I'm Glad Your House Was Demolished | Kuffy

Twelve

It takes a while for either of us to let go and finally split apart, and when we do, our eyes stay together, wide in amazement. I just kissed Kira, or she kissed me, or both. Either way, I want to do it again. But we're both too in shock to do anything. 

She talks first, saying, "That was...um..."

"Yeah," I agree. 

Our smiles crack into laughter, and we both just stand there, giggling together for a minute. I think we both still don't really believe what just happened. 

"Uh..." Kira starts. "So you're...like...um...not straight?"

"Apparently," I reply. 

"Cool, um..." She grins. "Sorry, I don't know what to do now. I didn't think you'd actually ever like me back."

"Same," I say. She looks at me for another moment before I say, "I guess we should go back downstairs."

"Right, yeah," she says. "Uh, I'm just gonna take another minute."

"Okay."

Reluctantly, I step away and toward the door. Before leaving, I look back at her once more, and both of us smile again. When I get back into the kitchen, I'm still beaming from the previous experience. My friends have cut the cake and are munching on their own pieces, but now their eyes all turn to me. 

"What took you so long?" Andi asks. "We got impatient and started cutting the cake."

"Correction," Amber says. "Andi got impatient. The rest of us were fine."

I consider telling them the truth for a moment, but then I remember that they don't know about Kira being gay yet, and I'm not sure if she wants them to know. Although I kissed her, her sexual orientation is her business, so it's her choice who to tell and when. I'm not going to take that away from her.

"We had a lot to sort out," I explain. 

"Were you guys in a fight or something?" Jonah wonders. "Is that why you two were both so awkward and tense before?"

That's when Kira's footsteps steal the attention away from me as she saunters into the kitchen with a huge grin. 

"What's got you so giddy?" TJ questions. 

Kira glances to me, saying, "You didn't tell them?"

"I wasn't sure if you wanted me to."

"Well, I don't mind."

"Do you want me to?"

She looks to our friends and makes the announcement before I can. "We kissed."

Everybody's jaws drop, but none farther than Cyrus's. 

"I knew it!" the boy shouts. "You lied! That is your tell!"

Kira looks between Cyrus and me. "Your tell?"

"She plays with her hair when she has a crush," Cyrus explains. 

"Wait really?" Kira responds. "I've seen you do that a lot."

I feel my face heating up, and Kira is just smiling, looking cuter than ever. Even through my current embarrassment, she manages to make me grin again, and we both giggle. Clearly, we're both still affected by the excitement of our kiss. 

"Wow," Andi says. "I never thought you guys would end up together, but you're actually adorable."

"What's your couple name?" Amber wonders. "Bira? Ew, no. Kuffy!"

"Amber," Cyrus says, "that's perfect!"

While our friends blabber on about the two of us, I lift a piece of cake into a bowl for Kira and pass it to her. Once I have my own, she comes over to me.

"Happy birthday," she says. 

"It is," I agree.

________________________________________

Smart Guy plays on the television while Kira and I rest on the couch, cuddled up together. Her hand hangs over my shoulder for me to hold, while my knees bridge over hers. We look like a knotted rope, and neither one of us wants to fray. 

"Okay," Kira says over the sound of the TV, "I want to know how long you've liked me for."

"What about you?" I counter. "How long have you liked me for?"

"I asked first," she says. 

"Fine," I huff. "Um, I don't really know when it started exactly, but I realized I liked you when I also started avoiding you a few days ago."

"Buffy Driscoll, the master of handling her feelings."

"Yeah, yeah. What about you?"

She smiles for a moment and hesitates before answering, "Um, let's just say I've liked you for a while."

"No fair. I gave you an answer."

"Okay," she obliges. "Remember that girl I told you about?"

"Wait," I say. "That was me?"

Kira nods. "I, too, am not so good at feelings. I'm better now, though, I think."

"So you won't run away if I do this?"

I lean closer, bringing my lips in to hers, and she accepts the kiss, slow and sweet like syrup.

When the front doorknob jiggles and swings open, we snap apart in an instant, retreating away to separate sides of the couch. Our parents enter in with smiles as they remove their coats. 

"You two are still up?" my mom says. 

"It's past midnight," Crystal points out. 

"How was the party?" my dad asks. 

"Good," I reply. "Kira and I also washed all the dishes, so there's nothing for you guys to worry about."

"Oh, wonderful," my mom says. "Well, we're going to set up the bed for Kira's parents, so would you girls mind moving upstairs?"

"Nope. Sure thing," Kira says. 

We both get up, and her hand almost reaches for mine as we start up the stairs, but then she thinks better of it and pulls it back. 

"Have a good night," Paul calls out.

Once safely behind our sealed bedroom door, Kira turns to me. 

"Buffy, how do I tell them?" she asks. 

"Do you want to tell them?" I respond. 

"I do," she confirms. 

"Are you sure? You know you don't have to come out to them yet. You haven't even been out to yourself for that long, and you said how you thought they wouldn't accept you. I don't want you to come out if it's not safe for you."

"I think they might be okay with it," Kira says.

"Might?" That doesn't sound promising. 

"I think a lot of my beliefs came from everything around me like the community I'd been exposed to and the values that were presented to me externally, but I don't think my parents have really said much about what they think."

"Then wouldn't it be better to wait until you know more?"

"But I don't want to wait. Waiting feels like hiding, and I don't want to hide. Everyday that I don't tell them feels like I'm lying to them. I know I'm not lying outright, but maybe one day I'll have to, and I want to be able to say the truth."

"Kira, I'm not going to stop you if you decide to tell them, but I just want to make sure you think about all the possible consequences first."

She nods, pondering over that. "Okay. I'll think about it."

"Thank you," I say. 

I take her hands as I step up to her and kiss her once more before returning back.

"I'm gonna go get ready for bed now," I say. 

"Okay," she responds. "I guess I will too."

A/N: This is a very short chapter, I know. I hope you are all excited to find out how this story concludes. I love you all still. Have a lovely day.