Song: Weak (Jojo)
"A little higher," Tommy instructed, strictly concentrating and mentally nitpicking at how Dil was positioning the knife.
"Like this?" Dil asked as he scratched his head in confusion. They'd been recording this sound for almost an hour.
"Yeah, perfect! Right there!" Tommy said excitedly, positioning the mic near the sound area, and yelled, 'Drop!'
Dil shrugged and followed the instruction by dropping the knife which immediately stabbed a faux human skin Dil made with clay and jelly, perfectly emulating the sound of a sharp object on a real human body.
Tommy immediately turned to his phone and listened carefully to the recording through headphones. He nodded at finally hearing a specific sound he desired. "Nice! That's a keeper."
Dil sighed in relief, feeling that his brother seemed finally satisfied at last. He looked at his brother as he fiddled with his cell phone, probably checking what else they needed for the day.
"Given these knife recordings, are there already a lot of killings in your film?" Dil jokingly asked, returning the knife to the box of various items to be used for sound-effects.
Tommy didn't mind the question as he was too focused on his little notebook with a list of things to record, and replied straightforwardly. "It's for backups, in case the recording I don't initially like suits the scene better."
"Okay, makes sense," Dil nodded, a small pout playing on his lips as he rummaged through the box, looking for something to play with while waiting for his brother's instruction on their next recording.
"By the way, are you and Kimi finished writing?" Dil inquired nonchalantly, squishing a fake tomato in his hand. They must be finished now that they're starting the sound recording, right?
Tommy looked down and paused the sound he was listening to. He didn't know if he should answer the question.
Tommy hesitated, replying, "Uh, y-yeah. We're almost done with the ending," before standing up and going to Dil at the box of things as well. "She's really good at plot twists, you know. I'm excited to record some of the stuff she wrote," he added, unconsciously smiling.
Dil watched him curiously and smirked as his brother smiled out of nowhere. He was on the verge of being super annoyed just earlier so he was surprised to see him full of smiles out of a sudden.
Dil raised an eyebrow, suddenly nudging him. "Hey! Is there something funny?"
Tommy's smile faded, and he quickly turned to his brother, trying to wear a serious face as possible. "No!" he answered, annoyed.
He just suddenly remembered that it was really generous of Kimi to still reach out to him and send him drafts for the film, although they no longer had time to talk about it alone because she was probably busy with academics and extracurriculars. Kimi often sent documents through email and they would exchange feedback with each other about it, usually ending with a "thank you" and no further conversation.
He wouldn't lie that he wanted their conversations to last longer, even if they went beyond the film. He just really wanted to talk to her for a long time again.
But maybe he shouldn't, because even he didn't know how to start that conversation, at least not right now.
"T, what's this?" Dil asked curiously and showed Tommy the stuffed toy he found in the box. It was mostly wrapped in a cloth that looked like an old oven mitt. He took the stuffed toy and stared at it intently. He narrowed his eyes staring at it, trying his best to remember what it was until he slowly heard bright children giggles with images of his earlier years flashing in his mind upon realization.
It was Kimi's Superthing.
Tommy couldn't remember why or how it ended up there. He just took random things from their attic that could be used for sound effects and he didn't notice that it was included.
He blew off the remnants of dust from the stuffed toy and stared at it, his eyes wide with fascination. He was suddenly reminded of how long they were in each other's business. He giggled at the thought that they'd been in each other's lives for so long.
"Ah, maybe we can use this for other sounds I listed," Tommy replied with a smile while carefully placing the stuffed toy back in the box.
The steady clacking of Kimi's keyboard filled the press room as she diligently typed a multi-paragraph article for their school's annual calendar. Coming up with creative descriptions for events like the Spring Fling proved to be quite challenging, especially when almost every peer she hung out with wasn't even looking forward to attending.
As everyone was in the middle of writing, someone suddenly spoke, their voice carrying across the room.
"Can you believe how snobby those film club members are? Just because they have that fancy room upstairs," Bernie remarked snidely, continuing to type.
