Secrets & Numbers

Misty and Kayla sat on the couch, sipping iced coffee while music played softly in the background. The warm afternoon breeze drifted through the open window, carrying the distant sounds of people passing by.

Kayla stretched her legs out, smirking at Misty. "Okay, girl, I gotta ask… what's your body count?"

Misty nearly choked on her drink, coughing as she set the cup down. "Excuse me?"

Kayla laughed. "You heard me. Come on, we're both married with kids now. It's not like it matters. Just curious."

Misty rolled her eyes but smirked. "One."

Kayla gasped dramatically. "No way! Just Ash?"

"Of course! We've been together since we were fourteen, and I was too busy dealing with his dumb battles to be interested in anyone else." Misty shook her head, amused. "Not exactly a wild phase in my life."

Kayla sighed. "You're so pure. Mine's three."

Misty raised an eyebrow. "Three? Spill."

"Well," Kayla started, crossing her legs, "there was my first boyfriend in high school, lasted a year. Then a summer fling with this guy when I was traveling, and then Gary. And let me tell you, dating Gary freakin' Oak is like being in a whirlwind. Man was a flirt before he got serious."

Misty laughed. "Oh, I know. Ash used to complain about how Gary was always surrounded by girls."

Kayla smirked. "Oh, he definitely was. But when he's into someone? Completely devoted. So, how about Ash? What's his number?"

Misty shrugged. "One. Me."

Kayla's jaw dropped. "NO WAY. That man has fans, a lot of girls talk about him! Girls throwing themselves at him! You're telling me he never—?"

"Nope." Misty grinned. "Ash was always oblivious to girls, even when they were literally all over him. Trust me, I had to be the one to make the first move half the time. He was way too focused on training and battling."

Kayla shook her head, sipping her drink. "That's actually insane. Meanwhile, Gary's number is…four."

Misty's eyes widened. "Four?! Who were they?"

Kayla leaned in like she was sharing top-secret information. "There were two girls from his fan club in his younger days—don't ask how that happened, even he doesn't know. Then some researcher he worked with for a bit. And then me."

Misty blinked. "I need a second to process that. Gary really went through it, huh?"

"Oh, you have no idea." Kayla smirked. "What about first kisses? Yours was obviously Ash, right?"

"Yeah, he was my first everything," Misty admitted, a little shyly. "What about you?"

Kayla tapped her chin. "First kiss was that high school boyfriend. He was sweet, but we were just dumb kids. How was your first kiss?"

Misty smiled at the memory. "It was… awkward but cute, and I kinda forced him into it."

Kayla burst out laughing. "Sounds about right. Did you ever get jealous of all the girls who liked him?"

Misty groaned. "All. The. Time. Especially when I saw how clueless he was. Some of them were not subtle."

"Same with Gary," Kayla admitted. "But unlike Ash, Gary knew exactly what he was doing. He liked making me jealous."

Misty shook her head. "Typical."

Kayla leaned in. "Okay, another question. Did you and Ash ever—"

Misty cut her off. "I know where this is going. And yes, at seventeen."

Kayla's eyes widened. "Ohhh, so you guys didn't wait for marriage?"

Misty laughed. "Are you kidding? We were never traditional like that."

Kayla smirked. "Yeah, me neither. Gary and I definitely weren't waiting."

Misty shook her head. "I swear, our husbands are total opposites."

Kayla laughed. "Oh, completely. But hey, we love them."

Misty clinked her iced coffee against Kayla's. "That we do."

The conversation shifted slightly as Misty playfully raised a brow. "So, who confessed first in your relationship with Gary?"

Kayla grinned. "Gary, of course. He's never been shy about his feelings, even if he hides them behind his charm. What about you and Ash?"

Misty bit her lip, remembering. "At first, I was dropping hints, but his reaction was just…not very over-the-top. It was so frustrating! I finally just told him I was tired of waiting, that I wanted more from us. And then, finally, he confessed."

Kayla smirked. "What if you two fought, though? Would you ever flirt with another man?"

Misty raised her eyebrows. "Flirt? No way. Ash would tear my head off. I don't want to find out what would happen if I ever did that."

Kayla chuckled, leaning back. "Fair point. He's pretty protective."

Kayla rested her hand over her stomach, a soft smile crossing her face. "Speaking of men, Gary's been acting all kinds of extra lately. I swear, he's manifesting a daughter this time. He's been talking about how he's 'ready for a little girl.' I think he's determined to make it happen."

Misty laughed softly. "He's adorable. I can't believe you two are having a second baby already!"

"I know, right? But he's been obsessed with the idea of having a daughter. I can't blame him, though. I think he'd be a great dad to a little girl."

Misty nodded. "I'm sure he will be. You're both gonna be amazing parents."

Kayla grinned, "Thanks, Misty. I'm just hoping this baby cooperates."

Misty smiled. "Well, I'm sure Ash and I will be there to help however we can."

And with that, they settled back into their gossip session, diving into more stories they never thought they'd be sharing.