S-xual de-sire Episode 35 & 36

S-xUAL
de-sire🍑
( A night with my best friend 🛌)
Rated 🔞+
✍️ Chapter Thirty—Five✍️
 
“Excuse me. Hey, can you st©p for a second!” A hand gr@bb£d me by my arm st©pping me in my tracks.
“Huh? What?” I turned sharply around to face a p@n-ting small woman with bright blue piercing eyes and striking blonde hair. She wore office wear; a grey pencil Sk-irt with a matching blazer bu-ttoned to shape her elegant figure.
“Hi, you must be Keya Reynolds, right?” She spoke with a warm smile on her face.
My annoyed stare smothered into a wary frown. She looked petite even though she had shining black pumps to lift up her small frame.
“I am.” I replied awkwardly, wondering who she was and how she knew me.
She gave me a broad relieved smile. “Great. I’m Anabelle Higgins, you can call me Ana. I’m sorry to bug you like this but it’s very important that I speak with you.”
My frown de-epened. “Okay?”
A frightening silence pas-sed before she uttered. “It’s got to do with Kyle.”
The very mention of his name s£nt me staggering unconsciously backwards. A tumble of emotions suddenly exploded inside me. I blinked away the sudden overwhelming tears threatening to unleash themselves. This was ridiculous, how can the mention of his name affect me like this?
It was just a few days after seeing him at the movies. Since then I decided to take Sav’s advice and st©p pondering over why he really broke up with me. Prior to my mother’s suggestion, I took long walks mainly around the park and area while listening to uplifting music. Not once did a stranger st©p me from my listless strolling. So this woman, Anabelle Higgins, was the first.
“I know how you must be feeling, Keya, for a stranger to know your name let alone st©p you in the most inconvenient place but I really nee-ded to speak to you.”
“Yes, you’ve said that.” I still hadn’t changed my wary frown.
“It might be weird for you to hear what I have to ask, but did you by any chance meet a man outside of Kyle’s house about a month ago?” She asked me, both of her eyebrows arched with anticipation.
Upon remembering that creepy guy whom I thought was a spy, I g@sped. “He wasn’t a spy or anything, was he? I mean that could explain how you know my name and Kyle’s.”
A moment of silence pas-sed before Anabelle titled her head back and laughed. “No, oh no. He wasn’t a spy…or anything.”
I chewed my l!pfeeling self-conscious when she laughed.
“Okay. I’ll have to explain everything to you, we should find some place to sit down.” She told me as she scanned for a bench around the park and upon sp©tting one, she led the way as she walked toward it.
My curiosity made me follow her and copying her movements, I sat cautiously next to her.
“Okay, so where to begin.” She breathed. “Firstly, the reason I know your name and Kyle’s is because I work for that man you saw the other day. In fact, I’m his Personal as-sistant. I know you might be curious of who he is exactly, so I’m gonna brief you in a moment.” She st©pped, waiting to see if I was listening. She had my full attention.
“Well, he’s an entrepreneur, an executive officer of a small time rising company called ReyCorp. His company. It specialises in manufacturing and repairing computer systems. Although he’s just started his career recently, ReyCorp is actually expanding increasingly by each minute and becoming quite popular, a lot of its success has got to do with how hands down he is. I mean he actually fields not only in bossing around but helping out too. He’s a great boss and a good friend to me, too.” She smiled fondly to herself for a moment.
My interest piqued, the way she spoke of ‘him’ sounded like she was in love with him or something.
“Anyway, back to the point.” She reverted back, as if snapping herself from some day dream. “That background may not matter to you. But, this man I’ve told you about is in fact, Kyle’s brother, Jason Reyes.” Her gaze flattened towards me.
A choking g@sp escaped my mouth when the last s£ntence rung warning bells inside my head.
Jason Reyes. Kyle’s brother. Jason Reyes?
“It’s a shock, I know. But, I’m aware of the full story. I’ve been trying persuade my boss to get in t©uçh with Kyle. He’s very reluctant but I know he nee-ds it. I thought I succeeded a month when you last saw him, but when I learned he backfired, I was really disappointed. So I’ve decided to take matters in my own hand.” She st©pped for a moment. “That’s why I decided to meet you. I nee-d your help, Keya. Since you’re Kyle’s girlfriend, I’m sure you must feel the same way as I do. Just imagine it, you and me could get the brothers to reunite.”
“I think I nee-d a moment to…” I breathed.
“Of course take your time. I mean, I’d be stunned into silence if I was in your place.”
Her speech was a band of shock after shock. Her boss was Jason Reyes. Kyle’s brother. Jason Reyes. The guy who left Kyle with that lowlife at the most vulnerable point of his life. Jason Reyes. Had his own company and was trying to get in t©uçh with Kyle?
