We kiss for so long that our lips merge into one endless kiss, which makes us forget everything in the world. When we finally pull away, it feels like there is not enough air, and my body continues to reach for her as if she is the source of life.
We lie in silence in each other's arms, feeling our hearts beating in unison, and every touch brings more peace than words.
At some point, I want to jump up and start dancing because I feel limitless happiness. But instead, I inhale her scent, which has become the sweetest and most familiar to me, and with each second, I feel my heart filling with warmth.
I feel that I am ready to go through everything with her.
My Rebel Girl and I fall asleep together, not noticing how quickly the night passes. I wake up to the bright sunlight that breaks through the curtains.
The girl is lying next to me, throwing her leg over me as if emphasizing that she is here, and I am hers.
"What a little rascal," I think, admiring how innocent she looks despite her rebellious nature. But at this moment, I do not want to change anything.
I turn my head and look at her. She sleeps peacefully beside me, her face looking so calm and serene, as if the world around her does not exist. Her dark hair with red strands falls in a soft wave over the pillow, moving slightly from her breathing. A faint smile plays on her lips, as if she is having a sweet dream. I freeze for a moment, enjoying the view.
My heart clenches slightly with tenderness.
I need to punish her somehow for that morning drawing on my face a few days ago. I smile involuntarily. Perhaps I caught it from Katrin, because at this moment I am visited by the desire to come up with some mischief myself.
To be honest, I want to have some fun. The idea of teasing her a little lifts my mood. But I understand that it is important not to cross the line so that it looks more like a friendly game rather than a mockery.
I slowly sit up on the bed, trying not to wake her. Silence reigns in the room, broken only by the quiet sound of her breathing. This sound is strangely soothing. Looking at her, I suddenly feel a rush of warmth.
She is so sincere, so natural in her actions. Perhaps that is why I have never been angry at her tricks. There is no malice or calculation in her mischief — only pure joy and playfulness.
But now I want to turn the situation around a little. I want to see her eyes widen in surprise, and then see a spark of laughter light up in them. I want to hear her ringing laughter, which always lifts my spirits.
I quietly get out of bed, trying not to make a single sound, and, barely touching the floor with my bare feet, I head to the door. Having walked into the hallway, I linger a little, listening to the silence.
Going down into the hallway, I find my things still scattered messily on the floor and the sofa. This mess reminds me that I never gathered them yesterday. But now I am interested in something else. My gaze lingers on a pile of colorful pillows that are always laid out on the sofa. Of different shapes and sizes, they look as if they are just waiting to become part of some plan.
Katrin loves this sofa. She can lie on it for hours, surrounded by pillows, getting as comfortable as possible. Her habit seems almost touching. But now these pillows suddenly turn into my weapon of revenge.
Grabbing them in an armful, I struggle to hold this mountain, but my excitement only flares up. I carefully return to the room where my Rebel Girl is sleeping peacefully. Her breathing remains measured, her face looks so innocent that for a moment I freeze, hesitating.
But memories of her trick quickly restore my resolve.
I carefully stack the pillows on the floor next to the bed, trying not to make a sound. From the slight excitement, my heart is pounding like a schoolboy who has conceived a prank.
Finally, taking one pillow, I freeze like a predator before a jump.
"Now she is going to get it from me! And I mean that literally, not figuratively," I smile to myself, slowly raising my hand.
A small part of me is still hesitating. Her serene facial expression, slightly disheveled hair, and the light warmth emanating from her again evoke tenderness in me. But I am firmly decided: the revenge will be fun and harmless.
The excitement captures me completely. Just a small reciprocal gesture that will make her understand that I am not going to stay on the sidelines.
Everything will be in moderation, without offense. After all, I just want to give her some fun and leave us with another memory that we will laugh about later.
Slowly and carefully, I lean closer to realize my idea, feeling how excitement mixed with light nervousness rises inside. Starting to hit her on the bottom with the pillow, I hear her moan discontentedly, clearly torn from a sweet dream.
Her sleepy eyes open slowly, and a look full of bewilderment is directed at me. I restrain a chuckle, seeing how she tries to realize what is happening.
