The next morning, I wake up with Kelly Anne’s arms around me in my bed. I blink sleepily, the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. Kelly Anne’s breathing is steady, her warmth pressing against me. I smile to myself, not wanting to move and risk waking her. I shift slightly, and she stirs, her arms tightening around me for a moment before she opens her eyes.
“Morning,” she murmurs, her voice still thick with sleep. She smiles up at me, her hair a tousled mess and her eyes still half-closed.
“Good morning,” I reply softly, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. “Sleep well?”
“Mmm,” she hums, nuzzling into my shoulder. “Very well. You make a great cuddle pillow.”
I ugh quietly, my fingers tracing idle patterns on her back. “Gd I could be of service.”
We y there for a while, content in the quiet of the morning. The events of st night feel like a distant memory now, but the warmth of Kelly Anne beside me makes it all real. I gnce at the clock on my nightstand and groan softly. “We should probably get up soon,” I say reluctantly. “Mom’s going to start wondering why we’re still in bed.”
Kelly Anne sighs dramatically, tightening her hold on me for a moment before finally letting go. “Fine, fine,” she grumbles, sitting up and stretching her arms above her head. “But only because I’m starving.”
I sit up too, ughing as I watch her yawn and rub her eyes. “You’re always starving,” I tease, poking her in the side.
She swats my hand away with a pyful gre. “Hey, dancing burns calories, you know,” she says defensively, though her grin gives her away. She swings her legs over the side of the bed and stands, stretching again before turning to look at me. “So, what’s the pn for today?”
I think for a moment, running a hand through my messy hair. “Well, we could just hang out here today. Beat down some other teams; maybe go for a walk ter, unless you have something else in mind.”
Kelly Anne shakes her head, smiling. “Nope, that sounds perfect. I just want to spend the day with my person.”
We head downstairs, the aroma of eggs and hash browns wafting from the kitchen. Mom is sitting at the table, a mug in one hand and a tablet in the other. She looks up as we enter, a smile spreading across her face.
“Good morning, sleepyheads,” she says warmly, taking a sip from her mug. “I was beginning to wonder if you two were ever going to grace me with your presence.”
I grin, sliding into a chair across from her while Kelly Anne makes a beeline for the refrigerator. “Sorry, Mom. Last night was a little tiring.”
Mom raises an eyebrow, her smile turning mischievous. “Oh? And how was the club? Any exciting developments I should know about?”
I feel my cheeks heat up slightly at Mom's question, but I py it cool. “It was fun,” I say casually, reaching for a piece of toast. “There was a bit of drama, but nothing too much.”
Mom’s eyebrow arches higher. “Drama, huh? Do tell.”
Kelly Anne snorts and turns around, holding the orange juice. “Our Jackie pyed retionship counselor for a couple of clueless lovebirds,” she says, closing the door with her hip and walking to the table. “It was quite the show.”
I shoot Kelly Anne a look as she pours herself a gss of juice, but she just grins at me unrepentantly. “It wasn’t that big of a deal,” I say, turning back to Mom. “Just two people who needed to remove their heads from their posteriors.”
Mom looks between us, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “I see,” she says slowly, clearly not buying my attempt at downpying the event. “Well, as long as everything worked out in the end.”
“It did,” I assure her, relieved she’s leaving it alone and biting into my toast. “The rest of the night was great. We had a great time,” I say as I look at Kelly Anne with a mischievous glint in my eyes, “and Kelly Anne and I put on a bit of a show to settle things down, didn’t we?”
Kelly Anne nearly chokes on her orange juice, coughing and sputtering as she sets her gss down. “Jackie!” she excims, her eyes wide and cheeks flushing.
Mom’s eyebrows shoot up, her mouth dropping open slightly. “Oh? What kind of show are we talking about here?”
I can't help but ugh at their reactions, leaning back in my chair with a satisfied smirk. “Oh, you know, just a little dancing and PDA to remove myself from the situation. Nothing too scandalous.”
Kelly Anne gres at me, but there’s no real heat behind it. “You're impossible,” she mutters, shaking her head.
“Oh, please. As if you didn’t py along, and just try to tell me you didn’t enjoy the kisses,” I retort and smirk.
Kelly Anne's cheeks flush a deeper red, but she grins. “I never said I didn’t enjoy it,” she counters, taking another sip of her juice. “I just said that you’re impossible.”
Mom watches our exchange with amusement and curiosity dancing in her eyes. “Are you two dating?”
I nearly choke on my toast, coughing a bit before I can respond. “What?! No, Mom. Kelly Anne is my person. We’re just... I dunno… We’re just us.” I wave my hand between us, as if that expins everything.
