Rainbows

Chapter One - Je t'aime

"Night Lewser."

"Night Ricebowl," I whispered, about to hang up the call. But before I managed to, something caught my eye.

 Even sleepy as she was, I could tell that she seemed to think about something for a second before making it up her mind. I opened my mouth to ask what she was obviously conflicted about, but I never got the chance.

"Love you," she murmured.

I'd heard her say it a thousand times before to other people. Other friends. But for some reason, she'd never told me before today. Hell, I'd even said it to her before, but she'd always just smiled and hugged me, so I stopped. It had become some sort of unspoken rule, some line that she was unwilling to cross. Until today, it looked like.

I was silent for so long that she had to speak again to break me out of my own thoughts, this time with a slight frown marring her features. "Sean?"

"I love you too," I said, making a twinge of red appear on her cheeks – something that I pretended not to notice. "Never forget it."

My screen faded to black soon after, but my smile never left my face. It was a step in the right direction, at least. Because I hadn't been lying - not only do I love Kaycee, I'm in love with her. At least, as in love with her as somebody who's never experienced love before can possibly be. I don't know if she's noticed how I feel about her, but she definitely hasn't been making it easy on me to keep downplaying my emotions these past few months.

Glancing at my phone to check the time, it dawns on me that I probably should have gone to sleep a while ago. I have brunch with the whole family in the morning and four o'clock is probably not the ideal time to fall asleep when you have to be productive the next day.

Still worth it though.

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Brunch was fantastic. My sisters are always incredibly busy, and it's the greatest feeling to have them back. Our family has always been a unit, and even though we can function when we're apart, it's never the same.

Still, brunch wasn't the part of the day I was most looking forward to. Kaycee had been asking to go see The Greatest Showman live for ages, and there was finally a showing at El Capitan that synced up with both of our schedules. Once we settled that, I realized there was an amazing Asian fusion restaurant I'd been dying to try out just a couple blocks down, and it was settled. Dinner and a play.

The hard bit was explaining to everyone on planet Earth that it wasn't a date, as much as I wish it was. Nobody could quite believe me, and if I'm being honest with myself, I can't blame them. What we'd come up with as a night out was the archetypal first date, and believe me, that wasn't lost on me.

Ever since I'd gotten my license, I'd been driving us everywhere. To classes, to her place, to my place, or just to go for a drive, spending time together. It's a relaxing activity – even more so with her in the passenger's seat.

Looking over at that very same passenger's seat beside me, I shift uncomfortably in my own. Despite all the protests that this in fact, isn't a date, that didn't stop Sarah and my mom from squealing at the news and deciding my outfit for the night. Luckily, I was able to sneak out a blazer and black hoodie, which was my preferred outfit before they decided to raid my closet.

Pulling up to her house, I send her a quick text letting her know that I'm just parked outside. Reaching over my head, I pull off my shirt and turn to the back seat to grab the hoodie. Quickly trying to pull the hoodie on, it snags my glasses, one of the items that I don't actually need, but I thought fit with the look I constructed in my head.

And of course, at that moment – half dressed in my own car - I hear the sound of the passenger's side door open, and a small giggle, followed by a sigh. Quickly my hoodie's pulled down over my head by delicate hands that aren't my own, and the smirking face of one Kaycee Caitlin Rice enters my field of view.

"Like what you see?" I smirk right back.

"In your dreams Lew," she quips, pulling her door shut as she settles into her seat. "Now let's go or else I'll miss my second show of the night."

Rolling my eyes at her, I put the car into gear. We wouldn't want to miss our night out that definitely isn't a date.

A/N

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who read what's now become a sort of epilogue to this story. I never expected people to like it, but I guess some of you did lol. This probably sucks a lot more than it should, and my writing really needs some work to hash out tenses, how much detail to add, and when and where to cut certain scenes. That being said, I hope you guys bear with me as I improve as a writer, and that you guys enjoy reading this one :)

Robert