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It was her turn to kick him under the table. “Got something against short girls? We are closer to satan.” She giggled, bright eyes wide and innocent.
“Of course! I don’t mind at all. Besides, it’s fun to hang around you.” She finished off her lunch and shoved the containers back into her backpack, stretching her legs out.
Kyle held his hands up in defense, "No, I have nothing against short girls, I'm sorry if I offended you, Satan's minion." He grinned.
"I'm glad someone finds my presence good and not annoying. That makes a change." He lowered his hands onto the table and studied them for a moment before looking back to Xio.
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She smirked, leaning closer to him. “Satan’s minion? I like that. You must be the angel sent to ruin me then. I’m not falling for it, Kai.” With a soft nod, she returned to her own personal space, snickering to herself. “You’re not annoying, just fun to tease.” For a moment she stared at him, studying his features. It was an authors habit. She wanted to know how to best describe him.
For a moment, Xio’s eyes met his. She blushed and snapped her head away, fidgeting in her seat. Embarrassed by the fact she had been caught, Xio pulled on her piercings, groaning when one decided to come out.
Kai smirked, "Finally, my turn to make you flustered by just a little eye contact. I didn't even have to say anything." His smirked grew a little wider and he crossed his arms, resting them on the table as he looked at her, his eyes shining with mischief and maybe something else that couldn't be placed.
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“Sh-Shush…” she shifted under his gaze. She had never been one good for making eye contact. But it never made her feel this way. “Maybe your eyes are just pretty?” She defended, glancing up to see if he had given up. He hadn’t. She gasped under her breath, feeling suddenly hot. “Aww this isn’t fair.”
"What isn't fair? I have't done anything wrong love but I'm glad to know you think my eyes are pretty." Kai winked at her, actually loving the way he could make her flustered but not even doing anything. It made him feel accomplished in some way.
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Xio whined, hiding her face in her arms. She took a deep breath in an attempt to cool off. “Your glasses make them better.” She huffed, mentally hitting herself. Where were her senses. “Now you’re just staring.” For a moment she let herself look him in the eye, her heart skipping a beat. No, she couldn’t fall for him. He wasn’t even interested in that type of stuff. He was a friend.
"Am I not allowed to stare at a pretty girl?" Kai had no idea where this confidence was coming from but he enjoyed it.Making her flustered was now one of his favourite things. Maybe he was starting to develop feelings for her but he pushed that thought away.
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She opened her mouth to complain but found no words. Instead she shot him a dirty look, a playful glint in her eyes. “N-no!” A giddy giggle left her lips. She tried to swallow it down to no avail. Pretty? She wondered if he meant it, even just partially.
The longer his gaze held her the more red she became. Her face was hot. She suddenly stood, flustered beyond control. “W-we should take a walk! Or get some water! It’s hot in here…”
Kyle chuckled and nodded, "Sure, if you want to get some water then that's fine by me. I have to go to the bathroom anyway." He slung his bag over his shoulder and stood up, still smiling like an idiot, "Come on then."
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“Oh thank you…” she breathed, glancing at him. She could ignore the butterflies in her stomach, right? She was just nervous for Jeremy. Yeah, that was it. “I’m coming.” She grabbed her bag and made her way to his side where she stood awkwardly.
Kyle chuckled, "Let's go." He led them out of the cafeteria, trying to avoid people who would throw insults his way. Soon they were in the peaceful corridor and away form everyone and prying eyes, "I'll go to the bathroom while you go get a drink, okay?"
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Xiomara nodded softly, looking around the corridor. She was trying to still her racing heart still. Was this how he had felt when she flustered him? What this the start of some strange panic attack? She moved to the water fountain, taking a long, chlorine-tasting drink of water. This helped clear her head. The less she thought, the better.
Kyle quickly headed into the men's bathroom and quickly did what he needed. When he came out, he washed his hands and splashed his face with water. Damn, he needed to get himself together and stop acting like a douche bag flirt but then again, seeing Xio flustered was nice. He checked his stomach for bruises and grimaced when he found five black and purple splotches lying there. He sighed and headed back out.
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By the time Kai had returned, Xio was muttering to herself near the drinking fountain, forehead pressed against the wall. Her pen was in hand but not being used. It looked as if she were only clicking it. She didn’t seemed troubled but more at peace. She was, in fact, murmuring a song under her breath as a way to pass time. The pen was a reflex. She often clicked pens when bored, frustrated, or waiting.
