"Yeah, we could be dancing all night
Waking up for the sunrise
Late 'cause we're losing track of time
Yeah, we're in young love
Cause when I'm with you it feels like
Falling in love for the first time
It'll always be true"
Young Love - Phillip Vo

oOoOo

Every morning since Kaden and I have gotten back together, I wake up feeling so light and free. I know it's cliché, but the colors are brighter and the birds are chirping again. I'm on cloud nine and give no fucks.

Later today, Kaden and I have plans to walk around the city and get dinner.

I wish I could spend all day with him, but I unfortunately have to do work. Trade agreements and charity budgets are sitting on my desk and calling my name.

I also promised myself that I would talk to Xander today and tell him about my relationship with Kaden. If Kaden and I are making a no-secrets policy, it's only fair that I'm honest with Xander. I'm dreading that call, but it'll feel good to get everything off my chest.

I spend almost two hours looking over the trade agreements with Italy and France. I also go over the budget for the foundation. I decide how much money we will donate to each of our charities in the next fiscal quarter.

After I'm done with my work, I have no excuses for delaying my call to Xander.

I pick up my phone and almost chicken out before pressing the call button.

He picks up after a few rings. "Hey, how are you doing?"

"I'm good. What about you?"

"Alright. There's a lot going on here," he says. "Is everything okay? You're not one for impulsive calls to say hello."

"Everything is okay. I just want to talk to you about something that's been bothering me. I need to get it off my chest."

"Okay, I'm all ears."

I pause, trying to figure out how to put this tactfully.

"Well, you see... I kind of want to end our so-called relationship. I have a boyfriend."

So much for sensitivity. I wish there was an undo button so I could undo that revelation.

He doesn't say anything. I wonder if I should have done this over FaceTime instead...

"Xander? You there?"

"Um, yeah. Can you say that again? I think you just said you have a boyfriend."

"You um, you heard me correctly."

Silence.

"Well, this is news," he chuckles.

"My fiancée has a boyfriend," he says more to himself than to me.

"Um, yeah."

"Can I inquire why my fiancée has a boyfriend? I'm very bewildered about how this came to be." I almost laugh at how proper he sounds, but I restrain myself; I don't want to throw salt in the wound.

"Well, I don't think you want all the details, but we just have amazing chemistry. I've liked him since I moved here."

"It's that Kaleb dude, isn't it?"

What is with these men and their nicknames?

"Yes. And it's Kaden."

I hear him exhale.

"Listen... I'm sorry about this, but I thought it would be better for you to find out from me, instead of online or something."

I learned that lesson the hard way. The least I can do is spare Xander from being blindsided. Well, I guess I'm technically blindsiding him now, but it's still better than the alternative.

"Well, thanks for the sensitivity to my feelings," he scoffs.

"I feel like such a bitch for doing this, but the chemistry between Kaden and me is something I just don't want to throw away. And we haven't signed any contracts, so our PR relationship isn't really real." I shouldn't have added the last part, but I couldn't help it. It would do him well to remember we weren't really together.

"Can we talk about this next week? I'm going to be in Boston then. It's probably best if we have this conversation face-to-face."

"Okay. And again, I'm genuinely sorry. I never wanted anyone to get hurt."

"Kay. Bye," he replies shortly.

He hangs up.

I sigh. At least I got that over with.

I open iMessage to tell Kaden.

Me: Just told Xander about us. One step closer to being free! 🥳

Kaden: Congrats sweetheart!
Kaden: How'd it go?

Me: Could have been better. I'm just glad I got it over and done with.

Kaden: I'm so proud of you 💜
Kaden: I have some bad news.

Me: Are you okay?

Kaden: Yeah, I'm fine. I just have to cancel our plans this afternoon.
Kaden: My mom just called and she needs me to come into the bakery to help. A bad virus is going around and she needs the help, especially since Valentine's Day is coming up.

Me: That's okay. Go help her. We can always reschedule.

Kaden: Thank you for being so understanding. I'll make it up to you, I promise. 💜

Me: Pinky promise?

Kaden: Pinky promise.

oOoOo

I spend the rest of the day being productive. I get ahead on homework and notes for all of my classes. I even catch up on all of my two hundred unread emails. 

I go to bed early after watching the newest Grey's Anatomy episode with Blair.

Around one am, I'm woken up by my phone buzzing.

Kaden: Come down to the parking lot

Me: What are you doing here?

Kaden: Picking you up.
Kaden: I feel bad for canceling earlier, so I'm making it up to you.

Me: I'll be down in ten. Need to sneak past Blair and Marc

I quietly get out of bed and throw on sweatpants and one of Kaden's sweatshirts.

