Selfish

Cezille07

If the only way to have him is to make sure he can't leave, how far would Elena go?

Notation: Bold - Voice Dom. Italics - Memories.

Disclaimer: This is another one of my crazy ideas. Naturally, my ownership is only until the idea.

Today being a sunny Saturday didn't give them a break from schoolwork. Each subject had tasked them with a single homework. And today, the only thing they did so far was work through each one.

"Let's go for a walk," suggested Zick. He already rose from his seat and picked up his schoolbag.

Elena didn't move. "I'd rather stay here."

Zick looked at her, his expression midway between questioning and amused. "We've been in your house all day. We can stretch a little, get a snack or something. What'll that cost us?"

Elena sighed. "Nothing. Time." My secret, she added in thought.

His look changed to that of concern. "Are you feeling alright? You're flushed."

"Me?! Flushed? No, it must be...it's just...the stress is all," she answered — maybe too quickly.

Julie came in that morning from some early groceries. "Look Elena! Your father and I bought a lovely set of scented candles for the dining table! It even came with this perfume, the one I'm wearing now, can you smell it? It's lavender. Isn't it nice? Come help me set up the candles."

Elena gulped. She wiped a bead of sweat before it traced out her cheek, before facing Zick again. "Oh fine, let's go."

That he didn't notice anything was unusual. They walked due west toward the park, following the sun as it sank from their zenith into the horizon. They bought ice cream and sat on one of the benches in silence, just as they had done the whole afternoon.

Elena glanced at him. He really didn't notice!

"I can tell something's up," he told her.

She fanned herself with her hand and looked away. "Nothing's up. The sky is," she managed to joke. Was he about to find out?

It was then Elena spotted the bottle. It was inside Julie's purse. Its owner was focused so much on the candles — surely she wouldn't realize the perfume was missing? Elena pocketed the item and excused herself from the set up. She locked the door to her room and sprayed like there was no tomorrow.

Zick nodded. "Okay." He dismissed his doubt again. How could he trust her this much?

Elena bowed her head. She felt torn between her responsibilities as his 'friend' and her selfish feelings as an admirer. No, 'admirer' was the wrong word. Selfish, yes that's it, selfish. She was selfish, but she had gone all this way. So she had to tell him, right?

She turned to him. But something else caught her attention.

A crowd of monsters were running away from what seemed like Black Phantoms.

"Look!" she pointed out, tapping his shoulder.

"What?" Zick didn't seem to see them until now. "Oh, I knew that! Come on! Before anyone sees them. Why could they be doing this —"

"What do you mean?"

"Never mind!" He led the way and paused in front of the stampede's path. "Stop! Stop!" he commanded, but the monsters paid him no attention.

Zick and Elena were left behind, staring after the mass of frightened monsters.

She eyed him warily. "Why....?"

Without looking, he answered, "I know what you're about to ask me. Why didn't it work?" He didn't wait for a response. "I don't know! I wish I did, didn't I?"

"No, I was about to ask...if you could actually see them."

He looked at her. "Barely, at least. Actually, no. And I bet the Tone didn't bother them either. Argh, darn it! What's wrong with me?!"

"I...I like...." she began. Her reflection showed the same anxiety.

No, 'like' was too informal. 'Want' had other meanings. 'Love' was too cheesy, too deep, too wrong. What now? Maybe she ought to forget it. Take a shower and return the perfume bottle where it belonged. But that would be another of the million chances she let pass. No matter what, she was going to tell him. Today. She'd have him to herself, and nothing can get in the way. He wouldn't be able to escape once he gets near enough.

She didn't think it would be this bad.

"Zick, I have a confession to make," she started.

The shock was evident on his face. "I don't think it's the right time for this kind of thing —"

"That's not what I meant! I was about to say...it's my fault your powers won't work!" Her millionth chance just evaporated.

"Why? What did you do?!"

She couldn't resist this urge to run away and throw herself into the duck pond to wash away that inhibiting scent. So she did.

She resurfaced to see Zick swimming towards her. "What on earth did you do that for?" he asked—worriedly, she liked to think.

She couldn't answer, let alone look him in the eye. "I wanted to tell you something..." she replied, to the wrong question. It was why did she jump, not why did she want to have him that day to herself. If she only had the courage to actually speak up and tell him how she really felt. How she loved being around him, being his focus. No monsters, no missions, just the two of them trying out for a 'romantic' moment.

~~END~~