Sweet and Spicy [COMPLETED]

Morning After (pt. 5)

The front door closed with a click and a beep. 

Jade and Lina came tumbling out of the bedroom. 

"You're dating?!" both shouted at the same time. 

Not that Kaya wanted to keep it a secret from them, but she didn't think they would be quite so loud about it. 

Kaya shrugged. "It appears so." 

"Why are you so calm?" Lina rushed to Kaya's side and grabbed her hands. "I'm so happy for you! Oh, but Zoren is gonna be super depressed." 

"Why is Zoren going to be depressed?" Zoren was her friend, shouldn't he be happy for her?

Jade flew to Kaya's side, as well. "It doesn't matter. Congratulations!" 

"Um... thanks." 

Kaya didn't know what to say or do. Surely they had questions, but she didn't know how to answer them. She barely knew how to answer her own questions. 

"Here." Jade picked up the strawberry cream cake and held it out to Kaya. "Eat. It will help you center your thoughts. I know the beginning of a relationship can be a bit hectic." 

"It's not like anything will change." 

"Oh, sweetie..." Lina shook her head. 

Jade chuckled. "You gave him permission to pursue you. The Ransom you've known has been holding himself back. Things will change." 

Oh, great. What did she just get herself into? Kaya quickly stuffed a bite into her mouth. The sugar and strawberry were the only things keeping her sane at that moment. 

Every time she tried to stop one catastrophe, she ended up creating another for herself. Would she never learn that she couldn't expect to be selfish and care about what people thought all at the same time? 

"Don't worry so much." Jade patted Kaya's head. "Ransom isn't scary. I've known him his whole life. For those he cares about, he's a giant soft puppy." 

The reassurance did make Kaya feel a little better. Still... she didn't like not knowing what was going to happen to her. She liked a solid plan. To know how everyone would react. And, preferably, she liked to be alone. 

Funny how she hadn't been alone since she came to the city. Maybe Fate had different plans for her than she anticipated, but that didn't mean she had to like it. 

"Can I take it back?" 

"No!" Jade's outburst was less expected than Lina's stern look. 

Kaya sank onto the couch. Of course she shouldn't take it back. Ransom had seemed so happy. She couldn't rip that away from him. She would have to learn how to be a better person, instead. How to interact with others instead of hiding from them. 

But, oh, how she longed to hide. Especially after the events of the evening before. Kaya had never been so conflicted in her entire life. 

We may live as ghosts, but we are very much alive. Let yourself live. 

Her mother had said cryptic things for Kaya's entire life, but that one stood out now. Would it really be okay for Kaya to live like a normal person? Would it be alright if, just this once, she went along with the waves of life guiding her instead of fighting them? 

Kaya certainly hoped so. She had never wanted anything more than to live.

A/N: HAPPY NEW YEAR'S DAY TO EVERYONE!!! Look, a 2021 gift for you - a new chapter! I hope you enjoy and keep coming back for more. 

- Megan