I've decided my timeline will be the present (at least for now). It seems about right.

My Best Friend's Brother
Written by: Jill Annette

CHAPTER TEN – RAINY DAYS

There were six days until Valentine's Day and believe it or not Usagi had found hers. Honestly it was the first time she would ever have a real Valentine and it seemed too good to be true. Seiya had it all planned out though. He called her almost every day just to talk since she met him at the club a couple weeks ago.

Seiya was interesting to her. She really did like him. He made her laugh and she felt wanted. However, she could not fight off the whole Mamoru feeling she had in her system. Usagi's feelings for Seiya were light hearted and fun while the feelings she held for Mamoru ran deep. Seiya was convenient. Oh, how she hated to put it that way but it was sadly true.

When she talked to Seiya, hung out with him, watched movies, or went out to eat she found that she didn't think about Mamoru. Also, she wasn't bored with him. The only thing that bothered her most is how she knew that Seiya felt for her more than she felt for him – even though she told him that she only wanted to be friends. So that's what they were right now and she knew that Seiya wanted more from her.

Usagi was out, browsing about town by herself today. It was a nice way to pass time she thought. As she stepped outside of a antique shop, Usagi lifted the hood of her jacket over her head expecting the light drizzle that fell from the sky. The weather had been like this for days. It was overcast, no sunshine whatsoever and rain, lots and lots of rain.

Everything seemed to have an eternal sheen of water. Puddles were everywhere and people were scarce. Usagi on the other hand did not mind the natural shower. Honestly it was somewhat refreshing. The light that came from some source of light – what she couldn't tell because of the clouds – was starting to dim. She knew the sun was setting and decided to make her way home.

The chorus of Sic Transit Gloria sounded loudly in the nearly deserted street. Usagi jumped, startled a moment before she started searching for her phone. Rei's number flashed across the screen of her cell.

"Hey," Usagi said once she pressed answer and held the phone to her ear.

"You have got to come over!" Rei exclaimed. "No ifs, ands or buts! I'm serious."

Usagi nodded as if Rei could hear her. "Okay." She looked around to see just exactly where she was on the shopping strip before turning away from the direction to her own home and towards her friend's. "What for?"

"Does it matter?" Rei asked. "I know you'll come anyway."

Usagi sighed, "You know I'll come." She paused before she added, "You sound excited."

Laughing Rei answered, "You'll find out why in a little while!"

Okay. Rei was gushingly excited and Usagi couldn't help but get infected as a smile spread across her own face. Whatever it was, it made Rei happy. Usagi could hear it in her friend's voice. She hung up the phone and picked up her pace – it would be a good thirty minute walk.

She was at the halfway point whenever it began to rain hard. Usagi cringed and swore an oath under her breath. Just her luck, when there was no real place to run and hide from the torrents of water being lunged at her from the sky. In less than thirty seconds she was soaked to the bone and even her jacket could not keep the water out.

It was another five minutes before she spotted headlights of a vehicle coming her way. Please be someone I know, please, she prayed silently as she watched the SUV wind up the road towards her. It slowed as it neared her and a window rolled down exposing none other than the one person she wanted and did not want to see.

"Get in," he demanded.

Usagi proved just how stubborn she could be, "No." She continued to walk.

The rain created somewhat of a sound barrier, she knew Mamoru said something but she couldn't tell what. The vehicle made a u-turn to come back for her, stopped in the middle of the road and Mamoru was out of his seat and in front of Usagi in a second. At least that's how it felt. He had her cornered.

"What is your problem?" he asked, a hand was quick to rake through his hair sending water everywhere.

"Nothing." Usagi stated simply. There was nothing else to say really.

"Something is going on!" He stayed on the subject. "You are avoiding me completely."

"I think you are avoiding me!" Usagi retorted.

Mamoru took a step closer to her, "I don't understand you. I don't understand why you have to keep me at an arms length."

"There are plenty of reasons why I do what I do."

The headlights of the SUV illuminated them in the darkened street. Small shadows quickly ran across their features as the light tried to shine through the drops of rain. Both of them were soaked by now. Water clung to them, ran down their skin.

"Why have you been avoiding me?" Mamoru asked.

"I have no clue," she replied sarcastically. "Why don't you tell me why you've been ignoring me?"

Mamoru shrugged, "Seems like that is what you wanted."

Slowly Usagi shook her head. "It isn't what I want but I can't have what I want."

"Why not?" Mamoru growled.

"I promised," Usagi sighed. "You might think it's stupid, but I did."

Mamoru stepped closer to Usagi but again she backed away. However the car became an obstacle and Usagi found that she could go no further without turning away. Besides, he was right there in seconds anyway, centimeters from her own body.

"You told Rei, my sister," He started slowly, trying to place everything together in his head, "that you would stay away from me?"

Usagi nodded, unable to find words and feeling somewhat… dumb.

"Why?"

She broke the gaze to stare at her hands. "If we got together, and if it didn't work out, Rei said she didn't know who she would choose." Usagi started to explain, she looked back at Mamoru, "I'm her best friend, you're her brother. Family might be first but best friends are forever. It would be too hard for her to balance the equation."

"Are you serious?" he asked. Usagi felt his breath hit the tip of her nose and rush across her face; it was surprisingly warm against the cold of the rain.

"I told you, you'd think it was stupid."

"Maybe, but also honorable," he smirked.

Usagi looked away from him again; he was so close she could feel his warmth. She couldn't let herself get distracted with him, let herself get caught up in the moment. He pushed her hair from her face exposing her profile. Her hood apparently came off at some point since he got out of the SUV but she just now noticed. Shivers ran through her body at the slight of his touch.

"What if it works?" He asked. Mamoru cupped her cheeks in his hands and made her face him again. "Did you think of that?"

Again she sighed, "We're talking about 'what ifs.' It's hard to tell and always better safe than sorry."

He watched her, his dark eyes brooding. "What if I kissed you right now?"

Mamoru leaned in to the small gap. Usagi held her breath as her mind reeled. His lips would capture hers in a moment and she couldn't let that happen. There was Seiya, that was her first thought, even though they weren't technically an item. Then her promise to Rei, she still felt guilty about the other kiss they shared. Also there was another blond that could be hurt in the process.

"What about Minako?" Usagi asked as she leaned from Mamoru.

With a dejected sigh, Mamoru stepped away from her, shoved his hands in his pockets. "What about her?"

"Aren't you two together, or something?" she asked.

He looked down at the ground, "Something."

"Ah," Usagi said. "So you take her out, act all boyfriendly to her and then leave her hanging every time you take her home?"

He hung his head for a second before he caught her eyes. "Minako and I are complicated. We have a history, yes, but I do not claim her as my own. I don't love her."

"Then why are you leading her on?" Usagi asked.

Mamoru turned away from her and started towards the driver's side. "Get in the car, Usagi!" Apparently, the conversation was over.

The rain still plummeted down. If she continued to walk to the house, she probably would not know the difference. However, there was promise of warmth inside the SUV from the heater. Rei would probably be wondering where she was anyway and Usagi should probably have made it to the house by now.

Neither of them spoke a word the entire ride.

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I kind of have an idea to where this story is going. I'm trying to get to it. Hopefully I can pull it off. Hmm... we shall see.