Another member stood up and eagerly spoke, joining the conversation. "I bumped into one of them this morning and glared at me," she remarked. "Just who do they think they are?"
"I know right? As if they'll still be relevant after the film competition," Jane replied with a laugh causing everyone else to chuckle. The room was then filled with noises as everyone erupted into side conversations, most likely centered around the film club.
Kimi continued to type and kept her attention on the computer screen, searching for synonyms and online information to help her progress with her task. She pressed her eyes tightly as the increasing noise around her was starting to mess with her concentration, but tried her best to ignore them so she could finally get over this and go home.
Jane leaned over and watched Kimi's intense concentration, raising her eyebrow at how this task was probably consuming her. "Hey Kimi, do you know any of them?" she asked casually.
Kimi glanced up briefly and then kept her eyes glued to the screen while she spoke. "Their leader, Rachel. We're not close, but we have a mutual friend."
"If you see her, tell her and her team to tone it down. They're becoming the worst," Jane snapped before returning to her work.
Kimi paused for a moment and turned to face Jane. "She's not that bad. Maybe her image is just being influenced by her team," she defended. It's kind of unfair to conclude like that as so far, she hadn't seen anything to dislike about Rachel, who had always been kind to her.
The gossip died eventually as fewer and fewer members remained in the press room as they finished their tasks one by one as time went by. The fading sunlight struggled to illuminate their surroundings as the darkness gradually crept in, signaling the end of the day.
Kimi grabbed a pocket mirror from her bag and briefly fixed herself before starting to gather her things from the desk. Only about three people were left, so she didn't hesitate to say her goodbyes, to which they responded warmly.
She slowly closed the door and walked down the hallway, passing students engaged in various extracurricular activities in different areas of the building. There weren't a lot around anymore which made the whole surroundings a bit quiet, thankfully.
Kimi proceeded to stroll calmly and was now in an area between the lockers, carrying a few books that were light but still felt burdensome. But then suddenly, she felt her phone buzz from her pocket.
She shifted her books to the side and casually picked up her phone, expecting a text reminder from Chuckie to buy something for him before she got home.
However, the message she read was completely unexpected.
"Your photos will be ready tomorrow :) You may come anytime if you want."
Her eyes lingered on the message with a frown creasing her brow. This caused her to pause in the middle of the hallway as she gingerly set her phone down with her mind racing. She knew this day would come, but she was unsure if she was ready to confront him about the incident. Their once casual conversations had transformed into uncomfortable silences, leaving her feeling uneasy.
Kimi sighed nervously, thinking that it finally might be time to face the music. It's getting unbearable to be in his presence and constantly feel a pit in her stomach. This has to be resolved once and for all. Her fingers gently brushed her phone keyboard as she was about to respond when she felt someone standing behind her.
She hastily turned back and her eyes bulged, panicking when she saw the person, who also spoke, "Hey Finster!"
Angelica purposely snuck behind Kimi with a mischievous glint in her eye, attempting to peek at her phone. "Could you please move out of the way?" she retorted, watching her slight movements. Kimi quickly put her phone behind her, trying to hide it with her cheeks flushing slightly.
Kimi briefly looked at her phone behind her and rambled, "U-uh, it's just Chuckie, sending a random text," she said nervously, looking intently at Angelica to see any doubts in her expression.
Angelica just raised an eyebrow and kept staring at her. "Uh, don't care, didn't ask," she replied sharply. "Could you clear the way now?"
Kimi jolted and immediately moved to the side, giving Angelica ample space, even though there was literally a large space on both of her sides for her to pass. Kimi then shook her head and subtly rolled her eyes with it closed and apologized, "Sorry."
Angelica rolled her eyes and walked past her, keeping her eyes on Kimi as she went farther. She couldn't help but stop behind the end of the lockers to watch where Kimi was headed. Unsuspiciously, it didn't seem to be any different than her usual route to their home, so she left the lockers and proceeded to head towards a room on the floor above.
