The Westermarck Effect

Sora banged his fist against the metal door.

"Let us out!" he screamed.

No matter how hard he slammed it, it wouldn't budge. The bottom of his fist was turning purple.

Kairi, his best friend, grabbed his wrist and shook her head. "Stop it. You're only hurting yourself."

Sora backed down reluctantly. The two teenagers were stuck. Their room was basically a prison cell. There was a bed, a toilet, and a sink. No windows—just four solid walls and barely any room to move, much less breathe. Their only consolation was that the bed was very soft and comfortable. It took up half the space though.

The last thing they remembered was eating a welcome meal after Sora's mom dropped them off at some place called Camp Westermarck. It was supposed to be some sort of summer retreat. The rest was a blur.

"Welcome, Sora and Kairi," declared a distorted voice. The pair searched the ceiling for the source and spotted a speaker installed in the corner. "You have been brought here to test the Westermarck effect. There are parties vested in your relationship. If you are unable to come to a conclusion, then you will remain trapped."

"Who are you?" Kairi yelled.

They were answered by fizzling static.

Sora glared at the speaker. "What the hell's a Westermarck effect?"

"It means you will come out of that room as one of two possibilities: as best friends or as lovers. Choose wisely."

A flick was heard and then silence. It turned off. The two occupants looked each other in confusion.

"What does that mean?" Sora asked.

Kairi smiled awkwardly as she sat on the edge of the bed. "It means we have to decide who we are to each other."

"Isn't that obvious? We're best friends."

"Are we?" Kairi asked anxiously. "Have you ever thought about being more than just friends?"

"No." His reply was curt.

"Maybe it's time we do."

"Why? Have you thought about it?"

"I am now."

Sora didn't like where this was going. "What's the point?"

"To get out of here." That was an admittedly good point.

Sora joined her on the bed and drew up his legs. "So what now?"

Kairi examined the ceilings again. "They're probably watching us."

"What a bunch of creeps. Isn't that illegal? What exactly are they expecting?"

"Since there's only a bed. They probably want us to… You know."

"I can't believe your mind just went there," Sora said disbelievingly.

"Where else is it gonna go? There's nothing here except for the bed."

"You think if we wait long enough they'll just let us out?" he asked, ignoring the implications.

"Somehow, I really doubt that."

"In that case, let's agree to be best friends and get out of here."

"Wait."

"Wait for what? It's settled. Let's go."

"No, Sora. You can't just make a decision on your own."

"That's because I want to get out of here. Don't tell me you've got...feelings for me?"

"I...don't know. But it's worth exploring. I mean, that's why they put us here, right? Let's think about this carefully. Maybe it's a good thing that we're here."

"You're joking." He slapped the wall and the hollow sound echoed through the room. "What's good about this?"

"Don't pretend you haven't heard it—the things they say about us. Even if we pretend that we don't hear or don't think about it, it's not going away until we face it. There's no place for us to run. Let's be mature about this. It doesn't mean anything has to change between us."

Sora fell back and let out a long exasperated sigh. "Fine. Whatever you say. Where do you want to start?"

She leaned over him, her face dangerously close. "For one, do you find me attractive?"

Sora turned away, looking to the side. "That depends."

"On what?"

"Whether you want me to answer as your best friend or as a guy."

"They're not mutually exclusive."

He coughed. " Then yes."

"Really..." She drew back as if contemplating his response seriously.

"What about you?" He sneaked a glance in her direction. "Do you find me...attractive?"

"You're okay."

"What?" Sora got up, offended. "The least you can do is—"

"Be honest." She smiled and tilted her head adorably.

"If you're not gonna be serious about this, then we might as well end the discussion now."

Kairi giggled. "You think I'm lying when I say you're just okay?"

"I know you are. Come on, Kairi. This" —he pointed to his face— "is handsome, and cute, and hot, and really good looking. You can't deny the objective truth."

"If I didn't know any better, it seems like you're trying to get me to like you."

"It's nothing like that. I just want you to tell the truth like it is. How long have we've known each other? I always know when you're trollling."

"Fine. I admit it. You're attractive. But what that does that mean for us?"

