KIRAAnd here came the day we entered the competition. There were a lot of locals and we could barely get through them. My family had already taken their places near the trail, waiting for this to begin. Gabriel held my hand until we enrolled. “Are you nervous, dear Kira?” he asked me just as we made it out of the crowd. The first test was actually the ribbon test.“Not really. But we will make a fool out of ourselves within so many people”“Nonsense! We are going to win this!” he showed his determination, which, I had to admit, was brave.I didn’t get to say any more words as we were already at the start line, hugged and tied with the famous red ribbon. The warmth of his body was running through my thick coat. I could no longer control myself. His minty breath filled my nostrils and his musky scent awakened all my senses. My eyes gazed into his eyes, hypnotized by the mesmerizing rainbow surrounding them. He looked me right in the eye, our eyes locked for what felt like an eternit

KIRAI tried to suppress my shock and frustration. How could he marry me? We hadn’t even talked about it. It was very true that last night had been magical, but from there to marriage was a big step. I didn’t know what to say. The only thing I could do was nod my head and try to act like I knew what I wanted.I was about to tell him I loved him when I felt him pull back. My heart stopped. This was not a good thing.“Don’t worry family, we won’t rush like this. There’s a lot of preparation to do beforehand” I felt my family breathe a sigh of relief. So did I. It wasn’t exactly a step backwards on his part, just a postponement of something that was becoming increasingly achievable. He leaned in closer to me and whispered in my ear. “I’m sorry.” My eyes widened, and he smiled as he leaned down. He planted a quick kiss on my cheek that awakened all the excitement from last night. The touch of his lips made it even more difficult to breathe. It was the most amazing feeling. This was not

GABRIELSuddenly, the cave seemed too small for both of us. Kira was getting angry. “Wow, you don’t really mean that,” I said in a low voice.“And what makes you think I didn’t mean it?” “I felt you shivering in my arms. I felt how you gave yourself to me with all your love” The vein in her temple was twitching, and she could barely hold my gaze. Yet she did it with a stoic determination. “You are one of the most stubborn people I have ever met.” She sighed and looked down at her hands. “I don’t like that about you, but I admire it as well. You’ve put up with an unfair amount of shit for a person your age and it saddens me to see how much pain you put yourself through because you can’t figure out why everything is so mixed up in your life. I wish there was something that could help you, but there isn’t. You will just have to figure this all out by yourself,” she snorted in one breath.I turned on one leg and looked away from her. “What do you know about my life, Kira Reed? You sp

KIRAThe day had come and gone like a blur. All I could think about was the turmoil inside my soul, and the fact that my grandmother now knew who the man who had come after me here really was. It seemed like time had stopped, but at the same time, it felt like it had raced by. I didn’t have time to process any of my emotions, let alone think about what I should do next. All I knew was that it filled me with a sense of dread and uncertainty. My heart was heavy with the weight of my thoughts and my mind was spinning with questions. But still, I had to keep going. I had to find a way to move forward, no matter how difficult it seemed.For so long, I had kept my true feelings hidden behind a wall of fear and uncertainty. I got scared of what would happen if I let anyone else in on my innermost thoughts and desires. But when I looked into her eyes, I knew I couldn’t keep it hidden anymore. All I could do was hope that the rest of my family wouldn’t be able to see beyond the wall I had crea

KIRAAlana’s arrival was the best thing that could have happened to me in this entire ordeal. Now I had to fill her in on everything that was happening. And there was a lot. The ride home was a quiet one. From time to time, Alana was giving me her worried look. But I knew once I walked through the door I had to change this sad face. I didn’t want my mother to know the real reason for my condition. “I hope you can have another guest for Christmas dinner,” Alana said with a wide smile.My brother’s face suddenly brightened. “You know we will.” Mother said and gave her a warm hug. I looked over at my brother who was still looking at me with an odd look in his eye. The smile on his face was gone, replaced by a look of confusion. It was the look that told me he didn’t understand. I didn’t know what to say, and I just shrugged. “Come on, darlings, let’s sit around the table. I guess Alana’s tired. Would you like some hot chocolate?” Mom continued the series of questions.“That’s a w