KOOKIE:With the help of my mum, I am able to go to bed. I will not say in peace, but it is somewhere in between. She says we need to wait for my father’s return to know what to do next, but boy, am I frustrated. I am used to taking matters into my own hands, but I have no choice but to listen today because I need my daughter to be okay.I do not want to do something that will tamper with justice. I am still shaken by the fact Levi could be dangerous for Blue, but I guess I have to live with it. The first thing that wakes me up this morning is the voice of my parents speaking downstairs. Dragging myself out of bed, I walk to the dining room where my father has Blue in his arms, kissing her forehead. Seeing them together warms my heart, and I am grateful she has a father figure in her life.“Kookie,” Dad calls out when he sees me. He puts down Blue, and I rush towards him, hugging him tight as he presses me into his chest.A father’s love for his daughter is supposed to be suffocating
LEVI:I have to be dreaming, because how is Kookie kissing me in real time without a fire or a high-stake situation? No, it must be the nostalgia. We have talked so much about childhood, and she probably misses the old me.Her lips taste like honeyed wine and things I haven’t earned. Things I feel I do not deserve. I feel her sigh against me, her fingers curling into my chest like she’s holding on for dear life. Frustrated, I hold her back. The chilly night fades into nothing as our bodies press close, clothing us with enough heat. My hands descend her body, allowing her curves to mold into them perfectly.Memories from the first night I held them walk their way into my mind as flashes of pinning her against the wall in the hallway of my house cloud my brain. I was seconds away from losing all self-control before the council of elders barged in. A part of me hated it, but
Kookie:I am stunned in silence for a moment, unsure of how to react. It is odd, but his laughter makes my stomach warm, and I hate it because he tricked me. It is not fair tricking me that way, knowing I would panic. I mean, it is my job to save lives.“It isn’t funny!” I state, walking back to my seat. I try to pick up my food.He stops laughing for a moment, then he glares at me while I look away, not wanting to meet his eyes.He clears his throat.“You are right, and I’m sorry.” My brows loosen up, my eyes meeting his. “It was hilarious. You should have seen your face.”His laughter rings out again, and I roll my eyes, grumbling as I try not to be affected by the contagiousness. Angrily, I toss my napkin at him.“Well, I hope you actually choke on something and die!”He pauses.“You really want me dead, huh?” he questions, and I open my mouth to speak, to let him know I do not really mean it, but then he beats me to it. “Then why did you kiss me after the fire?”My brows tighten.
Kookie:For a second, I remain silent, unsure if he is speaking to me.“Y... yes,” I stutter, and I watch a small smile walk its way up his lips.I fight mentally to keep myself in check and not bring up the fact that he ruined what could be perfect. I have to do what is best for my daughter and give her a father.“I never really stopped thinking about you, and I couldn’t wait to grow up,” he adds. Before I can stop myself, the corner of my lips lifts genuinely.“Thank you, Levi,” I mutter, opening up my meal. I dig in immediately, chewing silently alongside Levi, who keeps stealing glances, making me uncomfortable.I try to ignore Levi’s glances, but when I take a bite of my mashed potatoes, I pause, glaring at him.With a soft clink, my cutlery drops onto the plate as I chew with my mouth curved in a smile until I swallow.“Did they add cinnamon to this?” I ask, puzzled. Levi chuckles, making my chest warm up a bit to the fact he remembered the tiny weird detail of something I said
Kookie:It’s just one date, I say to myself as I dress up for the night. My mother is downstairs with Blue, fixing dinner. Dad is away at the Opal Moon Pack for business, so she is staying over at my place with Blue.There is a strange nervous bubble in my stomach like I used to have whenever I had a date with Levi as kids. I hate it because I’m not in love with him, and this is just one date, and it will never happen again.“He doesn’t mean anything to you,” I say to myself in the mirror.“Levi’s here.” My mother’s voice cuts through, bringing me back to the present.I look at her through the mirror, then I give a nod. She shuts the door, walking up to me.“Whatever decision you make, we will be here to support you,” she says. My eyes narrow at her words, and I nod again.“Thank you,” I reply, then I grab my purse and walk. She walks me out of the room, and we find our way downstairs.Levi is there with Blue at the dining table, helping her with her coloring book. The soft clink of m
LEVI:It’s been days since I tasted her lips. Days since the fire which almost killed me, and days since I realized that if I died without seeing her again, without touching her, without claiming her properly, I’d rot in the afterlife with regrets. The media team has tried to do an interview on what happened, including the kiss, but I have declined because I owe her privacy.Today, I woke up and decided I am fed up. I’m done playing by the council’s rules, and it is time I start living, pursuing what I truly desire in the right manner.Lionel sits in my living room, looking like he owns the place as usual. He is about to hate me for life for this, but I couldn’t give a flipping fuck about what he cares, even if I wanted to. He hasn’t walked a mile in my shoes, and I haven’t done the same in his, so I will never understand, and he will never understand too. The momen