This was surreal. I must be dreaming a really bad dream? No. I was full aware of everything around me; sight, smell and sound of the park.
Exactly what was this woman asking me? I began to shake my head as I recollected her words.
“I can’t help you, Anabelle.” I decided.
A look of what could be describe-d as pure disappointment flooded her features. “Why?”
“Cos, Kyle and I broke up.” I explained.
“Oh.” She g@sped.
I gave her a flat smile.
She looked thoughtfully for a moment at the air in front of her.
“Is there a chance that I can convince you about this plan? I mean, I have this envelope right here that, Mr Reyes wanted to deliver to Kyle, personally.”
Mr Reyes. Kyle’s Brother. Mr Reyes. The term sounded weird in my head. How old was he? He was six years older than Kyle, so he couldn’t be more than twenty-four and she was referring to him like he was highly respected.
He’s her boss you idiot, of course she’d refer to him as Mr. Reyes. I chastised myself.
“Anabelle, look, I know you’ve explained everything to me and I do admit that what you’re trying to do is coming from the heart. But, I know Kyle and bombarding him with this news, well… I don’t how it will affect him. I’m not saying that I don’t want him to reunite his brother. I do. But Kyle’s been throu-gh a lot for the past eight years and a lot of his issues are to do with how Jason and his mother abandoned him, let alone how his father has treated him during those eight years. As much as I love him, I don’t think I can do it. We haven’t talked for a month since our break up and I just…” I breathed, feeling defeated.
“I un-derstand, Keya.” She reas-sured me as she took my hand into a squee-ze.
“You do?” I asked her warily as I watched my hand being buried into hers. I shifted uncomfortably until she let my hand go.
She gave me her brightest smile. “I do. I mean, the only reason I’m doing this is because I’m in love with my boss. I’ve always had and I’ll always will, even though he’s completely unware of it.”
My eyes bulged and I couldn’t help but smile. “He really doesn’t know?” I asked.
“Nope.” She shook her head.
I laughed suddenly which brou-ght a questioning brow from her face.
“That makes too of us.” I explained.
She giggled and for a while we both smiled at our state of conduct. “Unrequited love, what can you do about it?”
This stranger, I couldn’t explain it, but as we sat there I began opening up to this woman. I told her everything about my relationsh!pwith Kyle; how it all started and how it all ended.
The oddest thing about talking to her was how I felt like she knew exactly what I was going throu-gh. In the course of twenty minutes, she’d alre-ady warmed her way to me.
In return, she began explaining–in full detail–her relationsh!pwith her boss, Jason Reyes. I still couldn’t believe that the man I met a month ago outside of Kyle’s house was him. But actually thinking about it, I realised now that he had looked somewhat familiar, because he resembled Kyle one way or another.
Anabelle told me about how she met Jason Reyes throu-gh an interview for the position she has now; how nervous she was and how as-suring he made her feel. Somehow, along the lines, after she got the job she’d confused business with plea-sure. The fact she was his P.A meant they had to spend a lot of time together; after office hours, during trips and even in his ap@rtment. Eventually as she got to know more about him she started harbouring feelings for him. She explained how during one stupid drun!ken night, Jason expo-sed his past to her. It was that same night that they sle-pt together. Of course the following morning he had to be professional and excuse his behaviour. Although, Anabelle expected more from him, she agreed with him that nothing like that night could ever happen again. So that’s how she fell in love with him and bec@m£ quite obsessed with getting him reconcile with his family.
“I know what you must think. But believe me when I say I really care about Kyle. I mean whenever it’s just me and my boss working, he always brings him up in conversation. That was one of the reason I decided he nee-ded this.” She told me.
I nodded in un-derstanding, giving her a small but painful smile.
“Okay,” She breathed. “If you won’t talk him into it, then at least give him this envelope. I don’t know what’s inside, but judging from the fact that he didn’t really discard it, it must be important. You have no idea what I had to do to retrieve it from his safe.” She shook her head, as if remembering the memory.
I knew that she wasn’t going to give up until I relented. In the end, I agreed to give him the envelope. I knew I had to talk to him as some point. I mean, if it was me, I would want to know if my long lost brother or sister has been trying to contact me.
I admired Anabelle’s adamant spirit and somehow as I took the letter from her hand, I wished I could have her charisma when I saw Kyle again.
“By the way, you never told me exactly where you stay.” I said to her.
“I didn’t? Huh?” She laughed. “Well, I live in Chicago. That’s where the company base is located.”
I gaped. “So you’re telling me, you flew all the way from Chicago to get to Portland, just to talk to me?” I asked.
She nodded. “Yeah.”
