82. Kassian

Chapter eighty-two

Kassian

Friday, February 23, 2024

B renda, the waitress at Rocco's, heads back behind the bar after delivering our beer. The moment she's out of earshot, Ale turns back to me, relaxing into his chair and piercing me with his gaze. "Spill it," he tells me.

"Brenda just brought me this beer; I'm not spilling anything," I joke, making him roll his eyes at me.

"Always deflecting." He shakes his head at me. "Do I have to remind you that you asked me to have this talk in the first place?"

"Fine, I don't know what to do about Aiyana."

"I'm gonna need a little more information than that, especially considering you haven't exactly told me anything about your relationship. Or lack thereof?" he muses.

I huff, leaning back in my chair. "Aiyana and I have been on again, off again since middle school."

His eyes grow wide, and he sits forward, leaning into me with a serious expression. "How the hell is this the first I'm hearing of this? Kat doesn't know about this, so how the hell could that be possible? We've noticed some sketchy shit going on with you two, but we both thought this was pretty recent."

"Well, in middle school, when Kat and I moved next door, she and Aiyana became instant friends, but she and I always shared a special bond. As soon as I realized she wasn't just being nice, she was flirting, middle school Kas took that and ran with it. I thought her kindness was extended to everyone, judging by how she interacted with both me and my sister, but that couldn't have been further from the truth. Even as a teen, Aiyana has always been a fucking menace to society." I chuckle.

He nods slowly. "Okay, so you pursued her then?"

"No, she made the first move, actually." A smile spreads broadly across my face at the memory. "Aiyana was my first everything, and I was hers. I was too shy to do anything about my crush. So one day, when we were working on a science experiment in her parents' garage, she grabbed my face and assaulted me with those ruby-red lips as the baking soda concoction erupted out of that damn volcano. I've been fucking gone for her ever since," I admit.

"Jesus Christ, then why didn't you guys make it official when you got older?"

"She told me she wasn't sure if Kat would approve, and by the time we had this conversation, we were just months from graduating high school, and my world had very recently crashed down around me. Aiyana was the only person I spoke to for months as I dissociated and barely passed my classes. She helped me bring my grades up and pushed me to pick myself up and just get that shit done. There was just so much going on at the time. When we got to undergrad, we became even closer, and things developed into what felt like a real relationship. Apparently, that was one-sided because when we graduated, she applied to school in San Diego to be with Kat, and she never even spoke to me about it. I didn't even get the closure of a breakup because Aiyana insisted we weren't a couple, so when she left, a massive piece of my heart went with her."

Ale assesses me, waiting to speak until after he's had a moment to fully process my words. "Didn't her dad get sick just before she moved with Kat? Have you ever considered that maybe that had something to do with her abrupt change in actions? Maybe she just needed to get away from her reality for a while and ended up being gone longer than she had anticipated?"

I consider what he's said but shake my head. "That would be completely out of character for Aiyana to run when someone she loves needs her. If anything, she'd have found a way to stick around for him."

"Alright, well, you would know better than I would, but I just feel like there's something missing here. I think there's another explanation, but I'm also not convinced it even matters anymore. I'm so madly in love with your sister, it isn't even funny. It's fucking ridiculous, and I wouldn't change a single thing, but if I had known Kat as long as you've known Aiyana, absolutely nothing would have stood in my way. I'd have killed to have all that extra time with her, but I didn't, and in some ways, that's for the best. I wouldn't have been the man she needed me to be as I navigated my mother's illness and my own diagnosis, but you are in a uniquely incredible place, Narvaez. You've got to do something."

"I've been thinking about something that might sound fucking crazy, and I need you to tell me if it's too crazy." I level him with a stare.

"I think you need something crazy, something ridiculous enough to work, that is."

I nod before telling him my plan. "I'm going to ask her dad for his blessing to propose."

A wide grin spreads his lips. "Now that is what I'm talking about."

"Do you think it's an okay time though? Weddings should be a happy thing, assuming she even says yes, but right now, things are pretty glum."

"Honestly?" he asks me. "I think we all need some good in our lives right now, Kas. A lot has happened in the last month or so, and I think this would be the perfect distraction for everyone."

My stomach does a little flip of excitement at the thought of Aiyana finally being mine . "Alright, let's get to planning then because once I have his approval, I'm going for it before he can change his mind."

We spend the next few hours planning everything out and only leave when Brenda tells us they're closing up for the night. I won't be sleeping much tonight. I've got a lot to get done before tomorrow morning, and I still need to call Kat about it and get my carving kit out from my storage unit.

***

"Thank you for not being mad that we kept this from you," I tell my sister, who was strangely understanding throughout the entire conversation. I really thought this would be the first time she actually lost her shit on me.

"Kas, you and Aiyana haven't exactly been hiding things well, you know. I was just biding my time and waiting for you guys to come to the conclusion everyone else has."

"And what would that be?"

"That you two are made for each other, Kas. Don't be so dense."

"Yeah, well, I hope she sees it that way." I groan, anxiety seeping in. "By the way, what'd you mean about us not hiding things well?" I genuinely thought she hadn't really noticed anything.

"Kas, for months now, you and Aiyana just so happen to be gone or unavailable around the same time as Aiyana says she's out with some mystery man. It wasn't that hard to put two and two together, considering the long looks and sideways glances you have both been shooting at each other since middle school."

"Fair enough. Alright, Kitty-Kat, I've gotta start working on this ring, or I won't finish in time."

"Goodnight, Kas, love you."

"I love you endlessly, Kat, goodnight."

I hang up the phone and get to work.