Royally Falling

~ 33 ~

"Yeah, we could be dancing all night
Waking up for the sunrise
Late 'cause we're losing track of time
Yeah, we're in young love
Cause when I'm with you it feels like
Falling in love for the first time
It'll always be true"
Young Love - Phillip Vo

oOoOo

Every morning since Kaden and I have gotten back together, I wake up feeling so light and free. I know it's cliché, but the colors are brighter and the birds are chirping again. I'm on cloud nine and give no fucks.

Later today, Kaden and I have plans to walk around the city and get dinner.

I wish I could spend all day with him, but I unfortunately have to do work. Trade agreements and charity budgets are sitting on my desk and calling my name.

I also promised myself that I would talk to Xander today and tell him about my relationship with Kaden. If Kaden and I are making a no-secrets policy, it's only fair that I'm honest with Xander. I'm dreading that call, but it'll feel good to get everything off my chest.

I spend almost two hours looking over the trade agreements with Italy and France. I also go over the budget for the foundation. I decide how much money we will donate to each of our charities in the next fiscal quarter.

After I'm done with my work, I have no excuses for delaying my call to Xander.

I pick up my phone and almost chicken out before pressing the call button.

He picks up after a few rings. "Hey, how are you doing?"

"I'm good. What about you?"

"Alright. There's a lot going on here," he says. "Is everything okay? You're not one for impulsive calls to say hello."

"Everything is okay. I just want to talk to you about something that's been bothering me. I need to get it off my chest."

"Okay, I'm all ears."

I pause, trying to figure out how to put this tactfully.

"Well, you see... I kind of want to end our so-called relationship. I have a boyfriend."

So much for sensitivity. I wish there was an undo button so I could undo that revelation.

He doesn't say anything. I wonder if I should have done this over FaceTime instead...

"Xander? You there?"

"Um, yeah. Can you say that again? I think you just said you have a boyfriend."

"You um, you heard me correctly."

Silence.

"Well, this is news," he chuckles.

"My fiancée has a boyfriend," he says more to himself than to me.

"Um, yeah."

"Can I inquire why my fiancée has a boyfriend? I'm very bewildered about how this came to be." I almost laugh at how proper he sounds, but I restrain myself; I don't want to throw salt in the wound.

"Well, I don't think you want all the details, but we just have amazing chemistry. I've liked him since I moved here."

"It's that Kaleb dude, isn't it?"

What is with these men and their nicknames?

"Yes. And it's Kaden."

I hear him exhale.

"Listen... I'm sorry about this, but I thought it would be better for you to find out from me, instead of online or something."

I learned that lesson the hard way. The least I can do is spare Xander from being blindsided. Well, I guess I'm technically blindsiding him now, but it's still better than the alternative.