Sunlight (Kyle Simmons)

Everything Has Changed

This was the place he was talking about, right?

5:59 and I parked my car at the edge of where the woods were. This was the countryside of town, but there wasn't a truck or a farm house in sight. There was nothing but a small note on the ground.

Mandie,
Keep walking East. I'm waiting in the field we used to hide out when you were angry or frightened.
~K

Great. I hadn't been in that field since before he moved away. Who knew what was left of it now? The further I walked, the more I found out. It was still a beautiful sight.

Then I saw him. He had his back turned, sitting in the grass. "Kyle."

He turned, his eyes wide. "Good, you're here. I was getting worried."

He looked great. Though his once-dimpled face was almost completely unrecognizable with all of his facial hair, there was still something familiar in his eyes. Those deep dark brown eyes...

"Why did you want me to come here?" I asked.

"Come, sit down." said Kyle.

I sat down across from him. "Again, thank you for the sunflowers."

"No problem, Mans." He said. He put a hand on mine. I fliched for a second.

"Kyle, what's gotten into you these past ten years? Seriously, we used to punch each other around."

"I've missed you, Mandala. A lot. I just didn't realize exactly how much until I saw you again."

"I missed you too Kyle. You were always important to me, your whole family was. It killed me when you all had to leave."

He was silent for a second. Then he reached forward and placed his hand on my cheek. "Remember when you got mad at your teachers for getting you in trouble? And you hated your brother and sister for always blaming things on you?"

I nodded. "And I remember you always being there for me, listening to it. I'm glad you're here right now, really. But to be honest-"

Before I could speak, he gently planted a kiss on my lips. I wanted to deny it, but it felt good. I didn't want to pull away, so I just placed my hands on his shoulders. He eventually let go, his brown eyes glimmering at me.

"What was that?" I whispered.

"I told you, you're flawless, and sweet. I've wanted to kiss you for so long."

"I thought I wasn't your type, Kyle. Even when I went into highschool."

"I've always thought you were too good for me. You still are."

I didn't know what to say. I found myself very attracted to him, but I didn't want to show it.

"Please say something," he said.

I reached forward and kissed him. His lips were warmer than they were just a minute before. It probably wasn't a good idea, but I couldn't deny just one time. Kyle wrapped his arms around me. I pulled away.

"Kyle, what do you want, exactly?"

"You." He said.

"That's ridiculous." I said, struggling.

"Not it's not, Mans. Stay with me."

"I want to, Kyle. But I don't think I belong in your life."

"Not if I want you in it." He said, hugging me tight to his chest. "I want you by my side, Manda. I want to be together."

I shut my eyes hard. "Okay."

I knew this would be a bad idea. He was handsome, and funny and gentle, but I couldn't do this. I was broken and messed up, and being together wouldn't be good him.

He pulled away, his eyes sparkling, and a warm smile on his face. "Really?"

I nodded. What was I doing? One of us or the other would get hurt!

"When you say...by your side...what exactly do you-"

Kyle laughed. "Still don't understand, Mandie? I've seen you only once since I left, but I swear, I have very...strong feelings for you. I can't explain it."

"I thought you were dating someone."

"I was," he said. "But we've drifted apart and kept fighting."

"You broke up with Ja-"

"Not yet," he said. "I want to do it in a gentle way."

I immediately stood. "I'm not doing this, Kyle. You're cheating on someone, and it's my fault. I have to leave now!"

He stood up behind me. "Manda, wait! It's not like that! I swear Mandala."

"You must be joking." I said. "You're cheating on your girlfriend for me! Of all people, it's me!"

"Mandala I swear, it's not like that."

"Then what is it like, Kyle? Explain that to me!"

Kyle fell to his knees. His facial expression indicated a sense of frustration and depression. Planting his fingers in the grass, he shook.

"You don't know how long I've been waiting for you, Mandala. For months and months I've felt a void and it would never go away. Then I saw you for the first time in over a decade, and..."

"Me? Why me?"

"Because I never lost my feelings for you, Mans. I'm twenty seven years old and I still want the same girl I did since I was fourteen."

"Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"I didn't want to ruin what we already had, Mans."

I took a few steps closer to him. He caressed my face. I placed my hand on his. "We have a lot more catching up to do if you want to be together, you know?"

He smiled. "Of course. So you want this?"

I slowly nodded. "But one condition."

"Anything." He said.

"End your other relationship. This feels weird enough."