“Jeez, how much does he pay you?”
“Oh, my travelling expenses are all un-der the company. Besides, he earning millions right now.” She shrugged.
“M-millions?” I g@sped.
She nodded. “Reycorp is expanding each day and is becoming wi-dely known around industries. He’s getting a lot of investors.”
When she’d said successful company, I’d thought maybe he was earning around a few thousand dollars, not millions.
I blinked at her, shocked and awed.
It was unbelievable. I mean, I never really thought of Kyle’s brother before. I never met him and Kyle never talked about him except how he left at sixteen after their mother. Somehow I’d always thought that Jason Reyes had followed his mother and I always imagined they were living together some place far away.
I didn’t want to ask Anabelle about their mother, I was not sure that Jason had even mentioned her when he’d drun!kenly spilled out his past.
It was really weird, thinking of Kyle’s brother as some rich millionaire. How can a runaway boy of sixteen find himself in Chicago all the way from Portland? That was like what? More than two thousand miles away in distance. How he had managed it was beyond me. How he’d survived by himself to even establish his own business, was even more mindboggling.
 
✍️ Chapter Thirty—Six✍️
 
I found myself at Kyle’s driveway the morning after I met Anabelle. After calling Ned in the morning he briefed me a little on what’s been happening with him for the past month. It was the first step I took since our break up. And although I was reluctant to be involved, I had to tell him about his brother.
I spent ten minutes sitting in my car, contemplating what I was about to do while staring unerringly at Kyle’s house. It took me a will of strength to finally get out of my car and walk toward his front porch.
I took a few de-ep calming breaths before buzzing at his door with nervous f!ngers. Somehow, I doubted he was in the house. From what Ned had told me, he has no idea where Kyle goes most of the time since he’s never at home.
I was about to give up waiting when the door wrenched open ma-king my heart skip a beat at shock of it.
“Kyle–”
“Keya–?”
We both said with surprised tones at the same time.
Seeing him s£nt my pulse into overdrive.
He gave me his amused smile while I stood there in front of him and for a moment, as I smiled back at him, it felt like the last month hadn’t happened at all.
“May I come in?” I asked him, after a while of just staring de-eply into each other.
“Yeah sure.” He invited me in.
I felt slightly confident for once since I last saw him as I walked throu-gh the door. Somehow, I managed to brush past him even though the door was wi-de enough that even an elephant could pas-s throu-gh it. Feeling his b©dy heat and inhaling his scent disarmed me a little, but I straightened my back and walked past the familiar walls of his house until I reached the living area.
Kyle watched my movements like a hawk as he stood at the threshold of the living room door while I sat down on his office chair and swivelled it to face him.
Although he looked slightly confused with his frown, I could tell that I was a welcome pres£nce from his smile.
“So what brings you here?” He asked at the very same time, I asked, “So how have you been?”
We both laughed nervously for an awkward second, until he gestured for me to go first.
“How are you?” I asked him.
“I’m good. I’m always good. You know that.” He said as he leaned against the wall of the door while crossing his arms.
I doubted his word but I nodded in agreement before I looked away from his form. It was seeing him like that, all tall and masculine, that brou-ght back unwanted images of us being together. I swallowed them down de-eply, repressing every urge to just run up to him and k!sshim while demanding exactly why we split.
“What about you? I mean, I thought you’d be doing your internsh!pby now?” He frowned slightly.
“I didn’t go. I guess Ned didn’t tell you, but yeah. I’m still around.” My voice was wary. I still didn’t know exactly where we stood at this moment. Where we friends or just ex’s?
“Oh.” He nodded as if in un-derstanding although I could tell he was de-ep in thought about something.
It was silent again because both of us were desperately thinking of what to say next while awkwardly staring at the furniture or wall.
Kyle suddenly shook his head as if remembering something. “Do you want a drink or something to eat?” As he asked this, he left the threshold and disappeared quic-kly into the hallway, leaving me staring confusedly at his shadow.
“Um…okay.” I mumbled to myself I stood up from the chair and followed after him.
He was busy taking ingredients out for a sub as well as taking a glas-s out to pour orange jui-ce into when I walked into the kitchen.
“So why are you here?” He asked me as he handed me a glas-s of orange jui-ce.
I managed to take it from his hands without our skin tou-ching and I thought of how I will answer his question as I sipped on the jui-ce.
He had a hesitant frown on his face but that didn’t discourage me as I settled the glas-s on t©p of the counter and met his stare.
“I met someone yesterday.” I started.
“Oh.” He froze, his brows furrowing de-eply.
He shook away the sudden emotion that rendered him and said, “I guess that’s good. You’re moving on.” He glared at the counter.
