Just as I promised, here is your chapter ! Its a little later than I'd hoped but it is 2 DAYS later like I promised! :) See, i'm getting more time to write. I told you guys I would! I kept my promise! :) I'm proud. You should be too. ENJOY!

Chapter 6

"We're here!" Alice chirped a few minutes later. I could feel my pulse race as I glanced at the café entrance. The sign above the door was beginning to chip at the edges, and fading from the sun. Even though we were just outside, I could hear laughter and talking coming from inside.

"Well, I have to use the bathroom really quick. I'll be right back." Kevin said, before disappearing into the café.

"So," Alice smiled down at me the moment he was out of sight. "Do you like him?" She wondered.

I groaned and closed my eyes. "No."

"Are you sure?" She pressed, unconvinced.

"Yes." I said in a muted tone, wishing this conversation would end.

"Why not?" She huffed, glaring at me.

"Alice!" I hissed, "Can we please not do this?"

"Well, I like him." She continued sweetly, as if she hadn't heard me.

"Good for you, then." I said through clenched teeth, as I folded my arms moodily.

"No! I mean for you. I like him for you." She clarified, misinterpreting my anger for jealousy. Before I could respond, the smirk that was playing on her lips vanished. "Cindy?" She whispered softly, before turning serious.

"Yea?" I wondered what was the cause of her sudden change in voice.

"You'll be okay?"

"What?" I blinked, confused.

She was silent for a few moments, and gazed to her left for another minute while nervously biting her lip.

"With him…alone…on the way to our house? Do you trust him to walk you home? Because if not, I can always—"

I cut her off with a wave of my hand. "Alice, no! You worry too much. Though I wish he wasn't here at all, I'll be okay." I assured her. She smiled in response, and it didn't quite reach her eyes. I could tell she had not been convinced. "Alice—" I started.

"Okay, I feel sooo much better now! I'm ready!" Kevin's voice came from behind us, and nearly made both of us jump. Turning, we saw him walking towards us. Alice quickly whispered to me.

"I don't have a good or bad feeling about him, Cindy, so I have no idea what to make of him. Please be careful."

I could only nod, because Kevin had come to a complete stop in front of us, grinning widely. Alice gave me one last meaningful glance before nodding and then stepping inside. As soon as she was gone, I looked at Kevin, who was still smiling.

"So, where to Princess?"

"Don't call me that." I snapped, rolling my eyes as I stalked forward. Kevin smirked as he fell into step beside me.

"Why not? I like it." He countered.

"Well, I don't."

"But today's your birthday. All girls are princess' on their birthday." He said simply.

"My name is Cindy. That's it. Call me anything else and I'm liable to choke you." I threatened him, while I glared ahead.

"I like to see you try. It would be entertaining, at least." He mused.

"Don't tempt me." I growled.

"You just want to use that as an excuse to touch me, Princess."

I stopped in my tracks and spun around to face him. "What!" I yelled in his face. As I expected, he did not recoil or flinch. He just stood there with his stupid smirk as he looked at me. My nostrils flared, and I had to remind myself to breathe. This boy was going to drive me insane.

"Admit it. You like me."

"Are you insane?" I screamed. By this time, we were on the dirt road that was closer to my house, and farther away from nosy townsfolk. "Did you hit your head too?"

"Nope. I'm fine. You?" He asked causally, which only angered me that much more. I coiled my hands into fists beside me, but said nothing in response. Kevin glanced down at my hands and smiled.

"You're a feisty one, aren't you? I thought it was just gym class that always had you upset. Are you always like this?" He asked curiously, titling his head as he looked at me.

"Only when I'm around obnoxious idiots." I grumbled, narrowing my eyes at him. "Much like yourself."

"Aw, you don't mean that." He smiled, and I resisted the urge to slap him. Instead, I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. Deciding not to answer him, I turned around and continued home. Maybe Kevin could have stayed at the diner. I was perfectly capable of making the trip home by myself.

"So, why didn't you want anyone to know today was your birthday?" He asked behind me.

"It's not a big deal." I shrugged. "Nothing to celebrate, really."

"Your birth is definitely something to celebrate, Cindy." He murmured.

There was a tense silence before I shot a sidelong glance at him. But he looked deep in thought, as if something heavy was weighing on his mind. I was partly annoyed with myself for wondering what I was that could be bothering him. Why was it bothering me? What did it matter to me? I huffed.

"Sorry, but it's true." He said suddenly. I looked at him, and then suddenly remembered our conversation.

"What? Oh. No…it wasn't what you said…uh, thanks, I guess."

"Yeah," Kevin laughed suddenly, and he sounded nervous. "Of course," He said a bit louder, with a bit of sarcasm in his voice, "Because, you know—If you weren't born, I would have no one to beat in basketball."

"You mean cheat in basketball. Because you certainly did not beat me."

"I distinctively remember winning."

"Before or after I was unconscious?" I demanded.

"Hm…" He ran a finger along his chin, as if he was actually thinking about it. "Midway, I'd suppose."

"Kevin!" I growled.

"Aw, stop being a sore loser. Tell you what. I'll give you a rematch, how does that sound?"

"No." I said simply.

"Why not?" He asked curiously.

"Because I don't want to play with cheaters."

"Or…you could be scared."

"Yea," I answered sarcastically, "that's definitely it."

We continued this way until we made it to my house. I let myself in the front door and stomped inside, but I paused when I did not hear Kevin's footsteps behind me. Kevin hesitated in the doorway. "What's your problem now?" I asked him in an irritated voice.

"Are you sure your dad's not here?" He whispered, glancing around nervously.

"I wish he was." I mumbled.

"Seriously…Cynthia. Is he?"

I blinked in shock. Kevin must have trying to be serious, because he had used my full—proper—name. I nodded, before I could find my voice. It was a funny way he said my name.

"Uh, no. He's not. His car isn't here."

"So?" Kevin said.

"So what?" I asked, confused.

"Why does his car need to be here for him to be here? Maybe your mom has it."

"Kevin, trust me. He's not here." I sighed.

"Now come on. Stop being such a baby!"

Just as I knew he would, he reacted. "I'm not a baby!"

"Then come in here!"

Smiling suddenly, he boldly walked in, and didn't even bother to turn around and close my front door. Instead, he kicked it close with his foot, and kept walking foreword. Suddenly he was directly in front of me, so close that I could feel his breath on my face when he whispered, "Is this close enough?"

REVIEW!