20✨
RUBY RAN towards her during lunch, eyes wide with a paper in her red manicured hands
"kimmy, kimmy! guess whaaaaaaaaaaa?!"
"whaaaaaaaaaa?"
kim giggled as ruby smothered her in a hug; ruby lets go and puts down the paper in front of kimberly.
EASTVIEW HURRICANES
SPRING DANCE
THIS SATURDAY, 6:00PM
kims eyebrows furrow."this saturday? that's two days away, how am i just now hearing about this?"
ruby rolls her eyes. "this school always holds things at the last minute that's why," ruby lights up again "so anyway, i'm planning on volunteering to help set up so i don't have to pay $3 for a ticket. wanna do it with me?"
kim cringes, handing ruby back the paper. "uh ruby, i'm not into the whole dance thing. i'm kinda not into big events."
i lied.
ruby barely blinked an eye at kim's excuse; ruby's light brown eyes slim in suspicion.
"bullshit. the block party might've been weeks ago, but don't think i don't remember you twerking up against strangers and shit. what's the real reason?"
the only person i'd want to go with is someone i can't even touch. i'm also really tired.
"i don't feel like it." it wasn't a lie.
ruby sighs deep. "fine. i bet you'll change your mind though, it's gonna be fun." ruby gave her one last hug before leaving kim in her own judgement
"dance, huh?" kim flinched. she turned to leo with her hand on her heart that beat out erratically against her ribcage, he really had to stop doing that.
"are you tryna kill me?"
"nope, just here to maim you emotionally"
leo tried to remain stoic but ended up cracking a smile with his flawless teeth. he was so perfect: why did he have so much faith in her again? kim doesn't think she'll ever know.
kim rolls her eyes and stares back down at the paper in front of them, "uh yeah, the school is having a dance....and i'm not going."
"why not?" leo's smile faded while he searched for any hint of uncertainty or hesitance in kim's eye but there was none. she seemed sure.
"i don't really feel like going,"
then leo, without thinking at all, then replies with "would you go if i went with you?"
there was a silence. a long one.
"....and tell me how that'd work." kim gazed back up at him again, a fire lit in her brown eyes; trapped between anger and hope. anger because; whether or not he meant well, he was playing with her emotions—hope because she actually forgot for a moment that he wasn't a ghost—a hundred percent human.
a hundred percent hers.
"it just will. i promise."
kim gave him a look he couldn't read before she answered,
"okay. yes. i'll go with you."
she never expected that she'd be asked the same question (nor did leo) after school that day—
kim stood there astounded ~ her tongue lacked power when riley kneeled in front of her with flowers in-hand. he spoke but she didn't hear him, he smiled but she didn't smile back. she just stared at him
and he just stared back. she knew that there were plenty of eyes on them, she also knew that a piercing blue pair existed among those eyes. oh shit.
leo was glaring daggers into riley's skull.
oh he tried it, leo thought.
the words came so fast, too clear.
"kim, will you go to the spring dance with me?"
and kim took too long to answer.
she just kept staring at him. soon enough, riley stood from his kneel and walked closer to her; instinctively, leo came closer as well while keeping his scowl on riley.
"uh, kim? is that a no...?"
kim looked around at everyone before meeting riley's eyes again, nervous and guilty. she avoided leo's.
please don't feel bad. please don't feel bad. please don't feel bad, leo repeated in his head.
kim was about to speak when ruby suddenly came behind her, ruby's long arm around her shoulders.
"change your mind about the dance, kim? that's okay, i knew you would. riley, kimmy's probably gonna go with her booooyfriend," riley, kim and leo's eyes all widen.
kim looks at ruby truly confused, and ruby looks back at kim with a small smile. "remember at church last sunday? you told me you were seeing someone. the strong, silent, cute type."
leo.
kim slowly turns her head around to where he was before, but he wasn't there. he was gone. again.
"you're dating someone?" riley's state of gaiety shattered in a matter of seconds, he looked straight into kimberly's eyes. she winced.
"i'm sorry," was all she could say
everyone who had watched either laughed and or walked away at this point; it was only her, ruby and riley now.
riley nods and hides his face before he gives kim the bouquet of roses with shaky hands.
"sorry i even bothered trying..." riley whispered before he left in a hurry.
ruby turns to kimberly with a frown and big sad eyes.
"i hope your guy is worth it kim, because riley really likes you..." ruby gave kim a supportive pat on the shoulder before going back into school for the spring dance committee meeting.
kim peered down at the roses and shut her eyes, blowing out a long-held breath.
"goddamn it..."
leo watched him, every and any move he'd make with his hands, every turn and step as he did his job. leo clutched the object in his hand with great dedication; he tried to ignore the burn that penetrated his very being. he hadn't been this close to the man in more than two decades. fuck.
he knew he was taking a risk but his actions were desperate at this point—mindless, because this had to be done.
he advanced out of hiding to brandish the silver.
he bore chivalry like a true knight in shimmering armor
his perpetrator bent down oblivious to the pellucid warrior distrait in his drudgery
his back and spine were laid out in front of the young knight like a vast field of flowers; blissfully unaware to the approaching storm—
his armor never shined so bright before.
the spirit wrapped his knuckles on both sides of the blade before stabbing it into his murderer's backbone,
and with long-awaited vengeance came new sight—the knight's eyes widen in horror
shimmering armor soon turned into dust.