“Huh?” I asked, confused by his reaction. Then I realised what he must’ve heard. “Oh no, that’s not what I meant.” I shook my head as I placed my hand on my forehead. “It was a woman. I met a woman yesterday.”
“A woman?” His scowl changed into confusion.
“Yeah, Annabelle Higgins.” I told him.
“Anabelle Higgins?” He asked, pursing hisl-ips as if trying to place the name.
I nodded.
“Am I supposed to know her?” He asked, his brows pu-lling upwards.
“Right. Sorry, of course you don’t know her.” I chatted as if we were having a normal conversation where everything was fine and dandy between us. “Okay, so I met her at Hill Park and she told me about this executive officer of Reycorp that she’s in love with.” I shook my head, st©pping momentarily.
Kyle was listening attentively as I continued. “Anyway, remember that stranger I told you about, that man that was outside your house that day we–?” I st©pped myself quic-kly, not wanting to refresh the memory.
“–well, it turns out that she knows him.” I continued. “So that same man I met a month ago is the same man whom is Anabelle’s boss.” I stalled.
Kyle stared at me as of waiting for me to get the point. But I didn’t want to get the point. I knew what revea-ling that point will do to him.
After a while of b!tt!g my lower l!pKyle’s eyebrows shifted into a frown. “You st©pped.”
“I know.” I sighed. “Okay, here it goes…It’s Jason, Kyle. Your brother. Apparently that day I saw him was when he was about to come in and see you. Anabelle said she’s been getting him to contact you. But because he didn’t even knock at your door that day, she took matters into her own hands and met me today.” I breathed finally after rambling throu-gh everything. I took out the envelope from the bag I’ve been grasping ti-ghtly throu-gh the conversation.
I couldn’t meet his eyes as I handed him the envelope and said, “She said that Jason wanted to give you this.” I finally looked up to see his reaction.
He was too still. His eyes were ha-rd as they glared at the envelope he now held between his f!ngers, as if the sheer weight itself burned him. My heart went out to him for that moment as I watched him. From the years I’ve known him, I’ve witnessed how the damage of his broken family marked him. I had an inkling of what he must be feeling or going throu-gh right now.
My reaction was out of pure impulse as I rounded the island and stood in front of him. I had to put aside our own mess because he nee-ded me. I could see it in his sharp eyes that stared daggers at the envelope.
“Kyle?” My voice was hoarse.
He didn’t respond, so I t©uçhed his arm to bring him back to focus. He made a small movement but he was still rock solid. I was worried. I didn’t know what to do so I sn-ked my arms throu-gh his and pressed my forehead close to his che-st as I hvgged him.
He still remained unfazed.
“plea-se, plea-se say something.” I muffled against his che-st. My hands clasped ti-ghtly together behind his back.
Suddenly, I felt him shift and before I knew it, he gently pu-ll-ed me away from him. I tried not to let his reaction sting as I watched him shift the envelope into his other hand. He looked like he was in a world of his own when he glanced abs£ntminded at me before moving over to the other side of the island, where he placed the envelope.
I swallowed my emotions and asked, “Do you want to be alone?”
He looked up, tra-pping me with those listless eyes and nodded briefly.
“Okay.” I nodded too, pressing myl-ips together. “I’ll be in the living room.” I told him as I began exiting the kitchen.
He didn’t really pay attention to my dep@rture. I didn’t want to leave him alone, whatever was in that envelope was unpredictable. I felt helpless as I reached his living room and began pacing to and fro.
I don’t know for how long I did this while patiently listening for any reaction from the other room. After a while, I just sat on his sofa with my head between my knees and thought of nothing else but how much he has grown from that small frail boy who’d lost everything, to this young man who was strong and so sure of himself even when sometimes his wounds still ran de-ep.
All I had done for him for the past eight years was try to repair him. But I knew now, that no matter how ha-rd I tried and no matter what I did, the only way for him to ever be healed again was if he chose to face his demons, if he chose face the people who gave him those wounds in the first place.
I don’t know when the tears started, but I cried for him, for everything that he’d lost and everything that made him the person he was today. I realised then, as I l@yballed on his couch that I loved him more than I loved anyone, even myself. And if there was something I could do for him, just to make him whole again, whether I was his friend or ex-girlfriend or whatever. If there was anything, I wouldn’t hesitate to do it. Even if it meant losing p@rt of myself, I would do it; willingly, wholeheartedly. That was the extent of my love for him.
I guess I ended up slee-ping throu-gh my tears when I felt a tugging and a soft S-xy voice telling me to wake up an hour later.
I opened my eyes painfully to find Kyle crouched down beside the couch. He was pla-ying with a tendril of my hair before replacing it back behind my ear.