Angelica looked around and when clearly nobody else was on the second floor of the campus anymore, she entered a particular room.
The room changed quite a bit from the last time she was here. There's still a long ass table in the middle but the surroundings were now decorated with fancy lights and displays.
There she saw the person she was looking for, sitting gracefully on one of the chairs while strictly keeping her focus on some document in her laptop. Angelica walked over to her, playfully snatching a chair and casually sitting on it. The person didn't care for Angelica's presence even when she began inspecting her work.
Angelica frowned at her unfazed demeanor and spoke sarcastically, "Hey sweetheart!"
Rachel closed her laptop and turned to her, surprised by her presence but did her best for her face not to show it. "What are you doing here?" she demanded, her voice sharp as she crossed her arms.
"Relax honey! I just want to make sure you're okay. That's all!" Angelica giggled and smiled devilishly, mentally enjoying how irritated Rachel was looking.
Rachel glared at her and stood up, turning her attention through the one-way window and the view outside. It was getting dim but she could still catch sight of Tommy and their gang, preparing to leave the school premises with their bags on them. She then felt her teeth clenching at the sight of Tommy and that girl seemingly stealing glances at each other despite their distance.
Angelica stood up and went behind Rachel's back, staring at the same view and direction as she was. Her eyes widened upon spotting Tommy and his friends outside and then smirked, figuring out the reason why Rachel was spacing out at the moment.
Angelica turned away and smirked. She crossed her arms and faked a pout with her eyes fixed on Rachel who was trembling as she looked outside. "So, what's the plan, girl? He's not gonna be yours if you just stand there, shaking," she mocked, with each word stabbing Rachel like a tiny dagger.
Rachel briefly closed her eyes tightly and nervously looked back at Angelica, attempting to contain bursting out to her. She inhaled to try to calm herself up, which seemed to be working. She just can't understand that even after their great night last Sunday, no signs of him running back to her were showing so far.
Rachel sighed, her gaze fixed on the floor. "We had a good date," she said loudly, trying to sound confident.
Angelica sneered. "A good date? It looked more like a disaster from the way you're reacting to them just now."
Angelica followed it with a few more mocking giggles before frowning at her, showing seriousness. "You have to move fast if you want my cousin to yourself, because if my assumption is correct and he's indeed crazy for Finster, then it's gonna be over for you," she threatened.
Rachel quietly gulped and looked down in terror. She's unable to contain her emotions any further and figured it could be hidden better if she just doesn't look at this crazy bitch in front of her.
She moved around and decided to change the conversation, going back to her original question just so she could stop shaking.
Rachel paused briefly and finally felt the courage to look up at her. She asked again but more nervously this time. "You still haven't answered why you're here?"
Angelica smirked and sauntered over to her. "Oh, I'm just here to ask for some bucks so I can perform better. Kimi is making it hard for me to get something against her."
"You haven't even delivered anything yet, and you dare to request additional support?" Rachel crossed her arms, her face almost scowling at her.
Angelica smiled and held her palms up in defense. "Trust me, Finster is great at hiding secrets, and she has the power to make everyone follow her trail, even unintentionally. She's not gonna be easy to take down!"
Rachel pursed her lips from hearing all the seeming lies Angelica had been spouting since she got here. She can't even hide giving her a withering look this time, letting her know her clear intentions of putting her in place.
She began glowering at Angelica, unable to contain her anger any longer.
"No!" she snapped, firmly refusing her request. It's time to stand up to her, she's not going to allow being empty-handed on this whole ordeal. She's supposed to be dominating here, not the other way around.
Angelica smirked. "You know I can easily report this to the school officials, and better yet, to the university themselves and return you to where you came from, right?" she scoffed back, giving her a menacing look.
Rachel smiled derisively and quickly replied, "Go ahead! It's not like they're gonna believe anything you'll say."
"Are you seriously underestimating the power of my big mouth?" Angelica challenged, her voice dripping with arrogance.
