When Our Stars Aligned

Chapter Sixteen

*Kendall's POV*

After dinner, we all settled back into our places to watch a few more movies. With full stomachs, it didn't take long for any of us to fall asleep.

By the time I woke up, the end credits of the Santa Clause were playing on the screen. I looked over and saw my mom waking up my brothers telling them to go to bed.

She looked over at me and pointed her finger, "You too mister. You two have a flight tomorrow," she whispered.

"I know, I know" I whispered back as I tried to slide off the couch without waking Celine. I finally got up and stretched, letting out a big yawn.

I looked down at Celine still on the couch sleeping. She looked just like she did that first night on the tour bus, only this time, something about her made her seem happier.

I smiled as I leaned down to scoop her up in my arms. "Night momma" I said as I kissed her cheek.

I began to walk upstairs, but stopped halfway and turned to look at my mom. "Any chance dad's still up?" I asked.

She nodded her head, "He's in the kitchen having some coffee. Do you need him?"

"Tell him not to go anywhere. I'm going to put Celine to bed and I'll be right down." I walked the rest of the way up the stairs and kicked the door to my room open with my foot.

Luckily, Celine and I didn't make the bed this morning so I was able to lay her down and pull the covers up over her without a problem.

As I was about to walk out, Celine started to wake up. "Kendall?" she asked sleepily.

"Hey sleepyhead," I said as I kissed her cheek, "You can go back to sleep, I'm just going to talk to my dad. I'll be right back."

She nodded her head and pulled the covers tighter around her, closing her eyes as she did so. I shut off the lamp, closed the door, and made my way downstairs and into the kitchen.

"What's on your mind big man?" my dad asked.

I laughed slightly as I remembered how he used to call me that when I was a little kid. "Dad, I think I'm in deep with this one.."

"You mean with Celine?"

I nodded my head. "She makes me feel like I never have before. I can't help but be happy when I'm around her and when I am I get so nervous. Even thinking about her makes me smile like an idiot and I get butterflies in my stomach."

"You're just like I was when I started falling for your mother. Son, welcome to the world of being in love." he said as he rested a hand on my shoulder.

"But don't you have to be with someone a long time to actually be in love with them?"

"Not necessarily. That's the tricky thing about love; you don't know when and you don't know how, but it happens and there's no rule book for how to deal with it."

"Yeah tell me about it. So...do I tell her?"

"That one is up to you. Maybe you should just hold off for a bit, see if you still feel the same way in a couple days. You guys have been apart for a while, maybe you just missed her so your feelings are going into overdrive now that you're back with her."

"Thanks, dad. You always know what to say" I said as I gave him a hug.

"Anytime big man. See you in the morning." I left my dad in the kitchen and ran up the stairs to my room.

As I slowly pushed open the door, I saw that Celine was fast asleep. I closed the door and made my way to the bed in the pitch black dark.

I more or less tripped into the bed, but thankfully I didn't wake her. I got situated next to her and pulled her body close to mine, breathing in her scent as her body molded itself to mine.

As I started to fall asleep, I kept thinking about my dad's advice. Maybe I had just missed her a lot, but then again maybe it was something more.

*Celine's POV*

I slowly opened my eyes to see the sunlight streaming into the bedroom through the partially open blinds.

I thought maybe when I woke up this morning Kendall wouldn't be here since he hadn't come to bed when I had, but there he was laying next to me still sound asleep.

I slid out of his grasp and snuck quietly out of the room. As I walked down the steps I thought I was the only one awake, but as I rounded the corner to the kitchen there was Kathy sitting at the table sipping her coffee.

"Mind if I join you?" I asked.

"Morning dear, not at all. Come, sit." she said as she motioned to the seat next to her. I fixed myself a cup of coffee and took my seat next to her.

"Did you sleep okay sweetie?"

"Yes ma'am. I was so tired I didn't even hear Kendall come to bed," I laughed, "do you know where he was?"

"Talking to his dad. He said he needed his advice on something important."

"Oh. I hope everything's okay with him. He hasn't said anything..." I said.

"I wouldn't worry about it" she said as she place her hand on mine.

I smiled, "Kathy, can I ask you something?"

"Anything"

"How long does it take to fall in love?" I asked.

"You sound just like me. After my first date with Kent, I was convinced I was in love but I didn't know how to be sure because I'd never actually been in love before."

"That's exactly how I feel! I mean, I've dated before but no one has ever made me feel the way that Kendall does. I feel so safe with him, like nothing could ever hurt me. He makes me feel like we're the only two people in the room and when I look into his eyes, my heartbeat gets so fast I swear everyone else can hear it beating" I said.

I kept my eyes on my coffee cup the entire time I spoke. "How'd you know when you were really in love with Kent?" I finally asked.

She patted my arm and I glanced up at her. "To be honest, I didn't know when I had fallen in love. Love is tricky and confusing as hell. But I described to my mom how I was feeling in the exact same way you just described how you feel to me. Right then I knew" she said with a small smile.

I was left speechless at that moment. The thought of actually being in love with Kendall was kind of terrifying, but so exhilarating at the same time.

Just then in walked Kendall and Kevin, both still rubbing the sleepiness from their eyes with their hair going in every direction.

"Look who decided to join us" I said.

"You're up early" Kendall said as he kissed my cheek.

"Yeah, we were just having a little girl talk" I winked at Kathy.

"Glad I wasn't here for that conversation" Kevin said as he began fixing a bowl of cereal.

Once Kendall fixed his coffee he came over and sat next to me. He turned and slid his chair close to mine so that he could wrap his arm around me and pull me close so that my back was resting in his chest.

"How can you guys be so lovey dovey so early in the morning?" Kevin complained.

"Stop it Kevin, you should be happy that your brother has found someone like her." Kathy said defending us.

"He's just jealous he can't have her" Kendall said as he kissed my cheek.

I looked up from where I was sitting and stole a glance at Kendall as he sipped his coffee. He noticed and lowered his coffee cup as he raised an eyebrow at me. I giggled and leaned up to kiss him. When I pulled away, I looked at him again.

As I ran my hand through his hair, a single thought ran through my mind: I think I'm in love with him.