𝚌𝚑26. 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚎

                                    

                                          
✧ november 26th, 2020 ✧
                          
kassidy's relationship with her mother probably wasn't the best it could be, but thanksgiving dinner was a tradition her siblings thoroughly enjoyed and it was one she planned on carrying on for as long as she could. 
                          
her and jc stopped outside the front door to her mothers house and she gripped tightly onto the baked mac and cheese that was in her hands. she wasn't too sure why she was anxious, especially when she knew she had nothing to worry about. 
                          
"you alright?" jc questioned, looking between her and the front door
                          
"yeah, i'm good" she nodded unconvincingly, "just a little nervous" 
                          
he hummed, "me too" 
                          
"really?" she did a double take of him. jc didn't seem like the one to let something as small as this make him nervous, so the confession had taken her slightly by surprise. 
                          
"i'm meeting your mom, babe" he breathed a laugh, "of course i'm a little nervous" 
                          
"oh" she paused for a moment, trying to come up with something to say that would comfort him, "my moms really nice, she'll love you. there's nothing to worry about' 
                          
he gave her a look, "ever consider taking your own advice?" 
                          
she rolled her eyes, reaching for the knob on the door and pushing it open, muttering a quiet 'shut up' as they stepped into the house. 
                          
her mother's house looked like it normally did on thanksgiving. ashley was in the kitchen with their mom and her brothers were in the living room yelling at the tv, football jerseys on. 
                          
"the party has arrived, everyone" she cheered as she walked through the halls and into the kitchen, jc close behind her, "no need to worry" 
                          
"thank god!" ashley ran to her, latching on to her dramatically, "jordan and corbyn are being mean to me" 
                          
kassidy gave her sister a look, rubbing her free hand up and down her back, "were they being mean to you or were you being mean to them?" 
                          
she shrugged, not letting her sister go. her mom, who was occupied with finishing up the final touches on their dinner, turned to her two daughters, "ashley let your sister go. kassidy, baby, how are you?" 
                          
"i'm good, momma" she smiled, walking over to give her mother a hug after being released from her sisters grasp. she let go, turning to jc and interlocking their hands, "mom, this is justin" 
                          
"justin! hello, it's so good to meet you!" saskia smiled welcomingly. she took him by surprise when she pulled him into a hug, but he returned it nonetheless. 
                          
"you too, mrs. besson. thank you for having me" 
                          
"please, call me saskia." she waved the two of them over to the dinner table, ashley following close behind, "come, let's eat! kass, call your brothers over for me, yeah?" 
                          
she turned her head towards the living room, yelling for the both of her brothers. when she turned back, she was met with an annoyed glare from her mother. 
                          
she smiled sheepishly, "sorry, didn't feel like walking over there" 
                          
"i could've just done that myself." 
                          
♡ ♡
                          
she had to admit, the dinner had gone much better than she had thought it would. her mom seemed to really like jc and happily involved him in conversation throughout the meal. 
                          
after dinner, some dessert, and a little football watching with her family, the couple was on their way back to the c4 house for a second thanksgiving dinner with the boys. the car ride had been relatively silent, mostly because kassidy was too engrossed in her thoughts to bother making conversation with the guy sitting next to her. 
                          
all day there had only been one question on her mind; to confess or to not confess? should she drop the big 'L-bomb' or keep it to herself? 
                          
"you good?" jc asked, breaking her from her thoughts. he took a quick glance at her before putting his eyes back on the road, "you're real quiet over there" 
                          
"just thinking" 
                          
"about what?" 
                          
"you" she admitted. 
                          
he made a face, "should that make me nervous?" 
                          
"i don't know" she shrugged, "guess it just depends on how you take it" 
                          
"how i take what?" 
                          
"what i'm about to tell you" 
                          
they rolled to a stop at a red light and he reached across the middle, resting one of his hands on her thigh while the other remained on the steering wheel. when the light turned green, he began driving again. when she still had yet to say anything, he gave her thigh a reassuring squeeze. 
                          
"you can tell me anything, kassie. you know that" 
                          
she nodded, keeping her gaze fixated out the window. the two of them remained silent for the rest of the car ride and only when they pulled into the driveway of his house did she begin speaking. 
                          
"i think i love you," she blurted out. she watched as his eyes widened and she quickly jumped into a nervous ramble, "you don't have to say it back or anything! i just thought you should know, you know? love isn't a bad thing and it's nothing to be ashamed about and.." - she took a deep breath - " and i'm not ashamed of loving you. i know we haven't been together long, but you've become such a main part of my life and i just... i love you. you make me happy" 
                          
she watched nervously as he processed what she'd just told him, and as a few seconds of silence passed, she slowly began regretting saying anything. 
                          
"why do you think i would ever take that the wrong way?" 
                          
"i don't.. i don't know. it's just really early in our relationship is all" 
                          
"kassidy, i knew i was going to love you from the moment you made me hike up a mountain because you were bored" - he smiled slightly at the memory - "you make me the happiest i've been in a long time and i'm not ashamed of loving you either, because i do love you" 
                          
"you do?"
                          
"i do" he nodded, "a lot" 
                          
she smiled widely and leaned across the middle of the car, wordlessly capturing his lips in her own. she felt him smile into the kiss as he placed his hands on either side of her cheeks, pulling her in as close as she would go without it being uncomfortable, and her stomach swarmed with butterflies. 
                          
he was quickly becoming her safe place and she didn't know if that was something she should embrace or run away from, but that was something to worry about later on. right now, all she was focused on was the feeling of his lips against hers. 
                          
she pulled away from the kiss as the two of them grew breathless and looked at him with a soft smile, "i love you" 
                          
"i love you, baby"