"It means we're best friends who happen to be attractive people. It doesn't mean we have to become lovers or anything."

"Then... Let me ask you something."

"Shoot."

"What's your ideal girl?"

"Someone who's not my best friend?" Kairi slapped his hand. "Ouch!"

"Who's playing around now?"

"Give me a break. I don't know what I want. If she's hot, that's usually good enough for me."

"So shallow..."

"What about you, huh?"

"Someone who's not shallow."

"Then I guess I'm disqualified. Can we get out now?"

Kairi shook her head. "It's not up to us, remember? I bet whoever's watching is getting tired of your shenanigans. You keep avoiding the issue."

"Look, I already know how I feel. If anything, you're the one that's holding up everything. You tell me. Do you want to be best friends or do you want to...you know."

"That's the problem. I don't know. Everyone else says it makes sense but I've never really tried to make the pieces fit. I just don't want to pass it over like we've always done. Maybe there's a part of me that wants something more from you."

"Then what's the plan?"

Kairi absentmindedly poked her fingers together. "Maybe we should just do it."

"Do what?"

"It."

"Like...it, it?" Kairi nodded. "We can't do that. There's no coming back after that. Don't you have a better idea? Seriously, I never knew you wanted my D that badly."

"It's not like that."

"Then what is it?"

"Uh... Don't knock it til you try it?"

"This goes beyond just knocking and trying. You're asking to cross the uncrossable!"

"What's the worst that can happen? We either become lovers or...best friends who happened to sleep with each other once. If it doesn't feel right then now we know. At least we don't have to wonder about it for the rest of our lives."

"Yeah, but it's always going to be thing between us. What if one of us finds a girlfriend, or a boyfriend in your case, in the future? Do you really think that we can stay friends when they know that you've slept with your best friend? The fact that we're having this conversation is already enough for most people to stay far away!"

"You act like us being best friends hasn't already turned away potential partners."

"Doing this will make that one hundred times worse. At least we have the excuse that we never touched each other."

"But wouldn't not doing it make people more suspicious?"

Sora simply stared. "How?"

"Think about it. If you're dating someone and she has a guy best friend that she swears she never slept with, would you believe her?"

"Why wouldn't I? I know that platonic relationships work. We're proof of that!"

"Then how would you feel if they got together while she's still going out with you?"

"Hurt, probably."

"Right, and you wouldn't be surprised, would you? Because you'd be expecting it. Honestly, I'd be more comfortable with someone who has done it and found out that it wasn't meant to be than someone who has never tried it with their best friend."

"Really? And you wouldn't be jealous or anything?"

"Of course I'd be jealous, but not as jealous as the alternative. That's like a time bomb waiting to explode."

"Forget it. I don't want to sleep with you and that's that. I value our friendship too much to do that to you."

She chuckled. "That sounded really funny."

"It's true though."

"Like hell it is. I think you're just afraid."

"Of course, I'm afraid. I don't want to lose you as a friend."

"I know that, but you have this weird idea that once we do it, we'd stop being friends all of a sudden. It might be awkward for a little bit but you can't just throw away a whole lifetime of friendship just because you stuck your dick in me."

"Please don't say that. You're making me uncomfortable."

"Oh, get a grip and stop being such a baby."

"I know what you're saying but... It should be our last resort. Our goal is to get out of here. I'm pretty sure they won't let us starve to death and it's not like they're gonna keep us in here forever. I mean, there's no guarantee they'll let us out even if we do it. I don't want us to do anything that we'd regret when all's said and done."

Kairi sighed in resignation. "I don't want to force you to do anything you don't want to so I'll drop it. I just think it's the best way to find out where we really stand."

"Are you sure you're not already in love with me? You sound kinda desperate."

"I'm just more open-minded than you."

"Too open-minded if you ask me."

Kairi shot up stiffly. "Crap."

"What is it?"

"I have to use the toilet."

"You're kidding me. Dare I ask what number?"

"Close your eyes and cover your ears!"

"Now you're embarrassed? You were all ready to jump me a couple minutes ago."

"This and that and totally different. If I catch you looking over or listening, I'll kill you."

"Fine, fine, just get it over with!"

Just how long will this hell last?