Been Here All Along

25| sleepover

   "Of course," I agreed. I leaned over the table, careful not to let my hair fall in his nasty ketchup and eggs, and kissed him. "I love you."

   "I love you," he grinned. "And besides, we spend most days and nights at each other's places anyway. Might as well make it official."

   Yeah, the only thing that will really be changing is me officially moving my clothes and personal items from my apartment with Kaila to Ian's.

   Kaila... wow. I almost forgot that moving in with Ian means moving out without Kaila. As much as I love Ian, I cannot imagine not living with her. For the past three years, we've lived together and seen each other every single day.

   I have to see what she says. I could never just leave her like that.

   "Are you okay?" Ian must have noticed the change in my mood when the reality of the situation dawned on me.

   Ian stood up when I did. He reached out and put his hands on my shoulders to get a better look at me. "I just want to go home and talk to Kaila. I want to make sure it's okay, you know?" I don't want Ian to think I don't want to live with him, but I just need to make sure she will be okay if I go. She has been indefinitely there for me these past four years and if she needs me to stay, I will. I would not resent her for a second.

   Ian pulled me into his embrace and rubbed my back soothingly. "Of course I understand, Jos. Go talk to her. If you don't move in, that's alright. We can still have our fun sleepovers, and you could even get some clothes of your own to have here so you don't have to keep stealing mine." He said, cracking a joke to lighten the mood some.

   Well, he might have not been necessarily joking, but I chose to take it as a joke. Being in a relationship means your clothes are my clothes.

   I gave him a kiss on his cheek for being his usual sweet and understanding self, then went to go put on my clothes from last night to go home.

~•~

   "Kaila," I borderline cried out when I barged into our apartment. I looked around the place that's been my home for three years and as soon as I laid eyes on a picture of Kaila from move-in day, I broke down.

   Literally, balling on the floor of my apartment.
   Aunt flow is definitely on her way to town.

   "Jos?" Kaila grumbled as she emerged from her bedroom, still in her pjs. I definitely just woke her up. "Why are you crying? What's wrong?" She hurried over to my side. The sleepiness in her eyes was completely replaced with concern.

   "Ian asked me to move in with him," I said in between sobs. I'm so overdramatic right now, I'd be embarrassed if it was anyone besides Kaila.

   "Josie, that's awesome!" She smiled largely. "Why are you crying, you nut?!" She demanded as she nudged my shoulder. The fact that she couldn't stop smiling out of pure happiness for me was reassuring enough to get me to stop crying.

   "I don't want to leave you, Kai."

   Kaila chuckled softly and hugged me. "Just because you're moving out does not mean we are going to stop seeing each other and being close. You're stuck with me, girly. No matter the distance or the circumstances."

   "So you really think it's a good idea?" I didn't really think about it before, but what if something goes wrong? Like what if, God forbid, Ian gets called back into duty and he has to leave again? There's so much that could go wrong.

   "I've never seen two people as in love with each other as you two are. Stop wasting time."

   As always, Kaila is right. I watched my parents marriage fall apart from day one, but Ian is my constant reminder that love is real, that love doesn't have to be as hard and hurtful as my parents make it seem. With my strong emotions for Ian, I can't let anything hold me back.