“Hey.” I greeted him with my small smile.
He smiled lazily and the dark circles around his eyes told me that he’d gone throu-gh the contents of the envelope.
I sat up on the couch and Kyle reacted by burying his head in my l@p.
I st©pped breathing momentarily as my heart squee-zed. I lifted one of my hand in mid-air, contemplating what to do with it. I ended up sli-pping my f!ngersthrou-gh the thick swirls of hair that had grown back on his head.
He was silent in my l@p and I didn’t mind as I kept running my f!ngersthrou-gh his hair. As long as I was of some use to him, I didn’t mind at all.
He breathed out a de-ep sigh before he got up and stood before me. “Can I lie down next to you?” He asked me.
“Of course.” I nodded before I even thought twice of what he’d asked.
I made space for him and he scooted over until we were both pressed, face-to-face, against the couch. It was beginning to get dark outside, so I could not see his face except for the flash of green that were his eyes.
They caught mine in the silence that had fallen until I couldn’t stare at the anymore. I closed my eyes and buried my face against his shoulder. He responded by wra-pping his arms around me, pu-lling me closer than ever.
“Good?” My voice was muffled against his shoulder.
I felt him his smile against my forehead as he replied, “Good.”
It was our own reas-surance. I felt his sigh against my head and an overwhelming feeling settled below my ribs. I couldn’t describe how much I missed him, how much I missed us being this way, feeling his warmth and feeling safe in his arms as if nothing in the world could t©uçh us.
“He wanted to see me.” His voice broke the silence. His tone was gruff against my hair and I could only imagine how ha-rd it must be for him.
“It’s that what was on the envelope?” I asked, my voice still muffled.
“No.” He gr-unted a response.
I waited for him to continue.
“Just a letter, an old picture of us together when we were children, and a check.”
“A check?” I looked up to gauge his reaction.
His eyes were closed but when I shifted un-der him he opened them. He shrugged, “Said he’d been meaning to s£nd money to me the day his business piqued.”
I didn’t respond to his reaction as I looked away and buried my face close to his n£¢k. I simply asked, “What did he say in the letter?”
“That he was sorry for everything. He gave me an address to his place. He’s been living in Chicago for past eight years. I guess, when he c@m£ here he thought I was going to reject him, maybe that’s why he gave me his address.”
I frowned, “Do you want to see him?” I breathed against his skin. He froze and I felt his Adams apple bobbing.
“I don’t know.” The gruffness in his voice returned. “I feel empty, Key. I want to be angry at him but at the same time there’s a lot I want to ask him.”
“I think you should meet him. You don’t have to forgive him right away, I mean. I just think that maybe it’s better taking this chance to see his side of things.”
“Okay.” His sighed with his whole b©dy and I felt him loos£ning his hold on me. I titled my head to see his face.
“You’re actually taking my advice?” I asked in disbelief.
He looked down and met my eyes, a slight humour glittering in his orbs. “Why are you so surprised?”
I scoffed and shook my head.
“Keya, I always listen to you. You don’t know it but I sto-re everything you say to me.” He smiled that lazy smile that did wonders to his good looks.
“Well, good to know.” I mumbled.
He chuckled for a moment before sighing again. He pressed hisl-ips against my forehead initiating a small sigh.
“So will you come with me?” He asked me, breaking the peaceful silence again.
“To where?” I frowned.
“Chicago.” He stated this as if it was obvious.
Shocked, I shifted to gauge his reaction. “Where your brother lives?”
His eyes rolled in “duh” motion.
“You’re going to fly there to see him?”
He smiled and nodded.
“But how?” My frown de-epened.
“You’ve forgotten alre-ady? He gave me a check.”
“Oh.” I frowned slightly. “Um…how much is in it?”
He sm-irked, which was really refreshing to see after the ghostlike expression that had haunted his face earlier. “Why, are you a gold-digger now?”
I sma-cked him and this made him laugh. I glared at him but that only increa-sed his smile. I was torn from feeling relieved that he was smiling again and sma-cking him again. In the end I chose hitting him.
“You know I was teasing right?” He laughed.
I rolled my eyes. “Just tell me the damn digits!”
He sm-irked. “One and six zeros.”
“What?” I almost chocked on my saliva.
He shook his head, his face going serious. “What Robert would kill to get his hands on that sort of money?”
“A million dollars?” I freed myself from his arms, I had to sit up for this. He followed after me as he pu-ll-ed himself and leaned against the couch.
“Yup.”
My jaw dropped for added shock. “What does he expect you to do with that sort of money?” I asked.
He shrugged. “That’s one reason I’m going to see him; to return it.”
