A sweet-throb Kyle isn't what I'm expecting on our first date.

On a late Sunday morning, he surprises me by showing up at my doorstep. Carrying a box of Krispy Kreme donuts and a flower box in each hand. With a charming smile on his face, he hands them over to Aunt Abbie, who has opened the door for him. I clamber down the stairs, watching as she reels in shock.

"Kyle!" she exclaims. "It has been a long time, hasn't it? How have you been?"

He grins at her, looking more comfortable than I would ever have imagined. But then again, I doubt that this is his first time at Aunt Abbie's house.

"Never been better," is all he says.

She takes his gifts and sets them aside before throwing her arms around him to give him a hug. "Gosh, how do boys grow up so fast? You're so tall now. And dashing too! How's Lily faring?"

"Mom's doing great." He inclines his head towards the bloom box, where the flowers blossom in a burst of colors; a combination of sweet pink avalanche stalks of carnations, roses and baby breath. "She arranged those for you."

Aunt Abbie gushes over them. "Tell her they are beautiful. She really has a knack for this handiwork. She should open her own shop."

"Oh, she did. In fact, these came fresh from her shop."

"Really?! Where is it? I will drop by her shop when I'm free to thank her in person."

She ushers him into our living room. When he notices me lingering on the stairs, he stops. His expression softens and a gentle smile curls at the tips of his mouth.

"Hey."

I feel my cheeks warm. "Hey," I say bashfully. "You're early."

A curl of hair falls over his forehead as he tilts his head at me, amused. "For this, do I get to earn some brownie points?"

I bite my bottom lip, barely suppressing a smile. "But you didn't get me any gifts."

He cracks a smile. "I got you something better."

"Really?" I peek behind him, but his hands are empty. "Where is it?"

"You'll see it later."

We share a brief silence. It isn't awkward. There's an undeniable pull in the space between us, pulsing and electrifying.

Kyle closes the distance between us slowly until we are barely a few inches apart. With a questioning look, he studies my appearance and I completely forget how bad I look right now. My hair strands are sticking out all over the place, but thankfully, I've already changed from my sleepwear into something more presentable—a denim jumpsuit. It isn't a super cute outfit, but since my jitters aren't going away soon, I've opted for a comfy look instead.

He lifts a hand to my already mussed hair, giving it a light tousle and turning into a far worse state.

"Hey!" I back away and clutch at my hair protectively. "Hands off!"

He grins humorously. "Nice hair."

Embarrassed, I try to comb through the strands with my fingers, hoping it'll somehow fix the mess. But I doubt it works. "Juds did it," I sigh. "The second I came out of my bedroom, she tackled me."

Curious, he searches behind me. "Well, where is she now?"

We glance up at the top of the stairs, spotting a small shadow peeking through the gaps of the railing. As soon as Judy notices us staring, she turns and runs back to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

"Sorry," I say. "She gets all scared whenever we have men in the house, especially those she hasn't seen before."

He shrugs in understanding. "I don't blame her. The last time I saw her, she was four. I doubt she remembers me."

From the kitchen, Aunt Abbie's voice rings out, asking Kyle if he wants some tea. I seize this chance immediately. "Give me five minutes," I tell him, pointing at my hair rather awkwardly. "I just... I just need to fix this."

A throaty chuckle escapes his lips. "I'll wait."

He watches as I scurry back to my bedroom. I glance at myself in the mirror, grimacing at the sight, before grabbing a comb to fix the mess and applying some lip gloss on my chapped lips. Once I'm finished, I give myself a double take again, running my hands down my outfit. I'm nervous as hell, not knowing what to expect.

Is this how every girl would be like on their first date?

With a light shrug, I grab my crossbody bag from the bed, throwing in my purse and phone. As I head down the stairs, I spot Kyle leaning against the island counter in the kitchen through the entryway.

A snippet of their conversation reaches my ears. Hearing my name slip past Aunt Abbie's lips, I skid to a stop behind the wall. I know that eavesdropping isn't right, but I can't stop myself from being curious.

I hear the profound relief in her voice. "Thank you for being a part of her life again, Kyle," she tells him. "I know it's difficult for you, knowing that she's not completely herself, but what you're doing will certainly help her move on and have a normal life again."

I blink my eyes in surprise. Aunt Abbie always smiles in front of me, which is why I never expect her to have this sort of worry running through her head.

A brief silence lapses before Kyle's reply comes.

"You don't have to thank me. I made the choice of wanting to be here for her."

I hear a soft sigh. "It still means a lot. You don't know how worried I am for her," my aunt admits. "She's considerate, but I can tell she's afraid of causing me trouble. Sometimes, I would catch her staring at Ava's picture. She's really quiet. I don't know what's running through her mind, but I don't wish to invade her space and make her uncomfortable."

I absorb her words slowly. It's strange how I've never realized myself doing that, but now that she brings it up, it's true. I stare at Mom's old pictures, hoping for my memories that are buried deep in my mind to surface one day.

But so far, it isn't working.

Aunt Abbie continues to share her thoughts. "I wonder if I'm doing enough for her, or if I'm doing things right. I think it might help if someone around her age is always right by her side. She might be more comfortable speaking to you instead of this nagging woman."

Kyle shifts his weight between his feet. "I'm sure she's already aware of your concerns. Riley's not weak, she's strong. She always has been."

"I hope so. I just–I don't want to lose her, too. Not after how I lost my sister. It hurts a lot. You understand what I mean, right?"

"I do." His voice sounds small and quiet. "I lost someone too, and Riley helped me through it. This time, I ought to be here for her."

My breath hitches, caught off guard by this about his past, which I've just learnt about, and wondering who's the beloved person who he has lost. I make a mental note to myself to ask him if the opportunity ever arises at the right timing.

And this isn't the only thing that surprises me. The conversation between Aunt Abbie and Kyle startles me.

I often see myself as a liability, one which has led me to behave cautiously and avoid treading on people's toes. And yet, for all these times that I've spent pitying my current plight and loss, it seems like I've overlooked something. I forget how blessed I am to be surrounded by people who care a lot about me and genuinely wish for my happiness.

Obsessing about the past is taking me nowhere.

I should leave it be and let nature take its course.

As I mull over this, Kyle walks out of the kitchen suddenly. He freezes immediately when he sees me standing in the hallway, his eyes widening.

Clearly, he wonders how much I've heard.

I clear my throat awkwardly, pretending that I haven't overheard their conversation. "I'm ready to head out."

He nods. We pop our heads into the kitchen and say a quick goodbye to Aunt Abbie before leaving the house. As we make our way to his car, I don't miss the way our fingers brush up against each other, sending shock waves up my arm and directly into my heart.

The more I look at him, the more I'm convinced.

Despite my misfortunes, I'm lucky to have someone like him right by my side.