Kelly Anne gives a small, almost imperceptible smile before adding, “We’re each other’s person. It’s not sexual, but I suppose if you have to bel it, it’s a kind of retionship. Deeper and much more meaningful than friends, but we’re not dating or girlfriends. Does that help?”
Mom considers this for a moment, her head tilted slightly as she takes another sip of her coffee. “Hmm,” she says finally, her expression thoughtful. “I understand. It’s like what I had with my friend Sarah growing up. We were inseparable; we understood each other, and we knew everything about each other.”
I nod eagerly, relieved she gets it. “Exactly! Like that.”
“Mmm~,” Mom continues with a small nod, setting down her mug, “as long as you're both happy and treating each other well, that's all that matters to me. Though, just to be clear, I wouldn’t mind if you two date.” She gives us both a warm smile before standing up and carrying her empty pte to the sink. “I'm heading to the grocery store in about an hour. Do you two need anything special?”
“Some low-fat snacks would be nice. We’re going to be beating down boys in Call of Battle today, and that’s hungry work.” Kelly Anne suggests hopefully, making me ugh.
Mom nods, jotting it down on her shopping list. After breakfast, we head back upstairs to shower and dress for the day. After I don a cute babydoll dress, we pce my floor pillows beside the bed, plop down on them, and proceed to beat down team after team as we trash talk them. I always find it hirious how insane some teams are when they are being destroyed by a team of girls.
As we’re taking a break for snacks and drinks, she asks, “What are you going to do during school breaks?”
I y my head back against the bed and sigh. “I can’t come back here, that’s for sure. I’d like to ask your parents if I could stay with you during them because I don’t really want to have to fly down to Florida to stay with Aunt Scarlet.”
Her face lights up. “Seriously? That would be amazing!” She sits up straighter, excitement radiating from her. “They’d be totally cool with it because they already said you could stay with us, remember?”
I smile, warmed by her enthusiasm. “I remember, but I don’t want to impose.”
“Impose?” She rolls her eyes dramatically. “As if! Mom’s thought of you as a second child since we were in grade school, and Dad loves that you’re like the snarkiest little thing ever. They’d be thrilled if you stay with us.” She reaches for her phone. “Do you want me to text her now?”
“No,” I ugh, putting my hand over hers to stop her. “I need to talk to my mom about it, and I’d rather ask your parents in person.”
She nods, setting her phone down. “Fair enough, but they'll say yes, and you know it.” She pauses, her expression growing more serious. “It would make the whole Starlight thing a bit easier for me to handle, knowing I’d still see you during breaks. I get it. You have to go, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to desperately miss you.”
I nod, feeling a twinge in my chest at the mention of my impending departure. I pull her into a hug and murmur, “What happened to the no-mushy stuff?”
She chuckles softly against my shoulder, her arms tightening around me. “I guess I’m making an exception,” she mumbles, “but this seriously sucks.”
I pull back just enough to look at her, noticing the slight shimmer in her eyes that she's trying to hide. “You’re such a softie.”
“Am not,” she protests, but her voice cks any conviction. She sighs, resting her forehead against mine for a brief moment. “It’s just... you're my person. You get me in a way no one else does, and you’ve always been here with me. Unlike the boys at school, you never pushed me for anything.”
I shrug slightly. “Unlike them, I love you. Not for your looks or body, but you. You’re my person; you saved me from myself,” I reply softly. “It’s going to suck because I’m at Starlight, but I’m only a couple of hours away. It’s not like I’m moving to Mars.”
She nods, pulling back and blinking rapidly. “I know, and we’ll have video calls and texts and breaks.” She forces a smile, her composure returning. “Anyway, enough of this. Let’s get back to humiliating the other teams.”
We py until Mom calls us down for lunch. After we eat, we slip on some shoes and head to the park.
The park is alive with the sounds of children pying, dogs barking, and the gentle rustle of leaves in the afternoon breeze. Kelly Anne and I stroll along the winding path, our shoulders occasionally bumping as we walk side by side. We chat as we walk. It’s nothing serious, just whatever occurs to us at the moment.
We wander over to the swings and take seats, gently pushing ourselves back and forth. Kelly Anne tilts her head back, letting the sunlight py across her face. “Do you remember when we used to think these swings could take us to the moon if we went high enough?” She asks, her eyes still closed against the sun.
I ugh, dragging my shoes in the wood chips to slow my swing. “Yeah, and you were so sure that if we jumped off at the right moment, we could fly.”
“Hey, I was right! We did fly... for about half a second before gravity reminded us who was boss.” She opens her eyes and grins at me. “I still want to be able to fly.”
