~*~About You Now~*~

"Can we bring yesterday back around?

'Cause I know how I feel about you now.

I was dumb, I was wrong; I let you down.

But I know how I feel about you now."

-Miranda Cosgrove, About you now

"Hey, Kankuro." I smile to my best friend.

"Hey, Mikkay," he replied. "What's up?"

"Just waiting for someone to hang out with," I said. "You interested?"

He shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

We walk around, visiting our favorite hangouts and talking along the way. We talked, joked, and laughed the entire time, but Kankuro seemed a little more distant than usual. I asked him if he was okay.

"Hm? Yeah, I'm fine," he answered.

"You sure?"

"Yeah." I watched him take a breath. "I just need to talk to you."

"That's what we've been doing," I tell him. "Talking."

He stopped walking, so I did, too.

"Kankuro?"

"I need to talk with you seriously for a moment."

Kankuro being serious? That's funny. I was going to tease him about it, but he looked so tense, I didn't dare.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Mikkay… I love you."

I blinked. That was weird.

"Um, yeah," I said. "I love you, too."

"Really?" he asked.

"Yeah," I answered. "You're, like, my best friend. It would be strange if I didn't love you."

Kankuro growled. "You don't get it."

"What's not to get?"

He glared at me. "You are so dumb."

"Excuse me?" How DARE he?

"I hate dense people," he says. "I'm leaving."

"Go!" I shout at him.

Kankuro turns and walks away. I flip him the bird from behind. That was so rude of him, yelling at me and calling me dumb for no reason whatsoever. What's his deal?

I called my other best friend, Leiko—she and Kankuro don't really like each other much, but they both like me—and told her what had happened with him. When I finished, she stayed quiet on her line.

"Hello?" I asked, wondering if the like went dead.

"I'm here," she said.

"So what do you think was the matter with him?"

She sighed. "Sweetheart, I'm not meaning to insult you when I say this, but it might sound like it, okay? So don't get mad."

"Kay."

"You are really dense, as he said," she told me. "He was trying to tell you something, but you didn't get it."

'That's what he said,' I realized.

"So what was he trying to say?"

"Kankuro said he loved you," Leiko states.

"Yeah?"

"When he told you that, he meant it in a 'more than a friend' way," she explained.

It took me a second to understand.

"Oh my, gosh," I exclaimed. "You mean he likes me?"

"In a friend way? You know that already. In a romantic way? Yes, he does."

"Oh my, gosh," I repeat. "Really?"

"Yup."

"Did you know?"

"I figured as much."

"Rice crispies!"

"Excuse me?"

"My version of swearing. You know, since I don't."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

We chatted for a little while longer before I said I had to go. I hung up, my heart racing.

'Kankuro likes me,' I thought. 'In a romantic way, no less.'

"Holy pasta," I said to no one in particular. "Kankuro likes me."

I didn't even know what that meant. We've been friend for a really long time. He's my best bud. How in the world are we going to interact now that he's told me he likes me—loves me even?

Sighing, I put on my pajamas and went bed.

"I'll deal with this in the morning…"

Class was terrible. All morning Kankuro ignored me. We have the first few classes together and he didn't even acknowledge me during any of them. I guess he has a reason, though. Man, I must be some kind of stupid.

After the first four bells of the day passed of me being ignored by him, lunch came. I sat next to Leiko, sighing. She asked if I've talked to Kankuro yet.

"No," I answered, frustrated. "He keeps on ignoring me whenever he sees me."

"That's both good and bad," she tells me.

"How?" I ask. "How could one of my best friend ignoring me possibly be good? Enlighten me."

"He told you that he loves you," she says slowly.

"Yeah?"

"I'm guessing that he's going to want an answer."

My eyes widened and I put my hand over my mouth to cover the gaping I was doing. "Shiz, you're right. Gosh, I hate it when you are right, you know that?" I hadn't even stopped to think about that. No dip he would want an answer. He confessed his feelings for me. It was a straight up confession of love, right from a shoujo. Right now I'm thinking I must be either blind or stupid. I'm leaning more towards the latter.

"So?" Leako's voice interrupts my thoughts.

"Hmm?" I ask, looking at her.

"What's his answer?" she asks expectedly.

"His…answer?"

She groans. "Do. You. Like. Him?"

I bite my lip softly. "I-I don't know."

"Then I guess you'd better figure it out," she advises.

I nod. That is definitely on my to-do list. Kankuro deserves an answer; I just don't know what it is quite yet.

For the rest of the day, I watch Kankuro pass me by and ignore me. And that was the better part of the day.

The worst part was that I saw him flirt with other girls.

He never used to do that, not around me. I realize now just how popular he is with the ladies. Every time I see him he's talking to some chick. It's freaking annoying. I can just feel my insides boil strongly with emotion.

I watch out for him, searing until I see him, and by the end of the day I feel like a professional stalker. What the heck is wrong with me?

Looking over, I see Kankuro down the hall at his locker. My heart flutters slightly as I sneak peeks at him. He's so handsome, and I miss his company so much. I can just feel my heart breaking inside of me. I go to my own locker and sigh.

"You figure it out yet?"

"Ah!" I jump. "Leiko, don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Skittish as a kitten," she notes. "Do you have his answer?"

I glance over at him again. "I don't know. Please," I beg. "Help me out here."

"You're doing this on your own," she told me. "Think, sweetie; it's not that hard."

I sigh. "Okay, fine." Looking over, I see Kankuro leave the building. My heart aches at the sight. I turn back to Leiko. "Can you at least help me with my checklist?"

Her eyebrow rises. "Excuse me?"

"I tell you how I feel," I explain, "and you tell me if it's love."

"Sure, but why?"

"Because I've never been in love," I tell her, "so I don't know how it feels, okay?"

"All right," she says. "Go ahead."

"I don't like other girls around him."

"Jealousy," she clarifies. "Check."

"My-my heart beats faster when I look at him. I think he's attractive."

"Infatuation; check."

"I miss him when he's not around." I pout just thinking about it.

"Longing. Eh, sure. Check."

"So?" I ask. "What do you think?"

"I think you're stupid," she states.

"Heh?"

"That's love! You're in love!"

Upon hearing her conclusion, I book it off to where Kankuro left. I can just feel myself smiling so hard, my face hurts. I love him!

I run up behind Kankuro and tackle him to the ground. He grunts and turns.

"What the fuck was that for, Mikkay?" he growls.

Smiling, I say, "Don't act like you're not happy to see me."

"I'm not."

I grab the edge of his jacket and pull him towards me, crashing my lips to his. Kankuro stiffens like he doesn't know what I was doing. After a few seconds, our lips part, us panting softly. I smile.

"You are now."

He blushes. "What was that for?"

I smiled as I wrapped my arms around his neck, leaning close to him. "Guess what?"

"What?" he asked.

"I love you too!"

I kissed him soundly on the lips and he kisses me back, pulling me against him.

We part again, and he grins.

"You get it now?"

I nod. "Yes. I'm sorry I didn't get it before."

He rubbed the top of my head lovingly. "It's all right, Mikkay."

I smiled.

-END-