The Wrong Twin's Kiss

Chapter 9

Lyra's POV

I sat at the kitchen table after she left me, staring blankly at the cup of tea I’d made before I was lost in my thoughts but had no intention of drinking it again. The silence pressed in on me from all sides, the ticking of the clock on the wall growing louder with each passing second. Each tick felt like a reminder of how little time I had before Angela and Kurtis would inevitably reconnect. It was only a matter of time before I was pushed back into the shadows.

My thoughts were a tangled mess again. I knew Kurtis cared about me, we’d shared moments, brief but undeniable, but those moments were overshadowed by Angela. The thought of him choosing her over me made my stomach twist into painful knots. I wanted to believe that I meant something to him, that I was more than just a stand-in for her, but how could I be sure?

Just as I was about to drown in another wave of doubt, the door creaked open. My heart nearly stopped when I saw Kurtis walk into the kitchen. Was this me imagining things again? His expression was unreadable, but his eyes were fixed on me, and I felt my breath catch in my throat.

“Lyra,” he said softly, closing the distance between us. “What are you doing here?”

I struggled to find my voice. “I... I needed some air. Some space to think.”

He nodded, his gaze never wavering. “I’ve been looking for you,” he admitted his voice low and tinged with something I couldn’t quite place. “I wanted to talk.”

My heart pounded in my chest. “About what?”

Kurtis hesitated like he was carefully choosing his words. “About us. About everything that’s been happening between us.”

A flicker of hope ignited in my chest, but I quickly tamped it down, afraid to let it grow. “Kurtis, I...”

But before I could finish, he cut me off, his tone urgent. “Lyra, I need you to understand something. Whatever’s happened with Angela... it doesn’t change how I feel about you.”

I blinked, stunned by his words. “But how can it not?” I whispered, my voice trembling. “She’s back, Kurtis. She’s the one you’ve always cared about. I was just...”

“You were never just anything, Lyra,” he interrupted, stepping closer. His tone was firm, but there was a softness in his eyes that made my chest tighten. “You were never a stand-in. Not for Angela, not for anyone.”

I felt tears prickling at the corners of my eyes, emotions threatening to overwhelm me. “Then why does it feel like I’m always second to her?”

Kurtis sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “I’m not going to lie to you. Angela was... she was important to me. But that doesn’t mean you aren’t. What we’ve shared, Lyra, it’s real. And it’s different.”

I looked up at him, searching his face for any sign of doubt. “Different how?”

Kurtis reached out, gently taking my hand in his. The warmth of his touch sent a shiver through me, grounding me in this moment. “Different because it’s you, Lyra. I’ve seen you, your strength, your kindness, your fire. You’re not Angela’s shadow. You’re your own person, and that’s who I care about.”

His words hit me like a wave, washing away some of the doubt that had been gnawing at me. But the fear still lingered. “But what if she wants you back?”

Kurtis’s grip on my hand tightened, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my heart race. “Then she’ll have to accept that I’m not the same person I was when she left. Because now... now there’s you.”

My heart pounded in my chest, the intensity of his words leaving me speechless. For the first time in a long while, I felt a flicker of hope. But the fear of losing him still loomed large, casting a shadow over that hope.

“Kurtis,” I whispered, my voice barely audible, “I’m scared.”

He stepped closer, gently cupping my cheek. His touch was warm, calming my nerves. "I know, but you don't have to worry. We'll figure this out together.”

Before I could second-guess myself, he closed the distance between us, pressing his lips to mine. The kiss started slow, hesitant but quickly deepened as all the tension, all the uncertainty, melted away in the heat of the moment. It felt like a release, a confirmation that what we had was real, that it wasn’t just a fleeting connection.

When we finally pulled apart, breathless and flushed, Kurtis rested his forehead against mine. His breath was warm against my skin as he spoke, his voice thick with emotion. “You’re not alone in this, Lyra,” he murmured. “And I’m not going anywhere.”

I closed my eyes, letting his words sink in. “But what if everything falls apart? What if...”

He gently interrupted, his thumb brushing my cheek. “Then we’ll pick up the pieces together. I’m not afraid of what’s ahead, not if you’re with me.”

“But Kurtis, Angela’s back. She’s always been the one, and I”

He cut me off, his voice firm. “No, Lyra. You’ve been at the center of this for me. Not her. You.”

I searched his eyes, looking for any hint of doubt, but all I saw was sincerity. “Do you really mean that?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

He smiled softly, nodding. “Every word. I’m here, and I’m staying.”

The weight of his words settled over me, pushing away the lingering doubts. “I want to believe that,” I admitted, my voice cracking slightly. “But I’m scared.”

Kurtis pulled me closer, his arms wrapping around me in a protective embrace. “It’s okay to be scared. I am too. But I’m not letting fear control what we have.”

I leaned into him, feeling the steady beat of his heart against my chest. “Maybe we can face it together,” I murmured, finally allowing myself to hope.

His grip tightened, and he pressed a soft kiss to my forehead. “Together,” he agreed, his voice a quiet promise.

I let his words sink in. The doubts and the fears were still there, but for the first time, they didn’t feel insurmountable. With Kurtis by my side, maybe, just maybe, I could finally step out of Angela’s shadow and into the light.

"Kurtis," Angela's voice dripped with urgency and allure, her eyes locking onto his. "We need to talk. Now.”