--Chapter X--

Disclaimers: I don't own Xiaolin Showdown, and sadly, never will.

A/N: Sorry if I don't reply to all your reviews, but I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed. Your comments, whether good or bad, mean a whole lot. And to those who are reading my story, but are not reviewing… I'd like to know what you think of my story. Don't worry, I won't bite you if you criticize it. Thank you so much! Here's the next installment.

Raimundo still couldn't believe it. He was able to kiss Kimiko! And that was one step. A big step for the both of them, but the question still remained… did the kiss matter to her?

He kept these insecurities at the back of his mind. Now wasn't the time for him to think about them. After all, Kimiko was suffering a major break-up with Ashmond. Raimundo felt like rejoicing. They hadn't officially broken up, but sooner or later Kimiko was going to announce that to Ashmond.

Beat that, Almond! Raimundo found himself thinking.

"Rai… I'm going to Ben's house. I have to tell him that I'm going to stop seeing him—that I've been blinded by his deceit. How could he? I thought he was the perfect guy, but he just turns out to be some sort of jerk." Kimiko said, zapping Raimundo back to his senses.

Raimundo wanted to reply that Ben Ashmond is and forever will be a jerk, but he restrained himself. "Okay, Kim. I know this is a big decision for you."

"Yeah… You know, Rai… you're right. He is a jerk. I should have believed you in the first place."

Raimundo smirked, deep inside. He was waiting for her to admit that. "Maybe you should have."

"Yeah… But I was too blind to listen to my own best friend's advice. That was pretty cruel of me." Kimiko said, regret filling her eyes.

"Don't worry about it. It's okay." Raimundo consoled her, and gave her a brief hug. They stopped talking for a while, and Kimiko spent time resting her head against Raimundo's shoulder.

"I have to go." Kimiko stood up suddenly, lifting her head from his shoulder and standing up, smoothing her clothes.

Raimundo felt the temptation to say that she shouldn't leave, but he fought the urge. "Where are you going?"

"To settle things with Ben. I'll be back soon. Don't wait up for me." She grabbed a jacket, since it was cold out.

Raimundo watched her leave wordlessly. When the door closed behind her, he wondered if he really got through to her or did he just imagine it.

The doorbell sounded, a little too loudly. Ben Ashmond stopped pacing and stood still. Who could that be, at this late hour? He checked his watch. It was almost time for dinner, and his parents weren't home yet. The caller was probably some visitor for his parents or someone who wanted to see him.

He opened the door, and tried to push the look of shock off his face. It was Kimiko! And here he was thinking that she would never speak to him again. A thousand thoughts jumped into his mind at once, and he tried to consider the reasons why she was here in the first place. Obviously she wanted to talk, that was sure.

"Kimiko," he breathed, thinking himself lucky to pronounce her name again. He never thought how much he would miss saying her name out loud, but just this once, he appreciated it. He almost felt like a new man… almost.

"Ben. We need to talk." She said curtly, and he let her in. "Look. Our relationship… It can't go any further. You're seeing another girl behind my back… and it just won't work. I know it." Kimiko started. Her eyes were red, probably from crying.

The redness of her eyes struck him. Sure, he'd seen girls crying in front of him before; but he never knew it would affect him this much. Maybe he did care for Kimiko. More than he could have imagined.

"I know you're disappointed, Kimiko. But I…" he trailed away, thinking if he should just tell the truth or make up another story. Another voice came in his head, saying, "Give her the truth. Can't you see she's had enough of your lies? Lying in this kind of situation will bring you nothing but trouble. Tell her the truth already!"

Another voice broke in. "Now this is not exactly telling the truth, but morphing the story and shaping the facts a bit won't hurt. I mean, it's saved you lots of times in the past. Go on! You might still have a shot. She could still believe you."

Ben pondered on the two voices in his head, and decided to go for the truth for once. "… I thought I would just tell you the truth. It's too late now, I guess." He hung his head in shame. "Lucy is a charming girl. She's a cheerleader at my school, and I had the hugest crush on her. A few months ago, the crush faded. Then I met you." He paused for effect.

