The next day was too awkward for anyone's liking. Realizing the feelings they had made it all the more difficult to face each other, and the show practice suffered because of it.
"Soooo, we are acting?" Nooshy avoided his gaze and kicked at the ground, hands behind her back.
"Yeah…uh" Johnny replied lamely, face burning with every word.
On the sidelines, Ryan had his face in his hands, clearly feeling second hand embarrassment.
"Oh..my..God.." Ash stared in horror. "What the hell happened?"
"Ok, who broke them?" Rosita came from behind them, staring daggers into the girls.
Ryan, realizing that she wasn't talking to him, shoved his hands in his pockets and whistled, attempting to escape.
"You too, Ryan, I know you had a part in this."
His ears went flat against his head as she spoke. "Dang it." He muttered.
Ash prodded him as he came to stand beside them. "You were trying to abandon us?"
"No! Just thought she was talking to you guys, not me."
"Traitor." Porsha hissed.
"Again, which one of you broke them?" Rosita repeated the question, this time more forcefully.
"None of us. They broke themselves." Meena responded, as if she were narrating a story.
"I'm going to need a little more information."
"Realizing their true feelings for each other made them act weird." Porsha clarified, with a bit of a romantic's sigh at the end.
"Honestly, if that isn't a clear "I like you" sign, then I don't know what is." Ryan's tail twitched in annoyance as he pointed towards the stage, where the two attempted to make small talk.
"CUT! Come on guys, you can do better!" Buster called out.
"Sorry, Mr. Moon." Both chorused.
"Take five." He sighed.
"Hey, ash. Can you call him over? I need to ask him something." Porsha had a small suspicion that needed confirming.
"I guess. Hey, Moon!" Ash beckoned to the koala.
Buster smiled at them. "Hi guys, what can I do for you?"
"Well Porsh?"
"Did you write those parts specifically for Johnny and Nooshy?" Porsha sank her prying tool all the way in.
Buster's smile turned mysterious. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. Could be a coincidence." As he walked away, he said, "Wondered how long it'd take you guys to figure it out." Just loud enough for them to hear.
"Looks like mission matchmake just got its 5th member!" Meena giggled.
"Make it 6." Rosita spoke up from behind them. "I don't fully approve what you're trying to do, but I can't stand seeing them like…well, that." She beckoned to the stage where Nooshy and Johnny were trying to make decent conversation, and failing. Miserably.
"Ok guys. We have a mission." Porsha said dramatically.
"And that is?" Ash rolled her eyes, expecting something out of proportion.
"Fix Nooshy and Johnny."
Granted, it was a good idea, but unfortunately it never happened. The moment the day let out, Nooshy sped off without waiting like she normally did. She crashed into her apartment and flopped on the couch.
'Get yourself together! Falling apart because of your best friend!' She scolded herself.
She lazily flipped channels until her mind got the best of her. She walked up to his apartment and nearly knocked.
'What, are crazy? You can't!' Her nerves screamed.
'But you should!' A rational voice argued.
She turned and almost went back to her place.
'Come on, don't be a 'fraidy cat. What would they say? What would Mom tell you?'
'Mom's dead.'
'But what would she tell you?'
She argued with herself back and forth, nearly knocking on the door and leaving several times before she actually did it.
"Nooshy?" A bewildered Johnny opened the door. "What are you doing here? Are you ok?"
A tiny part of her said, 'awww he was worried!' The rest of her screamed, 'TELL HIM!'
"Damn, I've got it bad." She muttered.
"What?"
"Nothing. I, uh, need to talk to you."
"I do too."
"Really? Why don't you go first?"
"Oh! I..um..no, what about you go first?"
"I insist."
"I can't."
"Please?" Nooshy looked up at him and unconsciously gave him puppy eyes.
Johnny groaned inwardly, but spoke anyway. "I, uh, I've been feeling kinda weird lately."
"Me, too."
"Ever since we picked roles."
"Really? Mine started a little after that.."
Both stood, stammering and staring at each other. Johnny was never good at hiding his emotions, and he was trying desperately not to let us them show. He could feel the sweat start to bead on his forehead, and knew he couldn't keep it up much longer.
Nooshy's nerves were eating at her, and in pure frustration, her ears went down and she made a hissing sound. "Why is this so hard?"
The voices and emotions were swirling inside her, and the adrenaline started pumping. She knew she was about to do something she would regret.
"Nnnooshy…I uh…." Johnny stumbled on his words, trying to get something out.
Unable to take it any longer, Nooshy's mind went blank and she went up on her tiptoes and then….she kissed him.
Johnny's brain flooded with questions, but they were all wiped out by one thought. 'She's kissing ME!'
Nooshy's mind suddenly activated and when she realized what was happening, she screamed internally, 'WHAT THE FUCKING HELL ARE YOU DOING?' She immediately broke away and whispered, face burning, "Sorry."
"I, um, it's cool." He replied, still in a daze.
"I'm, uh, just gonna go now." She was like a bullet, speeding up the stairs, beating herself the whole time. She was vaguely aware of Johnny calling out "Wait!" but other than that, there was only her thoughts.
'OHMIGOSH THAT WAS THE STUPIDEST THING YOU HAVE EVER DONE, WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?' She continued to beat herself mentally until she hit what hurt hardest. 'Congrats, you just singlehandedly destroyed your relationship with your best friend. The closest friend you had.'
She felt the lump in her throat, and she, for the millionth time, hid under her covers, listening to song after song.
hiiiiiii! Omg ik this was a horrible place to leave it at, but my time has been getting eaten up lately(sry) I PROMISE I ALREADY KNOW WHAT THE NEXT CHAPTER IS! also, thx for the reviews, WE HIT OVER 6000 VIEWS AND VISTORS, I KNOW PEOPLE ARE READING THIS, SO CAN YOU ALL DO ME A FAVOR AND REVIEW? thx so much u guys, see ya next time, byeeeeeeeee!