My mouth pu-ll-ed into an “O” as I stared at him. Although, at this moment he was acting nonchalant, I knew de-ep down he felt the profusion of his decision. He was finally going to see his brother after years of feeling abandoned. He had to be at least nervous about it. Who wouldn’t be, when you just found out that the person whom you’ve long lost hope of ever seeing again was trying to get in contact with you. If he wasn’t at least anxious then I was scared $h!tless for him.
✍️Authoress Ricky ✍️
©️ ILLICTIMAGINATION
To be continued…
Poor Kyle; he was left alone in his own world.
This kinda friendsh!pis rare😞.S-xUAL
de-sire🍑
( A night with my best friend 🛌)
Rated 🔞+
✍️ Chapter Thirty—Six✍️
I found myself at Kyle’s driveway the morning after I met Anabelle. After calling Ned in the morning he briefed me a little on what’s been happening with him for the past month. It was the first step I took since our break up. And although I was reluctant to be involved, I had to tell him about his brother.
I spent ten minutes sitting in my car, contemplating what I was about to do while staring unerringly at Kyle’s house. It took me a will of strength to finally get out of my car and walk toward his front porch.
I took a few de-ep calming breaths before buzzing at his door with nervous f!ngers. Somehow, I doubted he was in the house. From what Ned had told me, he has no idea where Kyle goes most of the time since he’s never at home.
I was about to give up waiting when the door wrenched open ma-king my heart skip a beat at shock of it.
“Kyle–”
“Keya–?”
We both said with surprised tones at the same time.
Seeing him s£nt my pulse into overdrive.
He gave me his amused smile while I stood there in front of him and for a moment, as I smiled back at him, it felt like the last month hadn’t happened at all.
“May I come in?” I asked him, after a while of just staring de-eply into each other.
“Yeah sure.” He invited me in.
I felt slightly confident for once since I last saw him as I walked throu-gh the door. Somehow, I managed to brush past him even though the door was wi-de enough that even an elephant could pas-s throu-gh it. Feeling his b©dy heat and inhaling his scent disarmed me a little, but I straightened my back and walked past the familiar walls of his house until I reached the living area.
Kyle watched my movements like a hawk as he stood at the threshold of the living room door while I sat down on his office chair and swivelled it to face him.
Although he looked slightly confused with his frown, I could tell that I was a welcome pres£nce from his smile.
“So what brings you here?” He asked at the very same time, I asked, “So how have you been?”
We both laughed nervously for an awkward second, until he gestured for me to go first.
“How are you?” I asked him.
“I’m good. I’m always good. You know that.” He said as he leaned against the wall of the door while crossing his arms.
I doubted his word but I nodded in agreement before I looked away from his form. It was seeing him like that, all tall and masculine, that brou-ght back unwanted images of us being together. I swallowed them down de-eply, repressing every urge to just run up to him and k!sshim while demanding exactly why we split.
“What about you? I mean, I thought you’d be doing your internsh!pby now?” He frowned slightly.
“I didn’t go. I guess Ned didn’t tell you, but yeah. I’m still around.” My voice was wary. I still didn’t know exactly where we stood at this moment. Where we friends or just ex’s?
“Oh.” He nodded as if in un-derstanding although I could tell he was de-ep in thought about something.
It was silent again because both of us were desperately thinking of what to say next while awkwardly staring at the furniture or wall.
Kyle suddenly shook his head as if remembering something. “Do you want a drink or something to eat?” As he asked this, he left the threshold and disappeared quic-kly into the hallway, leaving me staring confusedly at his shadow.
“Um…okay.” I mumbled to myself I stood up from the chair and followed after him.
He was busy taking ingredients out for a sub as well as taking a glas-s out to pour orange jui-ce into when I walked into the kitchen.
“So why are you here?” He asked me as he handed me a glas-s of orange jui-ce.
I managed to take it from his hands without our skin tou-ching and I thought of how I will answer his question as I sipped on the jui-ce.
He had a hesitant frown on his face but that didn’t discourage me as I settled the glas-s on t©p of the counter and met his stare.
“I met someone yesterday.” I started.
“Oh.” He froze, his brows furrowing de-eply.
He shook away the sudden emotion that rendered him and said, “I guess that’s good. You’re moving on.” He glared at the counter.
“Huh?” I asked, confused by his reaction. Then I realised what he must’ve heard. “Oh no, that’s not what I meant.” I shook my head as I placed my hand on my forehead. “It was a woman. I met a woman yesterday.”
“A woman?” His scowl changed into confusion.
“Yeah, Annabelle Higgins.” I told him.
“Anabelle Higgins?” He asked, pursing hisl-ips as if trying to place the name.
I nodded.
“Am I supposed to know her?” He asked, his brows pu-lling upwards.
