Kylie's POV
"So what do you want to do? I honestly don't care." I say
"We can go to Brooklyn Boulders if you want." Ansel says.
Brooklyn Boulders is Ansel's favorite rock climbing place. He loves rock climbing. I think it's fun, but I'm not as good at it as he is.
"Okay." I say smiling. "I need to change first."
We walk in the house and I get a tank top and some shorts out of the dryer. I've know Ansel so long that it doesn't bother me to change in front of him. I take my pants off and slide my shorts on. Then I change into my tank top. I can feel his eyes on me and when I look at him he's blushing. I try not to let that get to my head. I brush my short blonde hair and pull it into a pony tail and pin up the flyaways.
"Ready?" I ask grabbing my keys.
"Shouldn't you leave your mom a note or something?" He asks
"No." I say laughing
We walk out to my car and I head to Brooklyn.
"How are things with you and your mom?" he asks me
"Okay I guess. We don't talk much."
"Does that not bother you?"
"Not really. I mean it's better than getting yelled at."
"What does she think about you and Zach?"
"You already know she hates him. She doesn't care anymore though."
"And that doesn't bother you?"
"No. She hasn't care in a while."
"Isn't that why you dated him in the first place? To make her mad?"
"Yep."
"Then why are you still with him."
We're at a stop light and I turn and look at him. Searching his face for the reason why he's asking so many things.
"Because he's all I have. You're not here and dad's not. So Zach is. He's more of a friend then a boyfriend." I say
Ansel frowns and looks out the window. The light turns green. I drive and we're both silent for a while.
"You can do better." He finally says.
I look at him. "What's that supposed to mean?" I ask
"You could date someone so much better for you. That's more than a friend to you. That will treat you right."
"I am sure I could, but I'm only used to two people." I say
"What do you mean by used to? And two people?"
"Well, when you start dating someone else you have to get used to them. How they feel, how they talk, kiss blah blah."
"And you said two people? You've only dated one person."
"But I've kissed two." I say. I regret it as soon as it leaves my mouth.
He's quiet and I can feel him looking at me. What's he thinking?
"You would consider me to be a better person for you?" He finally asks.
He pretty much just asked me if I have feelings for him. Oh my gosh. What do I say?
"Oh look we're here." I say pulling into Brooklyn Boulders.
"Kylie-" he starts to say something else but I jump out of the car.
"Let's just climb. Okay?" I ask
He hesitates. "Okay."
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Ansel's POV
Was she telling me she likes me? Should I tell her I like her? What if she didn't mean it like that and I'm wondering about nothing. I shake the thoughts out of my head. I talk to the owners for a while then I get ready to climb. I usually climb with out my shirt on so I remove it, and I catch Kylie looking at me, but I don't give it any thought. I remove my shoes and get geared up in a harness. Kylie removes her shoes too, and put on a harness and stars climbing. I follow her.
"So do you think you and Zach will get back together?" I ask stretching my arm to reach the next "rock".
"I don't know. We usually do though." She says. I know she isn't as in to climbing as I am but she's really good at it.
"I wish you wouldn't." I say
"Why?"
"Because. Like I said you can do so much better. And weather or not what he does hurts you, it bothers me and I don't like seeing him thinking he can walk all over you."
"Well you know, Ansel. You're not here anymore. I'm glad you're getting to start living your dream, but when you're not here I have no one but him."
"I'll be here more often." I promised. "I don't like what he does to you, Kye. Please don't get back into all that."
"Okay. I'll think about it."
"Don't just think. Please do it." I say. She almost slips and falls so I push her foot back on the peg.
"Thanks. And I probably will. If you're gonna be here then I have you. And I'll be graduated in a few weeks, so I can leave." She says.
"You're gonna leave?" I ask
"Probably. There's nothing here for me." She says
"What about me?"
"You won't be here all the time. You're an actor now."
"Then come with me. I'll be here for as long as you have left of school. Then you can go places with me. At least until you find something you want to do."
"That'd be amazing."
"Then do it."
"I'll think about it."
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Kylie's POV
I spent the rest of the time watching Ansel climb. I'd much rather watch him. He climbs without a shirt and you can see his muscles pull everytime he moves.
I think about what he said. I could stay with him. But it'd be really hard. Being with him 24/7 and liking him as much as I do. Maybe I do need to tell him.
"Ready to go?" Ansel asks holding his hand out to me to help me up. I take it.
"Sure." I say.
Ansel offers to drive home so I get in the passenger seat. He gets in the driver seat and puts his shirt back on.
"So anything else you want to do?" He asks when we're on our way home.
"Spend more time with you." I say. He smiles. He puts a hand on my leg.
"Your wish is my command." He laughs. Sadly, he removes his hand shortly after that.
We pull into my driveway and I see that my mom is home. And her fiancée. I groan.
"What's wrong?" Ansel asks. I point at the car.
