Twice Betrayed - Section 3

Twice Betrayed - Section 3

I stood in the doorway of the living room and watched him. I don't know how long I was there before he noticed. His hands stilled on the guitar strings and he looked up at me. Almost as if her could hear my thoughts, Tai blushed. :He looks so cute when he does that: The setting sun slanted its rays through the window, falling on Tai's hair, burnishing the brown colour with red flame.

"Play something for me Tai." I motioned to the guitar in his hands. "I was listening earlier. You're very good." Tai blushed again but played.

It took me a moment to recognize the song he played. It was one of my own from a few years ago. Unconsciously I started singing along.

In a dream I had of yesterday

When today's joy didn't fade away

You loved me for always.

I never knew what I had missed

Before the day of our first kiss

I loved you for always.

As I recited the lyrics, their meaning hit me. Tai must have realized what I was saying, as he stopped playing.

I dropped down onto the couch next to him. Nervously, I looked just about everywhere in the room, except at him. He must have known. He could probably hear the erratic beating of my heart from where he was sitting.

I didn't know what to do. I didn't trust these new feelings, and I certainly didn't know if Tai returned them. I didn't want to turn away my only friend. I heard Tai set the guitar down. Wondering what he was doing, I turned to face him.

What I saw caused me to shiver. I almost didn't believe what I was seeing. The thoughts and emotion running through his head were reflecting on his face. His eyes were wide and expressive. After a moment of hesitation he kissed me.

The lips on mine were soft, gentle, and curiously unsure. They were also driving me crazy, but I was plagued by uncertainty, and was probably even more unsure than Tai over what to do.

Tai pulled away and we stared into each other's eyes for an indeterminate moment. I could see myself mirrored in Tai's eyes. My face was pale and my breathing shallow.

My mind was trying in vain to come to grips with what was happening, with what had happened.

Tai got up, grabbed his coat and was headed for the door when my brain decided to work. :You are too good at hiding your emotions. He can't see what you felt when he kissed you, or how you already feel about him. He took the chance you were afraid to, and you never responded. How do you think he feels? Don't let him leave. You'll never have a better chance than now to tell him:

Tai was having trouble with the locks on the door which gave me the time to catch up with him.

Gathering what courage I had, I reached around Tai and closed the door, (the one he had had such a hard time opening.) I braced myself so that if he tried to open the door again he wouldn't be able to, but that wasn't his intention. He turned and started into my eyes.

I stared right back. The hurt that I could see in his eyes was fading, being replaced by something sensual. I brushed away one of his silent tears with my hand and he smiled. I smiled too, but it wasn't a normal smile. It was hungry, sensual.

This time I would take what I wanted. And I wanted Tai.