After Kissing

3.

"Fine." he said at last, conceading to something I was completely unaware of but that clearly got him like this. Yet, instead of stretching it Riley looked up to grin at me, but it felt so fake and unreal in him... "Thanks for staying Hails, see you."

"Have fun." I nodded and he kissed the top of West's head before getting out the apartment. I turned to Kimmy who was glaring after him, her brow twitching. "Hey." she looked at me, her lips set in a thin line. "What is that about?"

"He's just-" she shook her head and let out a harsh breath. "Whatever. It's nothing. We're really stressed, you know? I can't remember the last time we hang out without babies and preoccupations." she poked Westie's nose as she spoke and he giggled, making her smile and kiss him too. "Really, thank you for staying. We need this."

"Sure."

I hadn't realized it was that bad. I knew being responsible of a kid at twenty-three wasn't the ideal plan, and that it gave them extra responsibilities, but I should have known if they were in crisis... well, surprisingly, this time it was Riley the one that seemed more stressed. Kimmy just seemed unhappy he was unhappy.

"Ma." West rose his hands, babbling the only word he knew at the moment and Kimberly smiled, not taking him like he was demanding, but stepped closer and kissed his head again and blew a raspberry on his cheek making him laugh and squirm in my arms.

"See you later, babe." she grinned, one of those weird full grins of hers and then her eyes shifted beyond my shoulder. "You ready?"

"Yeah." said a deep voice and just like that the joy in my chest faltered as a new feeling clouded my chest. Something way less pleasing. I turned slowly to the new voice to see Nate by the doorstep, sliding on the jacket I'd seen before.

I really should have known.

It was still so weird seeing him there. At arms reach. Last time we were so close...

I rather not think more about the last time we were in each other's presence.

I couldn't help my eyes from wondering, curiosity and morbidity taking the best of me. He was different and the same. Or maybe it was just the long time not seeing him. Same sharp jaw, same slightly crooked nose that humanized his beautiful features, those green eyes... He didn't look that towering now, but back in high school I always wore flat shoes and now I was on my office heels.

I looked back at Kimmy, not wanting to keep up torturing me like this as the lace in my chest tightened as to my further infuriation she was clearly concealing an amused smile.

Amused.

She set this up.

I narrowed my eyes at her.

"What?" the brunette tilted her head, before blowing West another kiss and opening the door with the hand that wasn't holding her coat. "So, are we going or what?"

I could feel, Nate rolling his eyes even if I didn't look as he passed me and rubbed Westie's hair making him huff a weird sound. A laugh? A protest? I almost snap at him not to touch him, but that would have been stupid. I was just resented towards him, it gave me no right to forbid him anything, much less with the mother of the toddler standing there smug as ever.

Nate made eye contact one last time, taking a second too long -or maybe it was just my hyper sensitive perception- and sent me a tentative smirk that did little to nothing to conceal the burning in my lungs.

"Well, it was nice seeing you."

I almost scoffed. Almost. Instead, I composed enough to pull my lip in an attempt to pleasant grin. "Same."

But for the way they shared a glance, I was sure it didn't fool anyone. Nate got out first and Kimmy laughed, following him out with one last wink my way.

Gosh, I'm gonna kill her!

They close the door softly and West starts softly weeping at the departure of his mother, but as soon as I walked back into the living room and he lost sight of the door his sniffles calmed.

I sat on the ground at the side of the sofa, where they had laid the baby blanket with smiley animals on it and carefully put him there, amusedly watched him eye the animals around him and his fist clenched around the eye of the elephant and the other cradled his bunny plush toy.

He had a few more around, but this one was his favourite, Riley brought it with him when he first flew to meet him from his Erasmus in Berlin. Levi, they call it. And Levi had literally travelled more than me.  

"Just you and me now, uh?" I teased as West laughed and rolled on his back, but the sound morphed into a cute yawn. "Aw, are you sleepy?"

Westie babbled, but they were just sounds and I chuckled too, rubbing his soft tummy and watching his eyelids struggling to stay up. No wonder. It was way too late for him to be up.

"Okay. Night time, buddy." I picked him back up, carefully bringing his head to my shoulder as I cradled him softly as he hummed and held on my shirt but was already falling asleep.

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Hey! Really short chapter, I know. If the story gets to 400 votes I'm posting next chapter now instead of waiting two weeks <33

Kimberly Thander (Kendall Jenner)

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