Mallory
"I love this song!" Cleo squealed, fanning herself. Kennedy leapt up from her bed, and they began singing a song from the 2010s. I sang along, sitting cross-legged on Kennedy's bed.
Cleo took Kennedy's hand, and Kennedy obliged Cleo's desire to dance a strange variant of a tango while singing, which took considerable talent and silliness to pull off. My best friends collapsed onto me as the song ended, and we burst into fits of giggles.
My mind was spinning in all directions today. I spent the entirety of the previous night deliberating on my encounter with Reid by the Lake. He kissed my cheek, looked at me like the world hung on my axis. Then he left me in a pool of confusion.
Reid and I were approaching a level of intimacy that lay in dangerous waters. Was this still a friendship? I couldn't think straight anymore.
"Seriously, Mallory, what's going on?" Cleo asked in frustration when I missed my intro to the next song. She paused it, looking at me. "You've been spaced out for ages."
Kennedy studied me. "Is something bothering you?"
I knew this was the right time to talk about Reid. I brushed my hair over my shoulder and sighed, bracing myself. "Reid kissed me."
"Oh my god!" Kennedy squealed, clapping her hands. I nervously ran my fingertips over the crystal embellishments that Cleo and Kennedy adorned my eyes with, which they were also wearing.
"Wait, you're being serious?" Cleo asked in shock. She leaned back on her bed, her dark eyes staring at the ceiling. "Wow. Another soldier, fallen to the lure of a boy."
"On the cheek!" I argued defensively. "He kissed me on the cheek, so it wasn't an actual kiss. Then he told me to enjoy my date. I mean," I threw my hands up in frustration, crossing my arms, "What does that even mean? It's a blind date, I might hate it."
"Mallory, that's not the point." Kennedy said flatly. "We didn't know you guys were so close."
"Well, Mallory did disappear on us for a while." Cleo informed Kennedy. She turned to me, her eyes appraising my face. "I thought you were getting over Brent, but turns out you were getting under Reid this whole time."
I hit Cleo on the arm, but I couldn't stop a smile from breaking on my face. "You know that's the opposite of Reid and I's friendship? He's like a good book I love. I'll take him out whenever my mind goes to him, but we don't depend on each other."
"Weird analogy." Cleo commented. "But I understand, I guess. I'm just annoyed I didn't get to see when you guys started liking each other. Everyone knows that's the best stage of a relationship."
I didn't bother to deny it, because I had no idea whether I liked Reid or not. Kennedy did my hair in a long, sleek fishtail braid, which I was fiddling with to reduce my anxiety.
"Would you reject Reid if he asked you out? Hypothetically." Kennedy wondered. Cleo and I stared at her, and she blushed. "Sorry if I want you to date Reid, over some random Tinder guy."
I rolled my eyes. "I didn't find my date on Tinder; one of my friends from school knows him. Besides, our date is tonight. I can't just cancel on the day."
Cleo raised her arms, then dropped them. "You can, actually, if you want to clear things up with Reid. Your date will understand. Potato, potato."
"That's not how you say the expression, Cleo." Kennedy argued. "It's not supposed to sound the same."
Cleo glared at her. "In my world, potato, potato sounds the same. That's the point of it."
"Can we focus for a second?" I pleaded, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes were ringed by dark circles. "I feel like this date is going to end badly."
Kennedy nodded sympathetically. "I'd say do what your heart tells you."
"Because following your heart fixes everything, Kennedy. Our girl's having an aneurysm, trying to decode what Reid is thinking in his pretty little head." Cleo summed up admirably. She slid off the bed and sat opposite us, taking my hand. "You don't have to do anything if you're still confused. Reid only made his move yesterday."
"But what if he wasn't making a move?" I asked doubtfully.
"If you're not sure, let the boy decide he wants you first." Kennedy advised with a tiny smile. "Who wouldn't want you, Mallory? You're an amazing girl."
"Right back at you." I shared a smile with Kennedy, taking Cleo's hand. She squeezed my hand back, wrapping an arm around Kennedy's back.
"Do you really think she needs to bring his feelings into it?" Cleo asked Kennedy, raising her eyebrows.
Kennedy shrugged. "I'm saying that she should let the ball stay in Reid's court. He seems like the type to go after what he wants."
"So you're saying I shouldn't go on the date." I tested, gauging their responses.
Cleo turned on me, looking exasperated. "Can you stop overthinking everything we say? Just go on the date, then Reid asks you out because he'll definitely get jealous. Potato, potato."
"That's not how it goes!" Kennedy called. Cleo walked out of the room, clearly done with our nonsense. Kennedy turned to me, looking concerned. "But I agree with Cleo. If Reid wants something more than your friendship, then he'll tell you."
I flopped back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. "What if he doesn't?"
She narrowed her eyes. "Then I'll kick his butt for you."
I sighed gratefully. "I love you, Kenny. I'd love Cleo if she wasn't so aggravating."
Kennedy winked at me. "You know how Cleo is. Now, go get your choices of dress for the date. Cleo asked your aunt to drop some off, so don't worry about going to your house."