“Right. Sorry, of course you don’t know her.” I chatted as if we were having a normal conversation where everything was fine and dandy between us. “Okay, so I met her at Hill Park and she told me about this executive officer of Reycorp that she’s in love with.” I shook my head, st©pping momentarily.
Kyle was listening attentively as I continued. “Anyway, remember that stranger I told you about, that man that was outside your house that day we–?” I st©pped myself quic-kly, not wanting to refresh the memory.
“–well, it turns out that she knows him.” I continued. “So that same man I met a month ago is the same man whom is Anabelle’s boss.” I stalled.
Kyle stared at me as of waiting for me to get the point. But I didn’t want to get the point. I knew what revea-ling that point will do to him.
After a while of b!tt!g my lower l!pKyle’s eyebrows shifted into a frown. “You st©pped.”
“I know.” I sighed. “Okay, here it goes…It’s Jason, Kyle. Your brother. Apparently that day I saw him was when he was about to come in and see you. Anabelle said she’s been getting him to contact you. But because he didn’t even knock at your door that day, she took matters into her own hands and met me today.” I breathed finally after rambling throu-gh everything. I took out the envelope from the bag I’ve been grasping ti-ghtly throu-gh the conversation.
I couldn’t meet his eyes as I handed him the envelope and said, “She said that Jason wanted to give you this.” I finally looked up to see his reaction.
He was too still. His eyes were ha-rd as they glared at the envelope he now held between his f!ngers, as if the sheer weight itself burned him. My heart went out to him for that moment as I watched him. From the years I’ve known him, I’ve witnessed how the damage of his broken family marked him. I had an inkling of what he must be feeling or going throu-gh right now.
My reaction was out of pure impulse as I rounded the island and stood in front of him. I had to put aside our own mess because he nee-ded me. I could see it in his sharp eyes that stared daggers at the envelope.
“Kyle?” My voice was hoarse.
He didn’t respond, so I t©uçhed his arm to bring him back to focus. He made a small movement but he was still rock solid. I was worried. I didn’t know what to do so I sn-ked my arms throu-gh his and pressed my forehead close to his che-st as I hvgged him.
He still remained unfazed.
“plea-se, plea-se say something.” I muffled against his che-st. My hands clasped ti-ghtly together behind his back.
Suddenly, I felt him shift and before I knew it, he gently pu-ll-ed me away from him. I tried not to let his reaction sting as I watched him shift the envelope into his other hand. He looked like he was in a world of his own when he glanced abs£ntminded at me before moving over to the other side of the island, where he placed the envelope.
I swallowed my emotions and asked, “Do you want to be alone?”
He looked up, tra-pping me with those listless eyes and nodded briefly.
“Okay.” I nodded too, pressing myl-ips together. “I’ll be in the living room.” I told him as I began exiting the kitchen.
He didn’t really pay attention to my dep@rture. I didn’t want to leave him alone, whatever was in that envelope was unpredictable. I felt helpless as I reached his living room and began pacing to and fro.
I don’t know for how long I did this while patiently listening for any reaction from the other room. After a while, I just sat on his sofa with my head between my knees and thought of nothing else but how much he has grown from that small frail boy who’d lost everything, to this young man who was strong and so sure of himself even when sometimes his wounds still ran de-ep.
All I had done for him for the past eight years was try to repair him. But I knew now, that no matter how ha-rd I tried and no matter what I did, the only way for him to ever be healed again was if he chose to face his demons, if he chose face the people who gave him those wounds in the first place.
I don’t know when the tears started, but I cried for him, for everything that he’d lost and everything that made him the person he was today. I realised then, as I l@yballed on his couch that I loved him more than I loved anyone, even myself. And if there was something I could do for him, just to make him whole again, whether I was his friend or ex-girlfriend or whatever. If there was anything, I wouldn’t hesitate to do it. Even if it meant losing p@rt of myself, I would do it; willingly, wholeheartedly. That was the extent of my love for him.
I guess I ended up slee-ping throu-gh my tears when I felt a tugging and a soft S-xy voice telling me to wake up an hour later.
I opened my eyes painfully to find Kyle crouched down beside the couch. He was pla-ying with a tendril of my hair before replacing it back behind my ear.
“Hey.” I greeted him with my small smile.
He smiled lazily and the dark circles around his eyes told me that he’d gone throu-gh the contents of the envelope.
I sat up on the couch and Kyle reacted by burying his head in my l@p.
I st©pped breathing momentarily as my heart squee-zed. I lifted one of my hand in mid-air, contemplating what to do with it. I ended up sli-pping my f!ngersthrou-gh the thick swirls of hair that had grown back on his head.
