mindset

truth

kai and mia walk through the halls together. their legs work fine; it's just nice to get out of their stuffy rooms for a while.

but it's weird, because they were in love inside their dreamspaces and now they don't know each other, not in any real way. mia had suggested they play a game called truth, in which one asks a question and the other answers. it sounds simple enough, so kai doesn't understand why it's so hard.

mia drags her fingertips along the wall as they walk. "favorite book?"

"maybe harry potter," kai says, even though he's pretty sure it's not true. he doesn't know why he's lying. but being around mia for real after everything that happened between them is making him break out into a cold sweat.

mia arches an eyebrow, seemingly impressed. "i always liked ghost stories."

"i've never read one," kai admits. "could you recommend me some?"

mia looks at him from the corner of her eye, and kai knows her well enough to tell that she's fighting back a smile. "sure." pause. "i could ask my parents to bring some of mine in so you can borrow them."

"yeah, that'd be... lovely," he finishes lamely, the word sounding strange in his mouth.

mia laughs, not unkindly, and spins around on her fluffy slippers. "i like you, kai."

"well, i would hope so," he says back, almost a snicker. "after everything we did on that beach-"

she shoves her shoulder into his to get him to shut up, and they both stumble into the wall, laughing wildly.

kai's heart races.