I tiptoe out of my room and into the kitchen. I hear suspicious noises coming from Blair's bedroom. Sounds like they are preoccupied and won't notice my disappearance. Grabbing my purse and keys, I open the back door and dart down the stairs.

Five minutes later, I'm exiting the lobby. Sure enough, Kaden is parked at the curb, waiting for me.

"Hey." I get in the passenger seat and buckle up. "So are we going on an adventure or something?"

"Yes. We're going to a McDonald's Drive-Thru," he says very seriously.

"Sounds like a plan."

"Do Blair and Marc know you left?" He asks as he starts the car.

"Nope. It's actually my first time ever sneaking out," I admit sheepishly.

He looks over at me with raised eyebrows. "Really?"

"Really," I confirm. "It's too hard to sneak out of a heavily guarded palace. I wasn't a rebellious kid anyway."

"Well, there's a first time for everything. It's very important that you get the teenage experience."

"Oh really? So what's the teenage experience?" I play along.

He smirks. "You know, sneaking out of the house, drinking your parent's alcohol, skinny dipping, throwing a party when you're home alone, sneaking into bars. The normal teen stuff."

"Have you done all of that?"

"Yeah, you're definitely missing out."

Wow, I cannot imagine Kaden doing all of those things. I could definitely see Chase or Grace, but Kaden? No fucking way.

"Well, I think I'll need a tour guide of some sort. Since you're so experienced, maybe you can help me out?"

"Sure, sweetheart. You're checking off one item on the list tonight. We'll have to do the rest some other time. Maybe spring break?"

We pull into the McDonald's parking lot.

"What do you want?"

"Vanilla shake and small fries."

He orders us two shakes and two fries.

"So, Mr. Experienced, what do we do now?" I ask once he parks the car.

"Hmm, let me think." He takes a sip of his chocolate shake.

I uncover the lid on my shake and dip a fry in.

"What the fuck are you doing?" He looks at me in horror.

"Eating my fries," I say as I pop it into my mouth.

"Fries don't belong in milkshakes," he protests.

"Just try it." I take one of my fries and steal his shake. I dip the fry in his shake and bring it to his mouth.

He reluctantly opens his mouth to take a bite. I glue my eyes to his face to witness a reaction.

His face scrunches up in thought as he chews. "Okay, fine. It's not terrible."

"Told you," I say smugly.

"But, it still isn't good. Ketchup is still the superior condiment for fries."

"We'll just have to agree to disagree."

He nods and puts the lid back on his shake.

"What do we do next?" I ask, sipping my shake.

"Dance with me," he replies simply.

I watch as he gets out of the car and like a gentleman, he opens my door for me.

He leads me to the middle of the vacant parking lot.

The only lights are the street lights and ones from McDonald's. It's cold and white flurries are falling from the sky.

He pulls me close. I lean my head on his chest as we sway.

I look up, watching the snow fall.

Our eyes connect. Kaden is watching me with a weird look on his face. I'm interrupted just before I ask him what's wrong.

"I love you," he blurts out.

I'm frozen for a split-second before his words register in my mind.

Kaden loves me.

Even after all I've done, he still loves me.

"I love you too," I breathe.

He leans down. Our lips collide.

We stand in the middle of the parking lot, kissing for what feels like hours. It's only us in the cold. Snow is falling all around us, but we have each other to keep warm.

Despite the cold, my heart continues melting. Kaden is just so damn cute.

When I finally pull away, he picks me up. I wrap my legs around his waist as he carries me to the car. He sets me down in my seat then rushes back to the driver's side.

"You're freezing, sweetheart." He takes his coat off and hands it to me.

"No, I'm fine. I don't want you to be cold." I try handing it back to him, but he refuses to take it.

I grudgingly put it on.

"I love you," he says again, looking straight into my eyes.

"I love you."

"I'm sorry that I said it for the first time while we were fighting. I didn't mean for it to come out like that. But, I do love you. I've known it for a while now. You're without a doubt the best thing that's ever happened to me."

I feel tears start to escape my eyes.

"No, don't cry," he pleads.

"They're good tears. Happy tears," I explain, wiping my eyes with the tissue he hands me.

"I love you so much too. I know I'm not perfect, but I love you with all my heart. The one thing I know for certain is that I'm irrevocably in love with you."

I see tears forming in his eyes too before he leans over the center console to hug me.

oOoOo

Thanks for reading chapter 33! Please don't forget to leave a vote and comment <3

Anyone know where I can find a Kaden? I want to find a guy who'll dance with me in the middle of an empty parking lot in the middle of the night 😭😭😭