Disclaimer: I own neither of these charasters, all credit for their creation goes to Tamora Pierce, but the plot line is my own.

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Kel decides to finally pour her heart out to Neal. What will happen?

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Kel sighed heavily and looked across the table at Neal. For eight years now she had had a crush on him, no matter how much she had denied it, and now he was single and sitting before her.

"You said you needed to tell me something Kel." He pressed, looking back at her and pulling her out of her trance. "What's up?"

"Well, you remember me telling you that I had had a crush on you while we were pages?" She asked, wringing her hands nervously.

"Yeah?"

"Promise that we'll still be at least friends, no matter what?"

"I promise." He continued to look at her and she forced herself to look away.

"I wasn't exactly telling the entire truth when I said it was over by the time we were squires. I still have feelings for you." She glanced up at him to see his mouth hanging open slightly before staring back at the floor.

"Wow Kel. Umm, look. I would, I really would, but I talked to someone yesterday, and right now I think it's best if I just don't have a relationship with anyone. I'm sorry." Kel forced a smile to hide the fact that she was on the verge of tears.

"Oh, no, it's okay, as long as we'll at least be friends."

"Of course we will."