He was silent in my l@p and I didn’t mind as I kept running my f!ngersthrou-gh his hair. As long as I was of some use to him, I didn’t mind at all.
He breathed out a de-ep sigh before he got up and stood before me. “Can I lie down next to you?” He asked me.
“Of course.” I nodded before I even thought twice of what he’d asked.
I made space for him and he scooted over until we were both pressed, face-to-face, against the couch. It was beginning to get dark outside, so I could not see his face except for the flash of green that were his eyes.
They caught mine in the silence that had fallen until I couldn’t stare at the anymore. I closed my eyes and buried my face against his shoulder. He responded by wra-pping his arms around me, pu-lling me closer than ever.
“Good?” My voice was muffled against his shoulder.
I felt him his smile against my forehead as he replied, “Good.”
It was our own reas-surance. I felt his sigh against my head and an overwhelming feeling settled below my ribs. I couldn’t describe how much I missed him, how much I missed us being this way, feeling his warmth and feeling safe in his arms as if nothing in the world could t©uçh us.
“He wanted to see me.” His voice broke the silence. His tone was gruff against my hair and I could only imagine how ha-rd it must be for him.
“It’s that what was on the envelope?” I asked, my voice still muffled.
“No.” He gr-unted a response.
I waited for him to continue.
“Just a letter, an old picture of us together when we were children, and a check.”
“A check?” I looked up to gauge his reaction.
His eyes were closed but when I shifted un-der him he opened them. He shrugged, “Said he’d been meaning to s£nd money to me the day his business piqued.”
I didn’t respond to his reaction as I looked away and buried my face close to his n£¢k. I simply asked, “What did he say in the letter?”
“That he was sorry for everything. He gave me an address to his place. He’s been living in Chicago for past eight years. I guess, when he c@m£ here he thought I was going to reject him, maybe that’s why he gave me his address.”
I frowned, “Do you want to see him?” I breathed against his skin. He froze and I felt his Adams apple bobbing.
“I don’t know.” The gruffness in his voice returned. “I feel empty, Key. I want to be angry at him but at the same time there’s a lot I want to ask him.”
“I think you should meet him. You don’t have to forgive him right away, I mean. I just think that maybe it’s better taking this chance to see his side of things.”
“Okay.” His sighed with his whole b©dy and I felt him loos£ning his hold on me. I titled my head to see his face.
“You’re actually taking my advice?” I asked in disbelief.
He looked down and met my eyes, a slight humour glittering in his orbs. “Why are you so surprised?”
I scoffed and shook my head.
“Keya, I always listen to you. You don’t know it but I sto-re everything you say to me.” He smiled that lazy smile that did wonders to his good looks.
“Well, good to know.” I mumbled.
He chuckled for a moment before sighing again. He pressed hisl-ips against my forehead initiating a small sigh.
“So will you come with me?” He asked me, breaking the peaceful silence again.
“To where?” I frowned.
“Chicago.” He stated this as if it was obvious.
Shocked, I shifted to gauge his reaction. “Where your brother lives?”
His eyes rolled in “duh” motion.
“You’re going to fly there to see him?”
He smiled and nodded.
“But how?” My frown de-epened.
“You’ve forgotten alre-ady? He gave me a check.”
“Oh.” I frowned slightly. “Um…how much is in it?”
He sm-irked, which was really refreshing to see after the ghostlike expression that had haunted his face earlier. “Why, are you a gold-digger now?”
I sma-cked him and this made him laugh. I glared at him but that only increa-sed his smile. I was torn from feeling relieved that he was smiling again and sma-cking him again. In the end I chose hitting him.
“You know I was teasing right?” He laughed.
I rolled my eyes. “Just tell me the damn digits!”
He sm-irked. “One and six zeros.”
“What?” I almost chocked on my saliva.
He shook his head, his face going serious. “What Robert would kill to get his hands on that sort of money?”
“A million dollars?” I freed myself from his arms, I had to sit up for this. He followed after me as he pu-ll-ed himself and leaned against the couch.
“Yup.”
My jaw dropped for added shock. “What does he expect you to do with that sort of money?” I asked.
He shrugged. “That’s one reason I’m going to see him; to return it.”
My mouth pu-ll-ed into an “O” as I stared at him. Although, at this moment he was acting nonchalant, I knew de-ep down he felt the profusion of his decision. He was finally going to see his brother after years of feeling abandoned. He had to be at least nervous about it. Who wouldn’t be, when you just found out that the person whom you’ve long lost hope of ever seeing again was trying to get in contact with you. If he wasn’t at least anxious then I was scared $h!tless for him
 
To be continued…
Poor Kyle; he was left alone in his own world.
This kinda friendsh!pis rare😞.