"Hey Kiku, why are you always so reserved? You don't have to be afraid to open up, you know, especially around me. We're buddies!" a cheerful voice boomed and echoed throughout my small bedroom, ringing in every corner.
"I prefer not to readily display my emotions," I responded quickly, not daring to glance away from my laptop screen.
"Why not? I mean, feelings exist for a reason. We don't all have to be expressionless zombies," Alfred rolled over on the sofa to turn in my direction and I met a pair of half-open cyan eyes, accompanied by an intoxicating smile.
"Does your mind always somehow wander back to zombies?" My reply came, sprinkled with a hint of sass.
He opened his mouth to retort, but then he halted and his train of thought returned to his original question. "Don't change the subject!"
"Okay, well, I tend to keep to myself often because I fear other people's reactions," I reluctantly admitted.
"You don't have to be afraid of me! Do I look
scary?" he grinned wide and cocked his head a bit. I examined him for a second, studying and admiring his ruffled blonde mane, his long eyelashes, the way the muscles in his neck twisted and stretched, and his wonderfully giddy appearance.
I sighed. "Fine then. You really want me to open up?" I glanced down at my nails and picked at them with anxiety.
"Yeah, man! It can't be that bad!" Alfred assured.
"I love you."
Silence met silence and incredulous blue eyes poured into me as the moment stretched. The gaze overflowed with pure intensity, and for the first time I failed to read the meaning behind this boy's expression. I had no idea what he was thinking. All of a sudden, a pair of lips that tasted of soda pop caressed my own and his palms pulled my face closer to his, like he already couldn't get enough of me. It slowly turned into a heavenly, tingly, fantastic rush of kisses and touches and bits of adoration that I have only harbored in my daydreams. When he finally released me, he kept my hands clasped inside of his and squeezed them tight.
"If you couldn't tell, that means I love you too."