Rachel rolled her eyes and smiled contemptuously. "Your big mouth? Please. My academic record speaks for itself. I'm not some gullible fool like others here that you can easily manipulate," she responded and then smugly added, "and let's not forget, you're on thin ice around here. One more misdeed and you're out."
The smirk on Rachel's face grew as she saw a glint of doubt in Angelica's eyes. She clearly struck a nerve.
Angelica felt a surge of panic, unable to think of any more threats or defenses. She underestimated her. She's nothing like Brianna or Savannah, whom she can easily outsmart. This was a different beast, and as hard as it was to come to terms with it, she felt the power dynamic shifting here.
She wasn't able to do anything but just frustratingly stare at Rachel. She watched her stride around her and decided to just keep quiet, allowing her to finish her speech as her body language told her she was about to speak more.
Suddenly, Angelica felt a chill run down her spine as Rachel approached from behind. She tried not to look but felt her coldly place a hand on her shoulder with a calculating look in her eyes. "If you want that extra support, you'd better deliver," Rachel warned lowly and menacingly.
Angelica felt Rachel's grip tightened, but forced herself to remain calm. She knew she was in over her head.
Rachel leaned in close as Angelica felt quietly challenged. "Help me bust whatever it is going on between Tommy and that girl, and we'll talk about your little request," she paused with her stare feeling like daggers boring into her. "Got it?"
Startled by Rachel's sudden aggression, Angelica yanked her hands off her shoulder in irritation. She was about to retort, but Rachel had already turned and strode toward the door.
"Oh, and don't forget to turn off the lights and lock the door," Rachel added, looking back at her with a smug grin. "I don't want you getting blamed for some misdeed this early."
Angelica watched her leave as feelings of anger and frustration bubbled up within her. She needed that money for Matt, but she wasn't going to be her puppet. She just couldn't shake the feeling that Rachel could switch the upper hand this well.
Realizing there was no point in staying there any longer, she turned to leave the room with a sigh, deliberately ignoring Rachel's instructions.
Tommy sat comfortably at his computer with a coffee shake from Java Lava within reach, clicking his mouse as he edited scenes filmed over the past few weeks. He briefly picked up the drink and did a short sip as he mindlessly split a clip. The filming had gone well, with several actors showing up for their shoot last Tuesday. It had been a productive week, and he was confident that he would finish the film on time.
As he moved his mouse, he accidentally knocked over an envelope, causing its contents to spill onto the floor. He wasn't able to see the photos instantly due to his computer being the sole light source in the room. He gently picked them up and saw images he was too familiar with.
It was printed photos from his recent photo shoot with her. He had been nervous to tell her the photos were ready but worried she might be late with her submission, so he needed to do it anyway. He had planned to tell her in person, but texting seemed easier given their current circumstances.
His chest pounded at the sight but he wasn't able to take his eyes off it. They were with the gang yesterday and it was honestly unfortunate that they didn't interacted much. It helped him that whole incident at the back of his mind for a bit. But seeing the pictures, however, suddenly brought him back to that freaking day.
He held some of the pictures up and stared at them as if he was examining every feature of her face.
It was already evening, but she still hadn't come yet. Maybe she's not really interested to face him again after all that. He should probably just ask Chuckie to deliver it to her.
Shaking off those thoughts, Tommy knelt to pick up the rest of the pictures on the floor. He neatly stacked them together to return them to the envelope again. Though he felt a few thick papers on his feet but couldn't identify if it was included in this set as he has a lot of different printed photos scattered in his room.
As he carefully slid the set of pictures inside the envelope, he paused for a second to admire a single image placed in front of the bunch.
He couldn't understand why things had become so confusing between them. They once even easily joked about being a couple, a testament to how lighthearted everything was. But now, a simple kiss had ignited something deeper within him. He always thought kisses had been a casual gesture, a way to express affection without deeper meaning, but she was changing that perception. He still couldn't fully grasp why he had kissed her that day. It felt right, but the timing seemed off. Their friendship had been perfect, but this unexpected turn of events challenged it.