Kyle came up behind Xio quietly, far enough away for her to not notice his presence. He smiled softly, and sent a few of his best created snowflakes her away, hoping to gain her attention from whatever she was doing. She looked at peace, yet when he looked like that it was because he was stressed so he didn't really know.
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The first snowflake to touch her caused her eyes to flicker open. She bit her lip and grinned, standing up straight and turning to him. “Are you still staring?” She joked, resting her hands on her hips. Her eyes flickered up to his face then to a spot just left of him. She didn’t want to risk flustering herself again.
“You’re snowflakes are pretty as always.” Her eyes lit up. She loved seeing their blue sparkle, their whiteness against the boring school walls. It made her heart sing and her spirit fly. Magic existed. That was enough to make her want to sing from the top of her lungs.
Kyle chuckled softly and shook his head, "No, I wasn't staring," He said quietly, a smile gracing his lips as he pushed his glasses up his nose before he stuffed his hands into his pockets carefully.
"Thank-you, they're better in winter, though." He watched one fall to the floor and land gently, the blue sparkle dying out before he created another two to replace that one. It made his smile grew just looking at them.
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It was Xio this time who stared. She couldn’t read him sometimes. He was such a different person from anyone else she had met. A magical being who seemed to want to break out of his shell. She thought he wanted to at least. It felt that way to her.
“They’re pretty all year round.” She reassured, stepping closer to him. She held out her hands, letting a few of the snowflakes fall and die in her palm. They were strangely comforting, not completely cold and yet freezing. Like his touch.
"I know," He whispered, not taking his eyes off the snowflakes, "It's just sad to see them melt so quickly. In winter they last for so long." He watched them with some sense of sadness and belonging, as if he wanted to join the small things.
Every time he created something it was like he was releasing part of himself into the open. As if a part of his soul was being freed and he didn't care. He enjoyed the feeling of being himself.
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Xio studied his face yet again. She smiled to herself, and yet seemed to take in a sad breath. He was just as delicate as those snowflakes. “Beauty lasts only for so long. I think that makes it even more valuable.”
There, in that silent corridor, Xio finally felt a sense of peace wash over her. She wasn’t so afraid of school or Marx or herself. She felt warm and welcomed. She wasn’t anxious anymore about school or her friend. It was just that moment with Kai and his snowflakes.
Kai was silent for a little while, just watching the remaining snowflakes drift aimlessly around them before landing and melting. Watching the blue sparkle shimmer and dull before he drifted his gaze back to Xio and released a small breath.
"Do you think the teachers would care if they would snow in the hallway?" Even though he spoke softly, there was a playful glint in his eyes and a small smile gracing his lips.
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Xio gave him silence. She hardly could find the words herself. It was just a moment of peace and comfort for them both.
“In the Hall… Maybe. But I mean there is really only one way to find out.” She grinned at him, shrugging her shoulders.
The smile grew a little, "All true." He took a small step back, all most rocking on his heels as he shot a snowball into the air before it dispersed into falling snow. It surrounded both of them, the blue mixing with the white. It fell slowly, landing graciously on the ground. Some landed in the water fountain.
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Xio laughed, her eyes wide and curious as she moved to make a snowball, grinning at her newest friend. “Hey, Kai, heads!” She snickered and threw the snowball at him.
Kai didn't have time to react before it hit him in the chest, "Hey!" He chuckled before he formed and threw one back. He took a few steps back, laughing.
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Xio sqeaked, attempting to dodge his snowball. It hit her side but she only laughed, quickly making another to throw at him once again. “You’re right, snow is fun!”
"See? I'm always right when it comes to snow!" He chuckled, managing to dodge her throw by an inch before he returned it with one of his own.
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She gasped, ducking but still managing to get hit. She never was good at dodgeball or any sport at that. “Maybe I need to listen to you more,” She giggled, her cheeks rosy from laughter and the slight chill. She threw another snowball, slipping slightly and laughing as she caught herself.
"Stars, don't hurt yourself!" Kyle was distracted long enough for the snowball to hit him in the face. he frowned a little and then chuckled, wiping off his glasses from the excess snow.
