My suspicions were confirmed once I answered, and my adorable baby girl’s face filled the screen. She’s excited to show the new toy that Zaiyre had gotten for her, and soon, she’s joined by Bria, and they’re yapping away about all the fun they’ve been having.
I continue to talk to them until I see a delivery truck with Kay’s family orchard’s logo on the side, and I say my goodbyes to Sera and Bria. After sliding my phone back into mypurse, I finally exit the car and lock it before walking over to where Kay is getting out of the truck.
“Ooh, you look good, girl. With yo thick ass,” Morgan calls, and I roll my eyes, chuckling at the way Kay cuts her eyes at her. “Sorry, my bad. Kay doesn’t like it when I compliment you like that, so I’ll just say, you look beautiful today.”
“Better,” Kay tells her, and Mo just laughs like she always does when she knows she’s getting on her sister’s nerves. “Now go home, nuisance.”
“Okay, enjoy your date!” She yells before quickly pulling off.
Kay shakes her head as she pulls me into a hug and places a kiss on my forehead. “My sister makes my damn head hurt,” she states after pulling back.
I look up at Kay as she smiles down at me. I wanted to ask if this really was a date, but I didn't want to embarrass myself if it turned out not to be. So I stayed quiet as she took my hand in hers and led me into the hotel. I was quiet as she spoke to the hostess at the restaurant, and that didn’t change when we were seated at our table.
“Hey, are you okay?”
I look up from my menu to see her staring at me in concern. I smile softly and nod. “Yeah, I’m okay,” I reply. “Just tired and hungry, but mostly hungry.”
“Well, let’s get you something to eat then, huh?” She chuckles, and I nod.
When the waitress returns, I watch quietly as she recites the exact order I get every time I come here. Chicken pho, add extra veggies, add shrimp, and a large Thai iced tea on the side. I could hear my stomach growling at just the thought of it all.
The food arrived in record time, and we began to dig in. There weren’t many other patrons in the restaurant, so aside from the soft music playing, it was pretty calm. Every so often, Kay and I would steal glances at one another, giggling like little kids. It was confronting to be around someone who made me feel at peace, even in silence. We really had a very special bond.
Once we’d finished our meals, we decided to head to the bar for a drink. Well, one drink turned into two, and somewhere along the lines, we were once again giggling, but this time, we were also going down memory lane.
“And you remember that night you came home, pissed because of something that happened at work?” She laughed, and I groaned. “You flashed on every last one of us, and we were shocked as hell. I swear, Adrian was lowkey scared to even ask what kind of pizza you wanted that night.”
“Ugh, please don’t remind me.” I shivered at the memory. “I felt so bad.”
“Yeah, I know.” She nodded. “I still think about how cute it was to wake up the next morning to cookies and an apology note outside my door. I’d never seen someone apologize like that for snapping, even though we all understood that you were just tired and stressed.”
“That’s only because you were always speaking up for me,” I replied. I traced the rim of my glass before glancing up at her. “You always had my back, and I’ll always be thankful that we met. You mean so damn much to me, Kay.”
“The feeling is mutual, Zee.” She smiles, cocking her head to the side.
Her fingers find mine on the rim of the glass, and I feel a jolt run through my veins as our skin touches. My eyes lockwith hers as she takes her hand in mine, brings it to her lips, and kisses. Her lips were so soft against them that I felt a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach. If I weren’t blinking right now, I would’ve sworn I wasn’t breathing, but I knew I was, because I hadn’t passed out yet. I was just lost in her eyes.
“Zseyah, there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you for a while, and it’s taking so much courage for me to admit,” she says. I nod slowly. “Me admitting this might, no,willchange the trajectory of our friendship either in a good way or a bad way, but I’m hoping for the good way. But I also don’t want you to feel pressured-”
“Kay, please just tell me,” I blurt, nervous as hell.
She nods, takes a deep breath, and then says, “Zseyah, I like you in a way that’s beyond friends, and I’ve had these feelings for some time now. There have been so many instances where I was so close to telling you, but it never felt like the right time.” She sighs. “You’ve been through so much, and I know how hesitant you are to be in another relationship, but I felt like I was going to combust if I didn’t at least make my feelings known. You mean so fucking much to me, too, and all I want is to care for and love you and Sera loudly and proudly. You know, like I have been doing, butmore.”
I don’t immediately reply because I’m trying to process her words. Ever since my dad and Zaiyre pointed it out, I’d noticed more and more just how obvious her feelings were for me. I’d been waiting for her to confirm them, but I also knew that she respected me too much to let them be known if she thought it’d make me feel uncomfortable. But I’d made up in my mind that when she finally did, I’d stopbeing afraid and tell her that the feelings were mutual, even though I’d suspected that she knew that by now.
The nerves in my stomach were on ten as they mingled with the liquid courage I’d consumed. There was excitement, anticipation, and impatience bubbling up inside of me at once, and all I wanted to do was tell her that I felt the same. That I’d always felt the same. I made eye contact with Kay once more, and she looked nervous.
It was my turn to let her know that her feelings weren’t one-sided.
My heart was pounding because I knew exactly what I wanted to say even before I opened my mouth to blurt it out. Kay and I continued to stare at each other, and I could see something similar to hope in her eyes. Seconds turned into minutes, and as my rejection and relationship anxiety slowly started to creep in, I noticed the same emotion mirrored on her face.
No! That’s not what I intended to happen!
Zseyah, please just speak up!
You can’t go another year without letting her know how you feel!
PLEASE!