I stop my swing and look at her. As I do my eyes mist up and my vision blurs because I’m going to miss these moments with her. Her grin falters when she notices my tears. She digs her heels into the ground, halting her swing.
“Hey,” she says softly, reaching over to pce her hand my knee. “No mush. We’ve got rules.”
I smile awkwardly and shake my head as my tears continue to create tracks down my cheeks. “I can’t help it. For the first time, I’m not going to have you beside me during tough times. I’m not sure I can do this without you.”
Kelly Anne’s thumb brushes away a tear, her touch feather-light. “You’re such a hypocrite,” she says, her voice thick with emotion. “Just remember, you broke the rule first.” She hops off her swing and crouches in front of me, wood chips crunching under her sneakers. Her hands grip the chains of my swing. “Listen—you’ve survived way worse, and you won’t really be without me. I’m just a call or video chat away. No spiralling, love, alright?”
I throw myself onto her, clutching her tightly as if my very life depended on it. I bury my face deep into her neck. “You’re my soulmate,” I whisper, my voice trembling as I battle a torrent of tears threatening to break free.
She lets out a shaky ugh, her arms locking around me as we sink into the wood chips. “You’re such a disaster,” she whispers, but her fingers curl into the back of my dress. For a moment that stretches endlessly, the only sounds are our intertwined breaths and the creak of swings swaying in the relentless wind. When she finally speaks again, her voice is a steel edge of determination I’ve always admired. “My soulmate doesn’t get to quit, understand? Even when it’s unbearable. Especially then. Jackie, you’re so much stronger than you know. Don’t you dare give up now, not after the world gets to finally see the real you.”
The wood chips digging into my knees are painful, but I’m frozen in pce. Her grip tightens, her warm breath brushes against my ear as I desperately fight the void that once again threatens to devour me whole.
Seeming to realize I’m spiraling, she murmurs,“I’m here.” “Focus on me, my breathing and heart beat, and my arms around you. Stay with me.”
The wood chips leave crescent imprints on my skin as her heartbeat syncs with mine, a steadying metronome against the chaos. I inhale the strawberry scent of her shampoo until the void recedes, its edges blurring like watercolor. When my grip loosens, she doesn’t let go immediately—her palms press firm against my shoulder bdes, a silent ‘I’m still here’.
She doesn’t even hesitate when I desperately whisper, “Kiss me.”
Her lips meet mine without hesitation, the kiss is soft and gentle, a soothing balm against the turmoil in my mind. Her fingers thread through my hair, cradling the back of my head as she pours every ounce of love and reassurance into the press of her mouth against mine. It’s not a kiss of passion or desire, but one of unwavering support, a physical manifestation of her promise to always be there.
When we finally part, she rests her forehead against mine, our noses brushing. “I’ve got you,” she breathes, her thumb brushing over my cheekbone. “Always and forever.”
I nod, not trusting my voice quite yet. We stay like that for a moment longer, wrapped up in each other, the rest of the world falling away. When we finally stand, brushing wood chips off our knees, the void has retreated to a manageable distance, held at bay once again by Kelly Anne.
“Thank you,” I manage, my voice still a bit shaky. “I was losing. It had tched onto me and I couldn’t break free.”
Kelly Anne takes my hand, cing our fingers together as we start walking again. “I know. I could see it,” she says softly, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. “You're not alone in this fight. I’m right here, and I always will be.”
I lean into her side, drawing strength from her presence. “I don’t know what I'd do without you,” I admit quietly.
I hear the pain in her voice as she mutters, “I do…” Then, louder she says, “You’ll never have to find out,” she replies with a small smile. “I'm not going anywhere.” She stops and turns to face me. “Jackie, you promised me that you’d get help. These spirals, I… I don’t know what they are, but I know you need to see someone. You scare me to death when you have them.”
I bite my lip, nodding slowly. “I know. They scare me too,” I whisper, the guilt settling heavy in my stomach. “I... I will. When I get to Starlight. They're supposed to have really good counselors there.”
Kelly Anne's eyes search mine, looking for any sign of deflection or dishonesty. Finding none, she nods, her shoulders rexing slightly. “Promise me. The moment you get settled in you’ll make an appointment.”
“I promise,” I reply softly.
The abject terror I see written all over her face after my spiral—I never want to see that again. I never want to put her through it again. I never want to hear the panic and fear in her voice as she fought to keep me from slipping away. I never want to be the reason her eyes glisten with unshed tears, her hands trembling as they grip me, desperate to keep me tethered to her and to myself. The guilt gnaws at me, a relentless ache that settles into my chest as I picture her crouched in front of me, struggling to breathe through her own worry while she pleaded for me to hold on. It won’t happen again, I vow, not if I can help it.
