Serial Dating

Prove It

Lee opened his mouth to say something, but stopped when he saw Rushil mouthing to him in alarm, "Prison psychiatry?" and pointing to Kiki. Kiki followed Lee's gaze back to Rushil, who resumed his casual, innocent position back against the bench seat.

Kiki took Lee's hand from where he held the edge of the bench. She squeezed it affectionately and said, "You've been watching out for me for so long. Let me watch out for you, okay? I tried my best on the entrance exam, and I'll be really happy just to get accepted."

Lee frowned down at their joined hands. When he looked up again, Kiki was smiling softly. She shook her head, chin up, and said, "Consider this my biggest Fuck You to Dad."

Lee laughed. He rubbed a hand under his eye and said, "Well, I can't argue with staging a rebellion."

"Usurp the throne," she said.

"I'll have to kill Sen to do that," he said.

"You hold him down and I'll punch. How does that sound?"

They leant together, giggling. Lee threw his head back and laughed, pushing to his feet. Meanwhile, Rushil stared at them in mild alarm over all of the talk surrounding a family murder. Lee pulled Kiki up next to him and threw his arm around her shoulders. "You can stay the night if Ma doesn't send Sen after you anytime soon," he told her.

She nodded with a hum of excitement.

His stomach growled again. He put a hand to it as Rushil laughed. "Well, I'll leave you two here. I'm sure you two need to catch up."

"It was nice meeting you, Rushil," Kiki said with a bright smile. She reached out to him, and Lee blinked in surprise at the sight of a blush on his friend's cheeks as he wrapped his arms around Kiki for a chaste hug. As Rushil pulled back, she pointed to him and said, "Keep an eye on my brother for me, okay?"

Rushil laughed and saluted her. "Aye, aye, captain."

Kiki took Lee by the hand then and started towards Manley Hall. As they went, Lee linked their fingers together and laughed when Kiki rambled on, saying, "I was planning on sneaking into the building but I got so distracted—it's such a beautiful day outside! I don't even know your dorm number, so I figured if I knocked on enough doors, you'd be on the other side of one, right?"

They ate an early dinner at the Manley dining hall. They abused the ice cream station which Lee was certain Milo would have something to say about. He didn't care, though, not when Kiki was sitting across from him with a pleased smile rounding out her cheeks. Kiki was the only person in the world who made him so giddy. He felt like a kid again, immature, stupid—he wasn't a stressed-out college kid juggling work and school when Kiki was there ranting about silly bullshit.

Kiki settled her arms on the table and leant over, grinning. Lee raised an eyebrow at her and said, "It looks like you've got some tea."

"I do have tea," she said, nose in the air. "You wanna hear it?"

"Absolutely," he said.

"I've got a date. To prom."

Lee snorted and said, "Prom's in the spring." Kiki's smile widened. Lee lowered his spoon and said, "Who is he." He didn't mean for it to come out as a threat, but then again, it did, and Kiki was leaning back with an amused laugh.

She laid her hands flat on the table and said, ponytail swishing, "She is from a different school. We met at the last school dance."

Lee's eyes widened. He leant forward and said, "She? I thought—! Oh! Oh, that's great, Kiki."

"You sound like a grandpa," she muttered.

"I'm serious, though! That's great!"

"Why are you so surprised?" she whined, slumping to the side. Lee startled, reaching across the table for her hand. She sprung up then, suddenly eager, and said, "We're thinking purple for our color scheme! She's gonna wear a tux and I'm so excited I could just vomit."