Once In A Lifetime (Kyle Alessandro x Reader)

5

"Hi," she replied, giving him a smile.

"You look pretty."

Her cheeks went pink. "Thank you," she stammered out.

"I wasn't sure you would actually come."

"Well I'm here."

"Good," he looked round at the others, "My brother found a club to go to, and then we were coming back here. I just wanted to let you know."

"Thanks." She smiled up at him.

"Well, I should go, make sure we don't get lost, or anything." He waved goodbye.

She laughed slightly, "Yes."

The group started walking, Hálfdán and Matthías shouting directions from the front, Ella following at the back. Ahead, she could see Kyle separate from Sissal, and wait at the side of the path.

He joined back next to her, leaning down to nudge their shoulders together. "So... " he began, "You and Hálfdán?"

"What?! Kyle are you being serious?"

"He complimented you. And you smiled at him."

"That's just being polite." She rolled her eyes.

"Sure. I wouldn't judge you if you did like him, by the way. A Eurovision romance has the fans dying."

"Well, it's not Hálfdán I like in that way. He's a friend."

"So you like someone?" He raised his eyebrows.

She cringed, immediately regretting her choice of words, "No, that's not what I meant, I meant I don't like anyone."

"But that's not what you said. I'm going to find out who it is."

"Kyle, no."

He smirked, "If not Hálfdán, perhaps his brother?"

"No," she shook her head, sighing in annoyance.

"Adonxs, Abor, Go-Jo?" His eyebrows raised as he continued; questioning, but clearly unserious.

"Kyle, stop!" But now she was giggling, unable to help herself at his goofy smile.

He let it go for a while, until they reached the end of the next road.

When he spun to face her, his eyes lit up like he'd solved it, her heart froze in her chest, if he knew...

"JJ!"

She left out a breath that turned into a laugh.

"Yeah, I don't think that one would work out."

"And whyever not, Ella?" Also laughing.

They could see the club now, the sign neon bright on the dark street. Music was already spilling out of the door.

His eyes narrowed. "Perhaps they're in a band, a Lithuanian? Or one from Portugal?"

"Kyle I think you should give up. I don't like anyone in that way."

"Just wait, I'll find out by the end of the night."

The giddy lightness that filled her chest at his presence was undercut by the terror at what would happen if he found out.

...

The music hit her first - deep, relentless bass that thumped through the soles of her boots and settled somewhere in her chest, like a second, unfamiliar heartbeat.

Ella hesitated just inside the doors, blinking against the strobe lights that cut across the darkness in sudden bursts of color. Everything was too loud, too bright, too much. The crowd pulsed like a living thing, bodies pressed shoulder to shoulder, moving in rhythm to the DJ’s pounding set. For a moment, she felt like she was standing at the edge of a wild ocean, unsure if she should dive in.