I kissed Kennedy's cheek in gratitude, then I got the boxes that my aunt left. Cleo ran back to the room once she realised that I was getting ready. They watched critically as I pulled out a sleek red number, then a deep cerulean, and lastly a vivid purple. The first was backless, the last was the shortest.
"Purple, definitely." Cleo affirmed, just as Kennedy said, "Blue."
I raised my eyebrows. "I was thinking red."
"There's only one way to resolve this." Kennedy typed something into her phone, then showed us a randomized wheel spinner. She spun it, and the hand landed on red.
I got changed, then walked out to show my best friends. Their jaws dropped. "Stunning!" Kennedy cheered, getting powder out of her makeup bag. She handed it to me. "Just to top up your makeup. But you look beautiful."
"You do, Mallory." Cleo affirmed. She grinned slyly. "What if you detoured to Reid's house before going on the date?"
I blushed. "Is that a good idea?"
"I'm on board." Kennedy piped up. "I'll drive us there."
So fifteen minutes before the date started, I detoured to Reid's house. I just knew that it was the right place for me to be. Call it intuition or fate, but that night changed everything. I did my hair and makeup meticulously, and I was already dressed to the nines in a short dress and tall heels. I felt like a million bucks when I rang on Reid's doorbell.
When Reid opened the door, his eyes darkened as they ran over my face, down my dress and legs. His hair was damp, like he'd just taken a shower. "Wow."
"Speechless?" I asked with a smile, running my fingers through my loose waves. "I just wanted to say hi before I go."
Reid smiled briefly, dipping his eyes to look into mine as he touched my hair lightly. He watched my eyes, mesmerised, as his fingers skimmed my shoulder. "You look absolutely gorgeous. You'll make him forget his name."
I caught something stirring in Reid's eyes as he dropped his hand, stepping back. Maybe I was imagining regret in the bitter curve of his mouth.
I stared into Reid's eyes, unable to look away from him. The night air was cool on my bare skin, but I felt warmer than ever. "Thanks."
He nodded wordlessly. It didn't encompass everything I needed to say. A thousand words hovered on my tongue, but none would fall out. I cleared my throat awkwardly, breaking the moment. "I should go."
"You should." Reid murmured, but he didn't move. His eyes drifted over my face, memorizing my eyes, my hair, my nose and mouth.
This moment felt fragile in our hands. It was going to shatter if I wasn't careful. "Reid?" I asked cautiously.
Reid moved slightly, his eyes alert. His mouth curved upwards at the corners, his dark eyes fixed on mine. "Sorry, I'll go. Have a good time."
I tried to smile, but my mouth wouldn't quite work around it. "Yeah, I will. Don't worry about it." I didn't know why I said that to him.
Reid gave me a small smile, then he carefully shut the door. I stared at the brass numbers on Reid's front door for a minute. Then I sighed to myself and turned back to Kennedy's car, ready to leave.
Cleo and Kennedy's hopeful faces were pressed against the window. As I approached, Kennedy pulled her window down. "How did it go?" Cleo dared to ask from the backseat.
I got in to sit beside Kennedy in the passenger seat, staring in front of me. "He told me to have a good time. Why can't I have some luck in my life?"
Kennedy sighed. "It might take some time for him to realise, Mallory. At this point, you might as well ask him."
I stared at her incredulously. "And get rejected? Forget it. He's one of my best friends, I'm not jeopardizing that."
The drive to the restaurant was silent. I ended up five minutes late, so I quickly rushed into the restaurant as Cleo and Kennedy gave me their wishes of good luck.
My date was waiting at the back of the restaurant. He looked nice, but he wasn't a patch on Reid. "I'm so sorry I'm late." I apologised, breathing a fraction harder than normal as I sat down.
I was briefly reminded of how Reid met me at the coffee shop; the day I told him about Brent assaulting me. Reid was always there to support me.
Michael grinned. "It's not a problem. You're Mallory, right?"
I smiled back, brushing my hair over my shoulder. "Yes, and you're Michael? I like your outfit."
Michael straightened his shirt. "Thank you. I haven't ordered yet, if you're wondering."
I picked up a menu, perusing through it. "Have you been here before?"
"Never." Michael affirmed. "But I think the tempura's good."
Michael and I ordered, then we talked. We actually got on well, because he was funny and I could sense that he was a kind person. But he wasn't Reid. I knew that it wasn't right of me to encourage Michael with Reid at the front of my thoughts, but I still wasn't sure of myself.
I knew one thing. Reid and I were connected to each other somehow, and I genuinely cared for him. Was I confusing platonic love for something romantic?
But that's how the knowledge struck me, sharp and fast as lightning. The realisation was waking up from a long sleep. Friends don't want to kiss their friends. The affection I felt for Reid extended beyond friendly appreciation.
I thought about his eyes, his smile. The time he wore a white shirt that outlined every inch of muscle on his arms, and I couldn't stop staring, even when he was talking to me. It was stupid, but that moment was my catalyst. Holding back was harming my own potential for something with Reid.
When I explained to Michael that I couldn't date him, he accepted it without a complaint. Maybe he also felt a lack of chemistry, or maybe it was just his kindness. My hands shook as I stood up from my seat. I couldn't stop feeling like I was on the precipice of a cliff, and I'd gladly throw myself over the side to find something new.