He flopped back in his chair, lost in thought. His mind drifted back to years ago when he had received a special gift from his grandfather.
Tommy casually wandered around their bright open empty garage and spotted his grandfather rummaging through a storage box near the entrance. His eyes widened and curiously, he crept closer to peek at what his grandfather was occupied with.
"Hey, Grandpa!" Tommy greeted casually.
Lou turned around, surprised to see his grandson. "Hey, scout! What brings you here on a Saturday morning? Don't you have plans with your friends?"
Tommy sat on a plastic chair beside his grandfather and replied, "Lil has soccer practice, so we couldn't make any plans today," he smiled. "Plus, it's nice to stay home sometimes."
"Good! Can you help me organize some of your grandma's stuff?" Lou asked.
Tommy stood up and sat cross-legged beside his grandfather, eyeing the scattered wallets, vintage cosmetics, tiny photographs, and jewelry.
"Grandma Lulu's things?" he asked curiously.
"No, these are Trixie's," Lou replied.
Tommy nodded and began picking up some items to organize, with a vintage picture of his grandmother catching his attention. "Is this from Grandma's time on the ranch, like our trip last year?" he asked, holding up the photo.
Lou took the photo from him and smiled as distant memories hit him.
"Yes, this is when we first met. She was already on the ranch long enough before I arrived. I only really noticed her after I accidentally threw a horseshoe at her," Lou chuckled.
Tommy paused and waited to hear more, drawn by his grandfather's story. Lou, meanwhile, carefully placed the old photo into the box.
"Remember when I told you I fell in love with your grandmother at first sight?" Lou asked with his grandson nodding. "Well, that's not entirely true. It took time and shared experiences and adventures, truly, for me to realize my feelings for her."
Lou gently picked up a small red velvet box and offered it to him. Tommy froze in his place, surprised, before taking the box in his hand. He gently opened it, revealing a sparkling blue topaz nesting inside.
Tommy's stared at the jewelry, puzzled. "Uh, what's this, Grandpa?"
"That's a special gift for your grandmother when we're on a cruise. I didn't even know why I bought it for her at the time," Lou mused, smiling wistfully. "It just felt right."
He looked at his grandfather and lifted the necklace out of the box, intrigued. "But why?"
"My heart told me to," Lou confessed, his gaze drifting off into the distance. "I wasn't sure of my feelings, but I trusted my intuition."
Tommy watched his grandfather who was lost in thought. He smiled and wondered if he was meant to experience such a profound connection. His grandfather then snapped out of his reverie and turned to his grandson.
"I want to give that to you, Tommy boy" Lou offered, gently pushing the necklace to Tommy as he held it. "It might help you find your special someone, just like it did for me."
"That led me to the love of my life, even before I realized it," Lou added, patting his shoulders.
Tommy kept holding the necklace up and examined it. He didn't fully understand how that worked for his grandfather, but guess he'll find out about it himself eventually.
Lou took a deep breath and resumed lining up the cosmetics on the box. "Whoever receives that necklace, I'm sure it's already a special person in your life," he remarked. "My experience with your grandmother taught me that sometimes, love is closer than we think."
Tommy nodded as those words fascinated him. He carefully placed the necklace back in the box, feeling a mix of curiosity and anticipation.
A wave of realization came crashing into him as the meaning of those words finally dawned on him. Perhaps it's finally time to confront the truth and take a leap. He slipped the photo back into the envelope and pocketed it. He then took a jacket nearby and opened the door in a rush, intending to head to Finster's.
Suddenly, his eyes widened and his mouth parted when he saw her standing in front of him, catching her breath.
Just minutes ago, Kimi nervously approached the door to Pickles' residence with her heart pounding. Her soft fingers brushed on the doorbell as she contemplated tapping it. She couldn't believe she was actually here and was about to face him. She can't stop shaking, unsure of the right course of action, but ultimately, she decided to get here and get those photos anyway as she doesn't like being a burden to the press either.
