I want you there

Mallory

Now that Ki and I were back together—maybe? I don't know, we never fully discussed it. He just kind of slipped back into my life, picked up my bag like he used to, kissed my forehead in the hallway, and sat next to me in English like he never left.

So yeah, I'm gonna take an educated, big-girl guess and say yes. Kian and I are back together.

And honestly? It made school feel normal again. Less like I was holding my breath all the time and more like I could actually breathe.

I still had the constant weight of my secret sitting in my stomach—along with the baby, obviously—but Kian being there made it feel a little bit lighter.

Conor still sat with us at lunch, taking up way more space than necessary and acting like he owned the place. And God, he could not keep his eyes off Serena.

I mean, sure, he had friends in his own year—loud, hurling eejits who always smelled like body spray and chicken fillet rolls. But no, something about my group just pulled him in. Or maybe it was just Rena.

He got on way too well with Dean. It's actually terrifying how similar they are. Both thick as bricks but charming in that annoyingly loveable, golden retriever way.

"Please tell me again why you two sound like you were separated at birth?" Serena asked once, rolling her eyes as Dean and Conor argued about what was better: garlic cheese chips or taco fries.

Conor just winked and said, "Might be secret cousins."

Dean nodded like it was the most reasonable answer in the world. "Exactly."

I swear, being the only one with brain cells in that group was exhausting.

I caught myself smiling a little more now. Laughing, even. It wasn't like everything was perfect—far from it—but with Kian beside me again, things didn't feel so heavy.

We didn't talk about the baby. Not yet. Not at school. Not even in passing. But I could feel it between us every time his hand brushed mine, every time he looked at me a little too long when I wasn't paying attention. He knew. I knew. And we were just... existing in the space between pretending and preparing.

Sometimes I'd catch him watching me across the lunch table, his brows furrowed like he was thinking ten thoughts at once. Probably was. I didn't ask. I didn't want to break the bubble.

AJ hadn't said anything yet—thank Christ—but that was probably because I hadn't really been alone with him since break ended. If he noticed anything, he was keeping it quiet. For now.

"Oi, Mal," Dean called, waving a chip in my direction. "Garlic cheese or taco fries? You get one for the rest of your life."

I blinked. "That's like choosing between breathing and... blinking."

"Exactly!" Conor grinned. "Finally someone gets it!"

"Bunch of eejits," Serena muttered under her breath, but even she couldn't help smiling.

Kian slipped his hand into mine under the table, fingers lacing with mine like it was second nature. And maybe it was.

Maybe we didn't need to say it out loud to know we were trying again.

Trying to be us again.

Trying to hold it all together.

"You told your old man yet? I'm gonna assume no since I haven't had my balls ripped off." Kian chuckles into my ear, his hot breath sending a shiver down my spine.

"No, not yet. I uhm..want you to be there. To show him you wanna be with me..be with the baby. Maybe AJ would see that too.."