into mine, waiting for me to say what's next and even though I know she'll say yes, I'm still nervous that she might say no. That maybe she still doesn't trust me enough, or she actually does pity me now, that she might not feel the same way I do whenever I'm near her. 

"Rave?" She asks after I've been silent for too long

"Be my girlfriend." I blurt out, ripping it off like a band aid and ignoring the thoughts of rejection. They were stupid anyway, because as soon as the words had left my mouth, Kylie's lips we back on mine and her arms we around my neck again as I grabbed her waist and pulled her even closer. 

Not only does this mean that she's my girlfriend now, it also means she's forgiven me and trusts me. She believes that I want her and no one else, that I'm staying with her and I'm not going back to Lexy. Now she knows that I'm serious about her and us, and I'm going to do everything I can to prove to her that this isn't a mistake.