"Good morning, Rebel Girl!" I say with a light smirk, not giving her a chance to recover, and again hit her with the pillow on her adorable bottom.
"Are you serious?!" she whispers indignantly, still in a semi-sleepy state.
But I am not going to stop. Leaning over, I pick up another pillow and with a mischievous smile, I throw it next to her. In my hand, I still have the first one, with which I again lightly "hit" her, trying not to laugh.
Like lightning, she instantly jumps off the bed, and I barely have time to notice how her red locks flutter in the air, and her face lights up with unbridled energy.
When she is already on her feet, her gaze immediately falls on the mountain of pillows that I brought here earlier. A triumphant smile lights up her face.
She immediately gathers herself like a predator ready for an attack, her body instantly becomes tense, like a panther that is about to jump on its prey. Mischief flashes in her eyes, and a challenge, like a spark, lights a fierce fire in them.
"Oh, so you want war early in the morning, Max?" she says with a bold, almost provocative smile, and her voice sounds like a challenge that is impossible to ignore. "Then you will get it!"
The girl grabs the nearest pillow like a weapon and, without losing time, rushes at me. The pillow in her hands seems like a continuation of herself — just as light and mobile as her body. I am so amazed by her swiftness that for a moment I lose concentration and miss the first blow.
But Katrin does not fall behind. Easily and gracefully, like a cat, she attacks me, laughing so contagiously that I cannot resist and laugh in response. Pillows fly in all directions, filling the room with soft slaps and the sounds of our laughter.
"Hey!" I pretend to be indignant, defending myself with a pillow that now serves as my only shield from her onslaught. But she is not going to stop: her eyes sparkle with a thirst for battle, and her smile says that this is not just a joke, but a real battle for victory.
Conveniently grabbing the pillow, I throw it back without hesitation, hitting Katrin right in the stomach. She moans, but soon her laughter rings louder, clearer, like a clap of thunder, filling the room with unbridled joy.
Fire burns in her eyes, and her smile becomes even wider. She instantly gathers herself and rushes into an attack again, not giving me a second to catch my breath.
"Surrender, victory is mine in this battle!" Katrin chants; she already sees her victory before her.
"We will see who beats whom!" imitating her tone, I fight with the same enthusiasm.
We continue the fight, pillows flying in all directions. Her maneuvers become increasingly inventive: she skillfully tries to hit me on the legs to catch me off guard.
But I am not going to give up either. Skillfully parrying her attacks, I immediately respond with my own, trying to keep my balance and not lose my fighting spirit.
"Oh, you little trickster!" I laugh, dodging another blow.
Suddenly, Katrin makes a sharp maneuver. Grabbing an armful of pillows, she runs out of the room with a shout and rushes to the kitchen:
"Try and catch me!"
I freeze for a moment, thinking over her plan, but seeing this satisfied smirk, I immediately grab the remaining pillows and rush after her.
In the kitchen, I catch up with her and wrap my arms around her waist. She lets out a sharp squeal, like a small wild animal, and immediately starts fighting back, waving the pillow like a sword. Her movements are fast as lightning, and I barely have time to dodge.
One accurate hit lands on my side, and I cannot restrain a laugh, weakening my grip. It is so unexpected that I almost lose my balance.
"Let me go!" she exclaims, pretending to be indignant, but I see how her eyes shine with fun, and the corners of her lips barely restrain a very wide smile. My Rebel Girl is like fire — hot and unpredictable — and I know that this battle is not yet finished.
"Alright, alright, I will be merciful," I say, letting her go.
But in reality, I do it on purpose to give her a head start. I do not want to take away all the joy from the game from her. I know that she will resist until the last, and this only adds fun.
Katrin immediately rushes to the bar counter, her body fast and graceful; she hides behind the counter as if she is building a strategic plan. This place becomes her shelter, her fortress, and I know that now she will start the attack with new strength. The pillows start to fly one after another, like projectiles, and I barely have time to dodge.
"Surrender, Max! You have no chance!"
I know that even if I lose, this moment will still remain for us as something unforgettable.