"I never thought I would fall in love with someone like you, Kimiko. And that's not a lie. I never thought I would find someone who could understand me for the little things that I do."

Kimiko's face was expressionless. He pushed on further. "The truth is… I love you, Kimiko. Will you give me a second chance?" he begged, kneeling down in front of her. He clasped her hand in his, and his downcast eyes looked briefly into Kimiko's.

"No, Ben. After hearing this speech of yours, I feel so sick. How could you still flatter me like this? How could you say you love me, yet you don't? You ask me to give you a second chance. How can I, when you don't love me at all?"

"That's not true, Kimiko! I swear—"

"Oh, believe me, Ben, it's true. It's the truest thing I've ever heard from you. I saw it in your eyes. There's no mistaking that."

"Kimiko, please!" He grabbed onto her coat. "I love you. Don't leave me. Please…" He had tears in his eyes now. It made no sense to him. He didn't care before. Certainly he could just let her walk away. But what was making him beg now? It had to be love. He loved her.

"Get off me. I can't do this." Kimiko wiped the tears from her eyes and walked through the front door. This time he didn't stop her, too numb from the rejection. She closed the door.

Ben gave himself away to the hurt. He had never experienced this with any girl except for Kimiko—the one who really did touch his heart. As he laid his head on the pillow that night, he thought and wondered why the first time he told a girl the truth, she just didn't believe him.

Before returning to the Xiaolin Temple, Kimiko thought it best to stop by somewhere. She didn't feel like going home just yet. On the way, she saw the bar that she and Ben had been in. The one he said his uncle owned. The memories it brought back to her.

She shook her head, thinking that it was no use to remember those times. They were over now. She made her decision, and she was not going to turn her back on it.

As of now, she needed a place to think, to express her mind freely. Nothing cheered her up better than a hot cup of cocoa. She knew where to go.

Raimundo knew there was no other choice but to wait until she returned. That was bound to be soon. He couldn't help wondering what she told Ben, and if they were really over. He guessed that would have to wait. There were more pressing issues at hand, such as the way he felt for Kimiko, and if they still had hope sometime in the future.

He leaned against the bedpost, listening to rock music. It helped him think clearly.

Slowly, he asked himself the questions he knew had to be answered sooner or later.

What is going to happen between Kimiko and me? He knew well enough that their history as friends was changed forever. The kiss had been the climax. They weren't just friends anymore. And if he hung around her more, everything between them was going to change.

Do we have a hope for the future? If we did have a relationship, would it survive? Or would it fall apart like her relationship with Ashmond? They had to have hope. Hope was what kept him alive through struggles. He knew he could love her, not like the "love" Ashmond tried to give her.

More questions came to his mind, and they kept coming till his head started throbbing from thinking too much. Kimiko, where are you? Was the last thought on his mind before sleep took over him.

The café was just at the edge of the street, and passers-by didn't bother coming in. It wasn't a shabby place, but Kimiko could tell that the owner certainly wasn't rich.

She stepped in inconspicuously, and no one noticed her entrance. She walked to the counter and ordered a hot cocoa for herself. Then she sat at the end of the café, waiting for her order.

It's over between Ben and I. I just hope that I made the right decision. Raimundo was right… it was a hard decision for me… but I knew I had to do it. She tried to convince herself that what she did was right. Everything she thought of pointed to it.

Ben had cheated on her. For all she knew, he didn't even love Lucy, or whatever her name was. She had done the right thing.

I made the right choice. It kept repeating in her mind, swirling and swirling, making her vision blurry. She was tired. She needed rest.

"Miss? Your hot cocoa." A voice interrupted her thoughts. Her vision snapped back clearly, and the impatient waiter was putting a cup right in front of her.

"Thanks." She took a sip, and snapped out of her reverie. Now wasn't the time to think about all of this. It could wait until tomorrow.

To be continued…
A/N: So I guess that's it for Chapter 10. Stay tuned for Chapter 11… Please review:)