The living room lights were on, indicating someone was inside. It was evident by the silhouette of two people through the window she could make out of. She knocked on the door hesitantly as her anxiety grew. Her heart jumped briefly when she saw someone open for her.
"Kimi, hi! Didn't expect to see you here," Dil greeted her with a surprised smile. She glanced into the living room and saw Stu tinkering with a large machine. They seemed to be working on some kind of invention.
Kimi clasped her hands together and replied nervously. "Hi, I'm here to see Tommy,"
"Sure, he's upstairs," Dil said, stepping aside to let her in.
As Kimi climbed the stairs, she couldn't shake the feeling of nervousness. In the living room, Stu paused his tinkering to glance at his son.
"Who's that, Dil?" he asked curiously. "Tommy's girl?"
Dil smirked. "Not yet."
Stu raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Huh?"
Dil chuckled and pushed the door closed. "Let's get back to work, Dad," he replied as he walked over to him.
Kimi crept up the stairs as her heart kept pounding. She paused in front of his bedroom door, unsure of what to do. Should she knock, call out, or simply open the door? She kept standing there, shaking, as indecision weighed on her.
She was about to knock when the door swung open, startling her. There she saw Tommy with his hair disheveled and out of breath, standing in the doorway.
"Hey," he greeted her.
"Hi," Kimi replied, composing herself. "I'm here for the photos."
Tommy nodded, switching the lights on and inviting her inside. As she sat on his bed, she noticed his film recorder and flash drives above his desks, suggesting he was working on his film entry.
He pulled the envelope out of his pocket and handed it to her. "Here."
Kimi took the envelope and suddenly felt a surge of relief. "Thanks," she said.
They both froze in their places in silence, waiting for the other person to speak first. There are thousands of thoughts running through their minds but fear held them captive, terrified of what would happen if they did.
"So, how are you? We hadn't talked much in weeks," Kimi spoke with barely a whisper.
"I'm doing alright," Tommy replied, his tone equally subdued. "I'm doing some work for the film."
Kimi nodded. "That's great, really excited to see them."
"Yeah, thank you," he replied, giving her a weak smile, and was followed by silence engulfing the room again.
Kimi's eyes then started to roam around the room and think of something they could talk about to prolong her stay. As she did, her eyes caught a shadowy piece of image beneath his desk. Being unable to figure it out, she walked over to it and knelt, lifting the picture up as she assumed it was one of hers.
Tommy caught her intent and immediately offered help by reaching out under the desk as she was. As they lifted the object together, a gasp escaped their lips. It was indeed a photograph–a snapshot of their kiss.
Kimi's eyes bulged and tossed the picture off her hands, standing immediately and turning her back on him. She wrapped her arms around herself, bracing for what she thought would happen next.
Tommy recognized the photo just as instant. How couldn't he? He was also caught off guard that they managed to capture that moment as he scrolled through the image transfers days ago. He decided to print a lone copy, only for sentimental purposes and not exactly aimed to be seen by anyone else.
He bit his lips and a blush crept across his cheeks that he probably almost included it in her envelope. The photo clutched tightly in his hand as he stood up, and then slowly, he turned to her with courage.
Kimi remained in her position, trying her best not to look at him and that picture again. Her grip on the envelope slightly tightened and she kept looking at the door, hoping she could teleport herself outside just for this moment.
"Are we not going to talk about this?" Tommy asked, looking at her with a frown. He doesn't want to waste any time anymore.
Kimi wanted to pretend she didn't hear anything and just head out of the room to get home. However, something within kept telling her to go with this and do something just as she intended when she came, resolve it once and for all.
"'Uh, what about it?' she asked nervously, raising an eyebrow in a weak attempt to appear intimidating.
"It was uh, something," he replied, his voice trailing off.
"Yeah, definitely a heat-of-the-moment thing, right?" Kimi faked a smile, her eyes betraying her true feelings.
Tommy stepped closer to her with his gaze now intense. The silence was overwhelming as each knew the truth behind those words. A glint of annoyance began flashing across his face. "It wasn't to me," he said with his tone low and desperate.
