Exposure

Kyle and Jessi stood toe to toe in her room. Kyle struggled to mutter out some words to react: "You're f-... Um..." He frowned with fumbled words as the color drained from his face.

"Say something Kyle." Jessi let out a nervous smile. "I know you don't approve of him yet, but if you get to know him better, you might like him. I won't tell him my secret yet - I mean not anytime soon...I just finally feel like I can have something incredible with someone. Like you and Amanda have? Or...had. I mean, I'm sure you two will work it out, heh. You always do." As Jessi finished rambling she forced out a broken smile.

Kyle looked up as if to find strength, then finally mustered up the courage to face his other half. He let out a sigh, then began..."Jessi. It's different this time." He struggled to find the right words for he knew that if he told Jessi how he felt, it would complicate things for her and Xander. "Jessi... Amanda and I are over. We ended things because we wanted them to end. We're not the same people we used to be, and I'm not sure I want to be." Feeling utterly exposed, and with numb limbs he pressed on. "I feel...I..." He got lost in her eyes as she gazed back in confusion and anxiousness...

"Kyle, what is it?" A familiar pain unexpectedly crept into Jessi's abdomen, but she did not understand why.

In earnestness, "Jessi, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that what I'm about to say will complicate things but you deserve to know."

"What?" Her fear was crippling. Why am I terrified?

Shying his words, he became slightly cryptic, "I don't want to lose you."

Jessi smiled in certainty of her response. "You're never gonna lose me."

"No." Kyle sighed - she didn't get it. "When Amanda and I...tried again, it felt...wrong this time. I think, I..." Kyle took Jessi's hands into his. Jessi then began to realize why she was terrified. Kyle's intentions were bare for her to see and her heart broke all over again. A broken grimace covered her face.

Her teeth clenched instinctively as she spoke. "No. Kyle, no." Her lips quivered as she pulled away.

"Jessi-" You don't believe me

"I don't...believe you. For all I know you're hiding from your heartbreak with Amanda. I won't be your fall back girl. I finally find someone who loves me like you love Amanda and you're ruining it!" Tears burned down Jessi's cheeks as she struggled to maintain composure.

Guilt, sadness, and frustration weighed on Kyle as he watched Jessi hurt - she still didn't get it. "I...I just want you to be happy. But..."

"No. Just...stop! Look I'm sure you and Amanda will be fine. So please, don't confuse me. I can't take it." She inhaled convulsively fighting back her inevitable unravelling.

"Jessi-" Kyle urged.

"Please go. I want you to go now." She ordered as she finally reached a controlled facade of confidence.

With a heavy sigh and a face painted with with misery, he slowly turned around and walked toward the door. He turned to find her eyes one last time before he shut the door behind him. Kyle thought to himself once as he laid in his tub:

I need to find a way to repair what I have broken. My relationship with Jessi has been severed; and I have no one to blame but myself. I have finally accepted what Jessi had accepted since we met. I now want to pursue the very thing I was running from. The very thing Jessi is now running from. It's as clear as day and I am now ready to fight for it - Our Destiny.