Hi everybody! I'm really sorry about leaving you hanging. I'm going to have to get over my cliffhanger obsession. Well, in any case, here's the next chapter. Enjoy!
"Alan?" Gary asked again. Before Alanna could say anything, he said, "I can't believe it! First you try to kiss me, and then you dress up as Aria?"
"Gary, I can explain…"
"What's there to explain?" Gary asked, his voice rising. "You're a homosexual and a cross-dresser?"
"NO!" Alanna screamed. She was so loud that she startled herself and stopped Gary from saying anything further. "I'm, well, a girl." Gary's jaw dropped.
"I can't believe it. First he tries to kiss me, dresses like Aria, and now he wants me to believe he's a girl!" he thought to himself. "He used to be so innocent, too." Out loud, he said, "If you're a girl, then where are your breasts?"
Alanna blushed. "I thought this neckline could tell you that." She blushed even more as Gary looked at her chest.
"Then what have you been doing with them all this time?"
Alanna wanted to curl up and die by now. "I bind them flat with a special corset I wear."
After much contemplation, Gary asked, "Why?"
"Well, Thom, my twin brother, was to become a knight and I was to go to a convent. But both of us knew that there was no way that he could become a knight and I could just be in a convent for forever. So, we decided to switch places. Thom didn't have to pretend to be a girl, because it's perfectly acceptable for a boy to learn magic. But, if I were to become a knight, I would have to pretend to be a boy." Alanna actually felt happy now that she had all this off her chest. "I just didn't foresee falling for any of my knight friends," she added as an afterthought. She looked over at Gary.
He seemed to be piecing together all the odds and ends that didn't make sense about Alanna over the years. Finally he looked up and smiled. "Well, is your name really Aria?"
"No," answered Alanna vehemently. "I hate that name! My real name is Alanna."
"Well, Alanna, I guess I already love the Aria part of you, and I've liked the Alan part for years," Gary said. "As a friend," he added quickly. He whistled. "I don't know if I can like every part of you yet."
This was not what Alanna wanted to hear. So doing something out of character, she stood on her tiptoes, and kissed Gary. She had meant it to be a brief kiss, but to her surprise, Gary started to kiss back. It was a few minutes before they broke apart, both of them red. "Do you know now?" Alanna asked, almost shyly.
"I'm not sure…can we try again?" Gary asked.
Alanna laughed and leaned forward, tilting her chin up. This kiss was shorter than the other one, but even more passionate. "How about-," she was cut off as Gary swooped down on her again.
Alanna had liked the previous two kisses, and any kisses she had received before from anyone else, but this kiss, this kiss made her insides tremble and her knees give. She would've fallen if Gary wasn't holding her up.
Gary grinned. "I had an inkling the second time, but I wanted to double-check, just to make sure," he informed her mischievously. Alanna wanted another kiss, but Gary stopped her by asking, "Well, who else knows?"
"Knows what?" Alanna was still floating in the clouds.
"That you're a girl, of course."
"Oh, that. Well, let's see…George and his mother, Jon at the Black City, Faithful, of course, and I think Myles may have guessed a while ago."
"Jon!" Gary let out an indignant squeak. "You mean to tell me Jon made you his squire knowing full well you were a girl? With adjoining doors and everything?!"
Alanna laughed. "Jealous?" she asked flirtatiously.
"Well, maybe."
"Don't worry. Jon hasn't seen me bare or anything like that," Alanna informed Gary.
"Well," Gary replied, mischief shining in his chestnut eyes, "neither have I."
"Well, Gareth of Naxen, we're just going to have to see about that, aren't we?"
Hope this isn't much of a cliffhanger, because knowing me, I won't be able to get the next chapter out until about Thursday at the least. Now, I need your guys' help. First of all, if I were to have a so-called sex scene were things were implied and not stated, would that up my rating? I'm new to this, remember? And also, the Goddess will be paying a visit to Alanna soon. After all, Alanna has to go back to the future sometime. Should he wake up next to Gary or George? I love George myself, but how would I get that to work? Help me please! Thanks for your reviews(in advance!) Oh, and Lady Serna, go ahead and write one where Alanna lands with Raoul. I'd love to read it!
Luv,
Su