Oh
He ran a hand through his hair as his face showed visible signs of frustration and being on the verge of crying. "Everything between us means a lot to me. Our friendship, that kiss, and... you," he blurted out, his voice raw with conviction.
A lot of different thoughts raced through Kimi's mind, rendering her speechless. She couldn't find the words to respond and was only able to utter, "I-I—"
"You know, I've been feeling this way about you for a long time, even before we kissed," he confessed.
Kimi gulped and feigned ignorance. "What do you mean?"
Tommy took a deep breath as his heart pounded. He reached out and gently intertwined her hands with his. She began feeling a flutter of butterflies in her stomach and didn't pull away, keeping her eyes locked on him.
"I like you," he confessed, his voice steady. "More than just a friend."
Kimi was speechless and her heart raced even faster. The sincerity in his eyes embraced her with warmth, and she knew there was only one thing to do.
She reached up to his neck and gently pulled him closer, her gaze soft. She closed the gap between them and their lips met in a passionate kiss, pouring all her unspoken emotions into the moment. Tommy's eyes widened and couldn't decide where to rest his hands, but eventually responded with equal intensity. He leaned into her and reached out to her hands, tightening his grip.
When they finally pulled apart, Kimi smiled softly. "I like you that way too," she whispered.
Tommy smiled and his eyes sparkled. He didn't hesitate leaning in again and kissing her with it being a quick and sweet exchange this time. "I can't wait to do that again," he murmured with a dreamy look in his eyes.
His dreamy gaze suddenly faded and was exchanged with anxiousness when he realized something.
"How are we gonna do this? How are we going to tell everyone? especially Chuckie. You saw how he fought with Lil on this," he rambled, pacing back and forth. "He's clearly not a big fan of us getting together."
Kimi watched him nervously move around and decided to creep behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. She leaned her head on his shoulder and whispered bluntly, "They don't have to know about us."
Tommy's eyes widened in surprise and quickly turned around to face her. He couldn't believe she'd suggest something like that, especially considering her closeness with Chuckie.
He reached out and took her hands in concern, maintaining eye contact. "Are you sure? I'm willing to do whatever it takes, but are you really okay with this being a secret?" he asked, gently caressing her palms.
Kimi met his gaze with unwavering determination. "Nothing I can't handle," she replied confidently and smiled.
Slowly, she pulled her hands from him and sat on his bed, deep in thought. "I guess we just have to hide this for a while until we're ready to tell them," she suggested, looking up at him.
They both knew this set-up would be challenging. It would require careful planning and occasional deception, something neither of them was comfortable with. However, after years of pinning into each other and now that they're ready to act on those feelings, the thought of spending more time together made those potential challenges seem worthwhile.
Tommy tried to see it with optimism and believed that with time, everyone would come to accept them together.
He sat beside her, brushing his knuckles over her cheeks and cupping it. "Works for me," he murmured and kissed her again passionately.
Kimi held his wrist and slowly pulled away from him, her cheeks flushed with excitement. "I better go now. I promised to help Chuckie organize his stamp collection," she said, standing up and giggling, "I wouldn't want him suspecting just merely an hour into this thing."
Tommy responded with a chuckle, agreeing with her point.
"As you wish," he pouted, not wanting to see her go yet. "I guess I'll just see you around. Text me anytime! I'll respond even if it's nonsense."
"Yeah, we're gonna be insufferable from now on," Kimi said, grinning. She gave him a quick peck on the lips and held up the envelope. "Thanks again!" she added and walked over the door. She gave him a soft smile one last time before finally heading out.
He watched her leave while his fingers traced the spot where her lips had been. The thought of their future together filled him with joy and anticipation. Yet, he knew they had to proceed cautiously. Letting others know about this relationship, especially Chuckie, would be a challenge given his reaction to her slip-up during middle school.
It seemed the best to take all this gradually. But for now, all he wants is to cherish being with her, knowing that their time will come.
*peeks out* Did ya'll like it?