Conflicted Heart

Carly was getting ready for a special night out. She had just finished brushing her dark hair when she stepped back from the mirror to look at her outfit. She had chosen a simple skirt and an orange blouse with comfortable sandals. The aspiring reporter was not told exactly what she was going to be doing that night, so she prepared herself for anything. Well...mostly anything.

There was a knock at the door. Carly glanced at the clock. He was three minutes early. She dawned her signature swirl glasses before answering the door. She opened the door to her apartment and let out a little smile at the pair of golden eyes waiting for her.

"Hi."

"Hey."

Neither of them ever dated before, so when Kalin clumsily asked his ex-Dark Signer ally if she wanted to go out with him, both of them did not know what to expect.

"So Kalin...you never told me what we're doing tonight?" Carly asked, showing how shy she was by staying in the doorway.

Kalin smirked. "Well, I wanted it to be a surprise. Come on."

Carly followed the tall man out of her apartment, shutting the door behind her. It was a quite walk to the street below. When they got down there, Carly was a bit taken back by Kalin's mode of transportation.

"I never rode on a duel runner before." She stated with hesitation already in her voice.

Kalin got a little confused at first, then remembered what Jack told him about Carly not remembering her times as a Dark Signer. "Don't worry. I won't go too fast."

He handed the girl an extra helmet and motioned her to the bike. After her helmet was on, Carly sat on the runner and wrapped her arms around Kalin's waist. Both of them felt a blush creep up on their cheeks. Kalin revved the engine and the two took off. Carly's grip began to loosen pretty quick, surprising herself that she actually found the ride enjoyable. They sped down the highways to the other side of the city.

Kalin stopped at the bottom of a hill and they each got off the bike.

"I hope you don't mind that we have to climb this hill." Kalin said apologetically.

"No, it's fine. I just hope I don't trip over my own feet...again." Carly admitted.

They started walking up the hill together, thankfully with a continuous conversation.

"You didn't strike me as the clumsy type when I first me you." Kalin bit his tongue after realizing the first time they meet was when they were Dark Signers.

"Really? Well, I guess I ask for it sometimes."

"Do you like being a reporter?"

"Yea. Although it can be hectic. I do wish I got a bit more respect. I ca...woah."

And just as Carly predicted, she tripped. But before she could hit the ground, Kalin caught her and saved her from face-diving into the dirt.

"Are you alright, Carly?"

To Kalin's surprise, Carly started giggling. "I'm fine. I'm fine."

"Well...we're here."

Carly looked up and saw an old oak tree. Kalin walked her over and the two sat down together beneath the branches. It was then when Carly noticed something.

"Is that a screen down there?"

After she said that, a movie began to play and the people in front of the screen started to take their seats on the grass. The movie playing was an old, black-and-white comedy.

"This is so cool." Carly smiled. It really was a nice and sincere gesture, especially coming from a rough guy like Kalin.

"I didn't think you would like it?" Kalin admitted, making a mental note to thank Crow for helping him come up with the idea.

"Are you kidding...?"

Carly looked over at Kalin and the two locked eyes immediately. The young man smiled, making Carly blush again, only this time Kalin noticed. He moved a bit closer to the girl.

"You know, I didn't think you would say yes when I asked you out."

Carly did not know how to respond. Just being around this guy made Carly lost for words. How did he do it? He was just sitting there with that damn smile on his face.

"That's funny. You don't seem like the type of guy who's into dating and sappy romance."

"I'm not really, but I figure you should try everything at least once before you die." Kalin and Carly both looked down and started watching the movie. After a period of silence, something pushed Kalin to speak. "Carly...do you lo-" Before he could even finish the question, he bit his lip. This was not the time to ask that. Besides, he supposed he already knew the answer. But if that was the case, why was Carly out on a date with him?

"Do I what?" Carly was curious now. Reporters intuition kept her guessing until she go the truth.

"No...I shouldn't be asking that."

"Come on, Kalin. I'm sure it's fine."

Kalin took a deep breath. You have to try everything at least once. "Do you still like Jack?"

Carly was taken back by the question. Of course she still liked Jack. But then again, if she still liked Jack, why was she on a date with Kalin?

"I-I guess I still do. I mean we are friends or maybe more..." Carly trailed off. What was she saying?

Kalin frowned, knowing it was all too good to be true. Maybe if she remembered?

"But I don't want to anymore."

He glanced up at Carly and saw a look on her face that told him she was about to cry. Was what she said the truth?

"I don't want to have feelings for him anymore. I know he doesn't have feelings for me. At least not the same." The girl's tone feel low. "I just want my heart back."

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder and saw Kalin's smile again. He reached for her glasses and took them off her face. Kalin starred into her eyes, now that they were not black any more.

"You have beautiful eyes, Carly."

She could hear soft music playing from the movie below, as Kalin continued to talk

"I can't do anything for your relationship with Jack. And I know that...that you might not ever feel that way about me. I just wanted to let you know that I do have feelings for you. I care about you."

"How? You barely even know me."

"I know you more than you think I do...I'm sorry."

Kalin sighed, stood up and took a few steps away. Maybe this was a bad idea? He was still picturing the Dark Signer Carly, thinking he might be able to get that girl back.

"Wait! Can't we try?"

Kalin turned around. Maybe they could?

They spent the rest of the night talking and laughing together. Kalin brought Carly home much later than they expected. She promised him another date at the end of the week. The two almost did not wanted to wait until then.

Almost three weeks later, Kalin and Carly made it official that they were in a relationship. Carly was happy that Kalin always seemed to be there for her. She remembered their first kiss. It was during a torrential down pour when she was trying to get off Kalin's runner and get inside. But instead she unexpectedly grabbed Kalin's jacket and locked their lips together.

Everything went great after that kiss.

That was until one day, when Carly meet up with Jack and some of his friends. She had not told any of them that her and Kalin were together, mainly because the couple did not want many people to know just yet. But throughout the day, Carly was fawning over Jack just like she used to, without even realizing. When the day was over and she was driving her car back home, when she realized what she had done and what that meant.

She felt awful. Her first feelings for Jack had crept back in.

She waited in her car for awhile before she walked up to her apartment. Kalin was staying with her, so he would be there when she walked in. She tried to act like nothing was wrong, but Kalin knew her too well at this point. When he asked what was bothering her, she knew she could not lie about it. Carly told Kalin flat out what had happened.

Kalin knew Jack was competition for Carly's heart, but hearing what happened, it hurt him more than he thought it would.

"You still like him?" Kalin confronted his girlfriend.

Carly did not say anything after she was done explaining what she did.

"Carly, just tell me the truth. Do you still like...do you still love Jack Atlas?"

When she hears Jack's name, her heat skips a beat, but when she hears Kalin's name, all she does is smile.

"I'm sorry, Kalin. I don't know. I just..."

Kalin left on his runner that night and did not tell Carly where he was going.

Almost a week went by, when Kalin told Carly to meet him at the airport. She was scared. When she got there, Carly meet Kalin and was told he was going to South America for a few weeks to visit a friend. He told her, for now, it was over between them. Kalin turned around and walked away from her, leaving her with only a goodbye...nothing more. She watched him get on the plane, not even noticing the tears falling down her face.

"Kalin, wait...I think I'm falling in love with you."