I'm glad I met you

CHAPTER 11

I hear a knock on my bedroom door. Saoirse's voice sounds from the other side. "Aoife, Kal is here. He's sleeping over, remember?"

I jump out of bed, leaving my book where I was sitting, and I open the door.

"You look handsome Mr. Bedhead."

"Hello to you Kal." I feel in the direction of his voice and pull him into a hug.

He wraps his arms around me and I take in his sweet smell. I love it every time.

"Alright well imma let you two lovebirds be lovebirds. Don't be too loud and you should probably shut your door. Kal, just letting you know that Pa is out of town but Ma is coming home later this evening."

"Kay, thanks."

I hear Saoirse walk away and the door shut. Kal surprises me with a kiss but I quickly melt into it, taking in his smell once again and his taste, both so sweet as always.

"I have a surprise for you later," he whispers in my ear.

"Oh yeah? and what would that be?"

His voice is ever so quiet. "It involves sneaking out. You down for that?"

"Well duh. I quite happen to like adventures."

"You'll like this one." I can hear the smile in his voice. "Might as well try and get some sleep now."

I shake my head. "I'm not that tired at the moment."

"Then we can snuggle and I can read to you."

I smile. "I'm ok with that."

We climb into my bed and I lay on top of him, my head resting on his chest. When he reads, his voice goes a bit deeper. More calming. I could listen to him forever and never grow tired of hearing his voice. I think I eventually fell asleep because I wake up later, still laying on Kal.

I get up and stretch and I hear a sigh and rustling. I hear quick footsteps, my door opening and the bathroom door opening and shutting. A couple minutes later I hear the toilet flush, sink run and hear Kal come back into the room with a relieved sigh.

"I had to go so bad." He sits next to me on the bed.

"You could've woke me up. I would've cared."

"I know, but you looked so peaceful and sweet and content. I didn't want to disturb that."

I just sigh and shake my head. "I'd prefer you waking me up to you peeing on the bed kind sir."

He just laughs.

"What time is it anyway?"

"Around 11:00 pm. You slept awhile. On the plus side, we can do what I had planned for tonight."

"Oh yeah. I forgot about that. Where are we going?"

"You'll see." He takes my hands and guides me outside.

"Hey- What about my cane? Rogue?"

"I'll guide you, just trust me."

I say nothing and let him guide me along. He said to trust him. I do.

We walk for about 20 minutes only speaking when an obstacle comes up.

We stop and I hear Kal mutter, "Crap," under his breath.

"What?"

He sighs. "In my excitement I forgot to bring towels and extra clothes."

"Towels- Are we going swimming?"

"Yeah. It's fun swimming at night. And it's just a pond."

"I we here?"

"Mhm."

"Well I'd prefer not to walk home sopping wet. Hmm." I think for a second and then start taking my clothes off.

"Are you stripping right now?" Kal's voice is amused.

"Yep." I say as I get down to my underwear and take those off as well.

"And you're naked. Just underwear would've been fine."

"I'm not walking home in soggy underwear either. Besides, I don't care if I'm seen."

"Fair enough."

We stand there in silence for a second before I say anything. "Are we swimming or not?"

"Yeah. Yeah hold on." I hear shuffling and the sound of clothes being thrown on the grown.

He grabs my hand and guides me where we need to go. Soon enough I feel the water and I wade in. It feels good. Just the perfect temperature. I get up to my waist and dunk my head under. I come back up and slick my hair back. I notice Kal isn't near me.

"Kal? Where'd you go?"

"Right here." His voice is kind of distant.

"What are you doing over there? Come join me."

I hear the water as he walks closer and then I feel the cool ripples. I reach out in the direction of the sound and he grabs my hands. "Did you not want to go swimming?"

"No I did, it's just, I wasn't expecting to um.."

"Go skinny dipping."

"Er, sure."

His insecurities pop into my head. "Kal, I can't see you, and I'm pretty sure we're alone, you mentioned it was dark, and you're in the water. Besides, what did I say about looks?"

"That they don't matter and that we're always changing and what matters most is how you live your life and treat others. Live life and have no regrets and all of that."

"Mhm exactly. So stop worrying love."

"But Nick. We have zero clothes on. It feels a little wrong."

I pull him into a hug, his body a warm difference in the cool water. "If you want to get dressed and go home and do something else we can do that." I reach up to his face and pull him into a kiss.

"N-no it's fine. We came here to swim, so let's. It'll be fine. Rules of society be damned. Who cares. No regrets." Each word is more confident than the next.

I laugh and kiss him again.