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18| I Won't Let You

It's pretty obvious Kenna is afraid of heights, which yes I did know before we came here. Her hand almost cut off my circulation when we were walking down the pier in Malibu.

Kenna's hand squeezes mine as we walk closer to the ledge, which she doesn't realize because I'm distracting her by talking.

"I don't know Wes-"

"I've got you Kennedy." I say cutting her off and giving her a reassuring nod. I watch as she closes her eyes and regulates her breathing.

She takes one more look down below us and back at me. Right when I think she's ready, she second guesses herself again. I brought Kenna here because I know once she puts her nerves to the side she's going to love cliff jumping.

I also brought her here as a trust exercise. Both Kenna and I have experienced a lot of challenges together since we met and all I want her is for her to understand I'm not going anywhere, no distance or person will ever get in between us.

"What if I fall?"

"I won't let you."

"But-"

"I won't let you fall Kennedy."

Before I can read her face to see what her next move is, she squeezes my hand and I squeeze  back.

She jumps, so I jump.

The water is refreshing but Kenna finally agreeing to do this with me is even more refreshing. I rise up from the water at the same time as Kenna and the biggest smile I've ever seen fills her face.

She swims over to me, wrapping her arms around my neck and legs around my waist.

"Admit it." I say wiping her baby hairs out of her face. Kenna shakes her head giggling so I playfully dunk her head back in the water.

"Admit it Calvin."

"Fine. It was fun." Kenna mumbles. A smile hits my face, but I mess with her more.

"Sorry, what was that? I didn't hear you."

"IT WAS FUN!" Kenna exclaims. She kisses my ears when I cover them, still acting like I didn't hear her.

"Your smile makes me smile."

"You have that effect on me too, Wes."

We jump a few more times and watch the sun set from the bed of my truck. Ken sits between my legs with a towel wrapped around her tiny body and hums to the music she's playing.

Over time I've learned all of Kenna's looks and what they mean so when she turns her head to face me and frowns, I know the girl is hungry.

"Luckily, I came prepared." I say hopping off the tailgate and grabbing a small cooler out of the backseat.

"How did you know I was hungry?"

"I know a lot of things about you Ken."

"Yeah sometimes I think you know me better than I know myself." Ken says giggling laying her back against the truck.

I pull out a variety of fruit, sandwiches, and Gatorade's. I'm still standing on the ground in front of the tailgate when Kenna's eyes light up. Her gaze locks onto the small Ziploc bag at the bottom of the cooler.

"You brought me freaking mini M&M's? AND YOU TOOK OUT ALL OF THE RED ONE'S! God you are so perfect." Kenna says standing on the tailgate and tackling me into a hug, laying kisses all over the my face.

We eat, talk, and laugh watching the sun set and all all of a sudden I'm a kid on Christmas morning all over again.

Kennedy makes me excited about life and makes me feel things I thought were only felt in the movies. As much as I want to make things official, I also don't want to rush her. Ken has a lot of personal things she needs to deal with before she can let herself grow.

But I would wait a lifetime if it meant I could be with Kenna by the end of it. And the second she gives me the green light I'm going all out to ask her.

For now I get to enjoy summer with a girl more precious than life itself, and I wouldn't want to spend my time any other way.

*

"Thank you for today Wes. I know I've said thank you a million times but seriously. Thank you." Kenna whispers snuggled into my chest. We are laying in bed back at the apartment, after about thirty minutes of trying to convince Kenna to leave Aztec Falls, but I told her we can go back whenever she wants.

"I'm glad you had fun baby, and happy I got you to face your one of your fears." I whisper back.

Kenna hesitates then giggles. "How did you know I was scared of heights. I thought I hid it pretty well." I laugh at her confession because Kenna wears everything on her sleeve. There is no hiding reactions or emotions when it comes to her but I love it.

"I'm just observant when it comes to you-" When Kenna doesn't respond, I continue. "I like watching and seeing how different things make you feel. Like how you never move any of my things in the bathroom because you don't want to feel like you're invading my space-which you aren't by the way, I like you in my space."

Kenna smiles against my chest and I keep talking, "Or like when you check up on me throughout the day because you like being checked up on in return." I keep talking and Kenna never protests. Never taking offense to anything I'm saying or interrupting me. She just lets me talk.

Because she knows I love it all. Her clothes on my floor and her texts flooding my phone. Everything.

All I've ever wanted since I met Kennedy is for her to feel the love she has been missing out on most of her life- and it makes me so happy to know she's finally feeling it.

"I like that you're the last thing I hear and feel before I go to sleep." Kenna says after a few minutes of silence. She hasn't moved from my chest and I don't make her.

"Me too Kenny. Me too." I whisper knowing she's practically out already.

I stay up for a while longer, letting thoughts fill my head. After the beach bonfire in the middle of May, I told myself I would never take any moment with Kenna for granted. That I would cherish every time her eyes laid on mine, and be grateful every time I was the reason she was smiling.

But I can't help think about what happens after summer. Kenna goes back to school for her senior year during the second week of August and I go back to Malibu to live with Mom. I said no distance or person could come in between us, but in just a few months, that's exactly what happens.

I pull Kenna in closer, and I close my eyes. Falling asleep to the sweet scent of her hair and the soft touch of her skin.

All summer and every summer after. Is a promise I don't think I could ever break.