"Never!" I answer, having dodged one pillow and immediately throwing it back.
It rushes past my opponent, and I only smirk, understanding that I cannot defeat her this time. But all the same, I continue to fight — for the sake of fun, for the sake of not letting this moment end.
Katrin looks out from behind the shelter, her hair disheveled, her cheeks reddened, and in her eyes sparkle joy and excitement. Her laughter fills the kitchen, creating an atmosphere of pure happiness.
I take a step forward, trying to get closer, but she quickly grabs a new pillow and attacks again. I continue to fight back, but at this moment I realize that the victory is already for both of us. This is not a battle, but true happiness, embodied in laughter and mischief.
"You are stubborn, Rebel Girl!" I shout, picking up the next "weapon" from the floor, preparing for a new blow.
"That's because you don't yet know what I am capable of!"
I could look at her forever, watching how she sparkles with joy and confidence. Each of her laughs is like a gift, and at this moment I feel that we are experiencing something special: not just a morning, but a moment when the world disappears and only we remain.
Her laughter is the reward for this day, and I know that she is happy, and this makes my morning bright and full. Fire burns in her eyes, and in the air one feels the lightness and freedom that she brings. All the rest is unimportant — only this is important now, this moment.
Seeing her so beautiful again is true happiness. She stands before me, and I cannot tear my eyes away from her. The red locks of her hair, like a flame, fall on her shoulders, reflecting the light and giving her face a magical aura. These hairs have always been her pride, their fiery color sparkles in the rays, forcing me to forget about everything. I feel how something greater than admiration is igniting inside me.
I am amazed at her beauty and brightness, and at this moment I understand how strongly I am in love with her. I fell in love not only with her appearance, but also with her soul.
She forces me to open up, to show sides about which I did not know. And this is amazing. I like that she likes these sides, and she accepts me as I am.
Yesterday evening strengthened our connection. I cannot forget about her existence. When I think that she might disappear, my heart clenches, and my thoughts become chaotic.
How is it possible to forget someone who changed your life? If she leaves, perhaps everything will remain the same, but inside me, there will be nothing. I do not want to go to parties without her — this no longer makes sense. Everything became different when she entered my life, and I became a different person.
We continue our battle until fatigue forces us to stop. We both sit on the sofa, rest, laugh, and look at each other as if we feel that between us there is more than just a game.
She is beautiful, as never before, her red locks are slightly disheveled, and a smile plays on her face as if she knows: I understand that I can no longer be without her.
Our arms are so tired that we cannot move them. We sit side by side, our bodies almost pressed to each other, but words are not needed. At this moment, everything is understandable without words. I know that for her I am not just someone, but the one who sees her real, all of her, with her fiery hair and inner strength.
She is a miracle, and I am ready to hold onto this miracle, not letting go.
"So who won? You or me?" her voice is hoarse from fatigue, and her breathing is heavy as if every breath takes the last strength.
She licks her lips, in her eyes burns a fire of thirst, and I know that for her this is not just a game. She cannot be satisfied with a draw. The girl is so strongly set on victory that I am surprised at how she still continues to fight, despite the fatigue.
"Both. A draw," I tiredly lower my shoulders, knowing that it is impossible to argue with her.
"No, no. This does not suit me. I want to win in this battle."
Who am I to argue with this beauty and strength of spirit? In her eyes burns a challenge, and I know that she needs proof.
"Okay, I lost, and you won, Rebel Girl."
"Yes!" she shouts. She rises to her feet, and her face lights up with a victorious smile.
But her shout is not that joyful cry which I expected. It is more like a cry of fatigue, painful, as if the victory costs her huge efforts.
She sinks onto the sofa nearby, her breathing is frequent and interrupted, and her red locks are stuck to her face as if her own energy is at the end. I watch her, feeling how my soul tears when I see her like this — strong and simultaneously vulnerable.
But she still remains a Rebel Girl. And for her, a victory is not just the completion of a game. This is proof that she will always fight until the end, not giving up, regardless of how many forces will leave.
And I, of course, again admire her persistence and desire not to stop.