"Todd?" He asks. I nod. I get out and slam the door and walk towards the house. Ansel follows me. I grab my book bag off the porch and sling it over my shoulder.
When we walk in we kick off our shoes and walk towards the dining room where mom and Todd are.
"Hi honey." My mom says. She's only being nice because Todds here. I nod.
"Hi Ansel." She says.
Ansel waves "Hey Karen."
"I made chicken. Help yourselves." She says.
"Hello Kylie." Todd says. I give him a do-I-Know-You look and walk towards the kitchen.
I fill up a plate of food and grab a Coke from the fridge. I walk back in the dining room and nod to Ansel mmotioning for him to follow me.
"Kylie I'd rather you not eat in your bedroom." My mom says.
"I'd rather you not bring strangers into the house." I say.
Me and Ansel go in my room and we set on the bed and share the food and the Coke. When were done we just lay there talking to each other.
After a while I hear a knock at my door.
"Go away." I say. But the door opens. It's Zach. Ansel sets up.
"What are you doing here?" I ask.
"Can we talk?" He asks.
"No." I say.
"Please Kylie?"
"Okay" I say. Ansel looks at me in disbelief.
"it'll be okay" I whisper to him. He gets up and walks out.
Zach and Ansel glare at each other as Ansel walks out. When he's out Zach rolls his eyes and walks over to me and tries to kiss me but I pull back. He sighs and lays down on my bed beside me.
"I'm sorry." He says putting a hand on my back.
"Aren't you always?" I ask. I move his hand and hold it in my lap.
"Please don't piss me off Kylie." He says rubbing his thumb back and forth on the back of my hand.
My phone buzzes on the night stand beside my bed. I pick it up and look at the text. It's from Ansel. It says "Remember what I said please" I text back "okay"
"I didn't do anything tonight. I went home and put an ice pack on my face." He says.
"I didn't hit you that hard." I say
"Dude my face is swollen."
I look at him and sure enough the left side of his face is a little swollen. I hide a smile.
"You provoked me." I tell him.
"Bullshit. You have mental problems."
"Why do you want to be with me? Honestly Zach?" I ask
He looks me in the eye and takes his hand and gently caresses my face in it. He rubs his thumb across my cheekbone. His hazel eyes bore into mine.
"Because I love you." He says barely audible.
"Why?"
"Why so many questions?" He asks.
"Because I have a right to ask them. I'm about to end this all together unless you tell me why you want this?"
"You want to leave me?" He says moving his hand.
I slightly nod my head.
"Huh" he mutters. He stands up and runs his fingers through his hair. "This is because of him isn't it?" He says pointing at the door. I know he's talking about Ansel.
"No. It has nothing to do with him. I'm tired of being cheated on and being treated like crap." I say standing up.
"It has to do with him too. I know it does." He opens my door and walks out. I run after him. "Ansel!" He yells. He goes out the back door and sees Ansel sitting on the swing. Ansel stands up and Zach gets in his face.
"Whoa what's going on?" Ansel says throwing his hands up.
"This idiot thinks I'm breaking up with him for you." I say
"You're breaking up?" Ansel asks with mock surprise. He's a good actor.
"Don't play dumb Elgort." Zach says. He takes his shirt off and puts his arms up.
"Zach, you dumbass you're not going to do anything. Put your shirt on and get the hell out of here." I say.
"Stay out of it." Zach says.
"You don't want to do this." Ansel says, but I can't tell he's getting mad.
I push in between them. I slam my hands against Zach pushing him. "Go away! You're so immature!" I yell at Zach. "If you've ever loved me at all you will go now!"
He stops and looks at me. "Fine." He says. He picks his shirt up off the ground and walks away, lighting a cigarette as he goes through the gate to his car.
I walk back into the house leaving Ansel standing behind me. I tell my mom good night and I take a shower and change into shorts and a tank top. I go to my room and lay under my covers. A few minutes later Ansel peeks in the door. He sees I'm awake and opens it more.
"Uhm..Kye...I'm gonna head out. I'll see ya tomorrow okay?" He says.
"Wait Ansel. Will you stay with me tonight?" I ask.
He thinks about it. "of course. I'll be downstairs." He smiles.
"No, Ansel. In here."
"Oh" he says. I think he'll say no. Maybe I crossed a line. He obviously don't like me. Now what have I done?
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Ansel's POV
Kylie just asked me to sleep in the same bed as her. How can I say no to that?
"Sure." I say. The worry that was in her eyes vanished. She scoots over and holds the covers up. I take my pants off and my shirt and I get in bed beside her. I stretch my arm out letting her know it's okay for her to lay her head on my chest. She smiles and does.
"Thank you." She whispers.
"Of course."
"I love you." She says. "As my bestfriend of course." She adds.
"I love you." I tell her. More than a bestfriend, I add in my head.