I walked out of the restaurant like I was in a dream. The path to Reid's house was illuminated by light. It was Ariadne's string of gold, leading me out of the pitch-black labyrinth. This was my destined place in the world.
It started raining as I walked down the street, and I was drenched by the time I reached Reid's front door. I knocked, hoping he'd open the door before I got hypothermia. My heart was pounding in my chest; I could barely breathe, I was that scared. The clarity of my discovery was overwhelming. This complete, perfect understanding that Reid was my other half. He was my Theseus.
As I heard footsteps move towards the door, my heartbeat increased in pace to match. I heard the chain slide and Reid came into view from behind the door.
As he registered my face, his own expression became shocked. "Why on earth aren't you wearing a coat?" he asked, reasonably.
I wrapped my freezing arms around my chest, forcing my teeth to stop chattering. "I think I left it at the restaurant. But I had to come here, Reid."
He shook his head, taking me by the shoulders as he guided me into the house. "You're crazy, Mallory. And freezing. What happened to your date?"
I gathered my courage as Reid rummaged in his closet for a towel. He turned around once he realised that I wasn't replying, walking over to me with a look of mingled concern and confusion. He sat me on his bed, holding a hand up to my forehead. He sighed. "I'm scared that you'll get a fever. Seriously, what happened? Why did you walk here alone in the rain?"
"This isn't the way I wanted to tell you." I forced out. Instead of replying, Reid recognised that I was in an acute state of pain. So rather than trying to coax an answer from me, he silently took up another towel and gently began to dry my hair with it. The action was so sweet and caring, it painfully intensified the affection I felt for him.
I decided that enough was enough. I needed to tell him now.
Instead of cluttering the moment with words, I reached over to take his hand in mine. Reid gave it without complaint, but he watched on in confusion as I intertwined our fingers.
I watched our hands, silencing my fear. "I can't explain it, but I want you, Reid. I know it now."
Reid's eyes were completely disbelieving. I held our hands up to show him what I meant, my eyes fixed on his. "This is why I walked four miles in the rain to see you. This is what I've felt, but I couldn't tell you." I laughed quietly. "I barely know what the right thing is to say, even now."
"Mallory, are you sure?" Reid asked me urgently, dropping the towel from his other hand. I saw the question in his eyes. Did I want to jeopardise our friendship? Did I want to tear down something we'd already built together, all to start something new?
A hopeful smile grew on my face as I looked at Reid, content in my decision. Reaching for something new was never wrong. "I've never been more certain."
Relief flooded Reid's eyes. I saw the joy I felt mirrored in his face, and the hope in my heart reached its height. He leaned into me, brushing his nose against my cheek, and I felt the importance of this moment as surely as I felt Reid now. If I was at the precipice of the cliff, we were now toppling over the edge together.
I touched Reid's jaw with my fingertips, terrified and thrilled all at once. Absorbing his eyes, the line of his jaw. Then, reining in my fear, I pulled Reid towards me and kissed him on the mouth, wrapping my arms around his neck. Reid kissed me back with enthusiasm, without hesitation, cradling my cheeks in his hands. I was lightheaded already, dizzy with my luck.
Reid smiled against my mouth, kissing me a few more times before his lips moved down, peppering kisses along the line of my jaw. He let go of me, beaming as we looked at each other. "You know I could kiss you all day if you let me?"
I laughed, giddy. "Then why aren't you kissing me? I would kiss you all day if you let me."
"Don't copy me." Reid complained. I glared at him playfully, leaning in to kiss him a couple more times.
Before he could kiss me back, I retreated, smiling. "We have the rest of the night, right?"
"Say no more." Reid picked me up and threw me over his shoulder. I shrieked for him to put me down, but he ignored me, taking us to his bedroom. He dropped me onto his bed, ignoring my complaints as he moved to kiss me again. We were delirious with the happiness we'd found.
His mouth was sweeter than honey, as it fit against mine. His arms were braced on the mattress, either side of my shoulders as he took his time slowly, tantalisingly. Our kisses were slow and deliberate. They made my toes curl, and heat pooled in my stomach.
As Reid rolled over to lie down next to me, I took his hand in mine again, intertwining our fingers. We shared a smile. "I'm the happiest I've been right now." Reid confessed, his eyes focused on mine.
I grinned, tapping his nose as I replied, "Who's to say that I don't feel the same?"
Reid smirked, skimming his fingers along my bare shoulders. "I know you feel the same. Your heart tells me, right here." He rested his palm on my chest above my heart; we both felt its pace pick up.
I focused on his mouth, pulling his body into mine as I murmured, "Why don't you show me it?"Â Reid smiled, and made good on his promise.
The next year of our lives was idyllic, spent in moment stolen from a romance book. Reid was the epitome of a good boyfriend; thoughtful, caring, showering me with affection and adoration. I only hoped that I returned his love in ample amounts.
Fairy-tale kisses are made by the person you share them with. Reid was my person. He abhorred romance movies, but this was the beginning of our very own romance. Two hearts meeting, and fitting together by chance.
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