𝓢𝓮𝓮 𝓜𝓮

Prologue

"Yeah," he replied, pulling the drawing towards him to see it better.

"Well, this is us doing just that," I clapped my hands together, "one day we're going to do this! I promise."

"You won't be scared?" His eyebrows shot up, "wouldn't want to hold your hand the whole time while you cry for help."

"Me? Scared?" I rolled my eyes, "no way. Plus, I won't let you do it alone and have all the fun."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

11 years old:

"Kai, move closer," my mum waved a hand as the other held the camera. I kept my smile up when I looked to my right even when my mouth started hurting. Kai was standing next to me, but mum was right; he was too far, he wouldn't fit in the same frame as me.

He was looking down, his hands shoved in his sweater's pockets. I heard him sigh before he took a tiny step towards me. I chuckled, "come on! It's your birthday!"

"Fine," he huffed and moved closer as I linked my arm to him. I tiled my head and just as mum's finger was going to press on the camera I felt Kai's figure getting slightly taller. I looked down to see him on his tiptoes, and he still was shorter than me.

"Oh my god," I laughed, "is that why you didn't want to stand next to me?"

"Shut up," he murmured, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"It's fine, it's fine," I chuckled, "I'll try to seem shorter for you. Consider it a birthday gift!"

He rolled his eyes, "I'm not short."

"Mhm," I tried to not giggle.

"Stop talking and smile," he put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me in a little, "plus, how come you're insulting me in my own birthday?"

I held my breath, trying to hold my smile as my mum took the photo. The camera flashed blinding my eyes, a polaroid coming out of it a second later. My mum giggled showing Aunt Naz and Uncle Kenji the photo.

"Well," I sighed, "I can't help it. It's so fun messing with you."

"Really?" He arched an eyebrow, "well, one day I'm going to be really really tall, so much taller than you, and we'll see who's laughing then."

"Please," I scoffed, "you? Tall? In one sentence? Make it make sense—"

I was cut off by my own yelp as Kai tickled my rips and I jumped away from him, "hey!"

"Say that again," Kai laughed, his fingers still tickling me as I gasped between laughs, "what was that?"

"Stop!" I giggled and ran around the couch as he chased after me, "I swear, Kai! I will— oh!"

I gasped as he grabbed my waist and tackled me to the ground, "apologize."

"Nope," I huffed, trying to calm my breath.

"Emmaline," he always called me that. Emmaline. Never Emma, Em, or any nickname. Just Emmaline. Which was fine, it's my name. But it was still weird.