Chapter 10


Jed stared sullenly out at his backyard. It had been four days since Rei had kissed him. Four days, eighteen hours, and he didn't want to continue that train of thought and confirm how obsessed he was. Four days had passed and Rei had spent every one of them pretending like it hadn't happened. And worse, shying away from him.

Oh, she was subtle he'd give her that. When Mina or anyone else was around there seemed no change. But when they were alone she drew into herself, kept distance between them, stood on her own.

It was really pissing him off.

He didn't want to push her. He knew her well enough to know that this was one of those times she'd retreat rather then shove back. But dammit, she was the one who kissed him! How dare she press her lips to his, feel what he felt, and then act as if nothing between them was different!

"Hey super mope!"

Jed's thoughts screeched to a halt as his sister plopped down into the deck chair beside him. "I'm not moping." He muttered.

"Okay, have it your way. Pouting then."

"I'm brooding." He informed her stiffly. "An activity best done in solitude. So shove off."

Her brother's terse reply worried rather than offended Mina. He'd been acting off all week. It wasn't like him to be so damn mopey. Maudlin even.

"So, what's got you all sad and depressed?" At his glare she amended her question. "I mean, brooding?"

"I don't feel like talking about it."

"Fine. Don't talk about it. I'll use my amazing powers of perception." She held her hands to her temples and hummed a bit. "Ahh yes. I see. I sense a certain girl invading your thoughts. A girl by the name of Rei."

He sighed. His sister had settled herself into helper mode and wouldn't leave until he broke. "Yeah, it's about Rei. We kissed. For real."

He ignored his sister's squeal of glee. "She's pretending like nothing happened. As if we're just friends. And I don't want her to. Because I guess I like her."

"You passed like three weeks ago. What you are Bro, is smitten."

He shot her an insulted look. "We both know that's an ugly term that could never be applied to me."

Mina held up a hand and began ticking off score on her fingers. "You
spend every possible moment with her. Every minute you're forced to spend apart you talk about her. You find the tiniest excuses to touch her. You stare at her when you think no one's paying attention to you. And one kiss has put you into a mood all week. You're right. You're not smitten. You're besotted."

"What am I doing wrong? Why doesn't she feel the same?" This was emphasized with a look of such quiet misery that it was hard for Mina not to get up and hug him.

"The biggest problem is that your relationship, friendship aside, has been just a ruse. You've both been playing roles and mixing them up with reality. There's never been a clear line for either of you to cross. But it's not that she doesn't like you. She does. A lot."

A slow smile spread across his face. "She likes me?"

Mina rolled her eyes. "It's so obvious. What you need to do is to show her what's important to you now. You need to tell her that she matters to you. Not the homecoming crown."

He lifted a brow. "That doesn't mean I don't want to win."

She did hug him then, relieved to see his humor back. "Rei will kick your ass if you tell her that."

He shrugged. "Most likely."

"I'll help you set everything up. We have to work fast. Homecoming's this Saturday."

He smiled affectionately at his little sister. "Why are you so set on helping me?"

"I like Rei. You two are cuter than sin."

He refrained from asking what she found cute about sin.

"And even if I didn't like Rei I'd help you out. You smile more when she's around."





Rei flipped through channels impatiently. It was the night before D-day and she had it off as voting was done. She was dressed in track pants and a comfy t-shirt. There was a bowl of popcorn by her side and no one to fight the remote for. It's was Rei's idea of a perfect night.

So why was she so bored?

"It's probably Jed's fault." She muttered darkly. He'd made sure he was around to irritate her twenty-four/seven. So when he wasn't there it wasn't as though she missed him. She'd just grown used to doing without blessed silence.

That's what she told herself anyway.

She'd been trying not to think of what happened in her hallway. And because she tried so hard not to think of the kiss, naturally she did. Which led to thinking about Jed. About the secret looks he gave her. About the way his eyes always twinkled with some untold joke. About the way his hair seemed perfectly tousled after riding with the top down in the jeep. And about his smile which led to thinking about his lips which led to-

She was obviously losing her mind.

The doorbell rang and Rei sprang up to answer it, grateful for a chance to escape her own thoughts.

It was Jed. Surprise turned to panic when she realized he was neatly dressed in khaki's and a blue button up top.

"Oh no! I forgot some appearance, didn't I? Give me five minutes to change and then we can go!"

He caught her hand before she could dash upstairs. "You didn't forget anything. I have a surprise for you."

He kept her hand caught in his and was smoothing his thumb against her palm while he talked. She tugged it free. When he touched her it led to not thinking about the kiss which led to thinking about it which led to...

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

He smiled, amused. "I said that I have something to show you. If you'll let me."

She eyed him, trying to figure out what he was up to. "Why wouldn't I let you?"

"I'll have to blindfold you."

"Hmm, let me think about that. NO."

"No funny business, I swear."

He looked so damned earnest that she gave in before she realized it.

"Fine." She looked at his clothes, then her own. "Are you sure that I shouldn't change?"

He tied the handkerchief around her eyes. "No, you're perfect as you are." He took her hand and kissed her fingers. "I wouldn't have you any other way."

She immediately frowned in suspicion, delighting him. "What are you up to Hathaway?"

He led her to his jeep. "You'll find out soon enough."





When the blindfold was lifted, Rei found herself in Jed's backyard. Though it was a bit different from when she'd seen it last. Fairy lights had been strung through the tree branches, candles set on the table, and soft music seemed to be emitting from on of the potted ferns.

"Where is everyone?"

"My parents as usual are out of town. In Seattle this time. And Mina's out at the moment."

"What's going on?" She demanded.

He gestured for her to sit but she refused. He took her refusal with a seemingly careless shrug. "We need to talk." He began. "About last Saturday."

Her back immediately stiffened. She knew he'd find a way to trap her into talking about IT. "Nothing happened, so there's nothing we need to discuss." She informed him firmly.

He smiled smoothly and stepped towards her. She took a step back.

"I beg to differ sweetheart."

Another step forward. She took another back.

"If there had been others around or even if I had been the one to kiss you then maybe you'd be right." He grinned wolfishly. "Probably not, but there's always that possibility. The fact of the matter is that I could have been the one to initiate and your response would have been the same. As would mine."

He moved foreword again and she retreated another step.

"What happened on Saturday was real. What I feel for you is real." She was still backing away one step to each he took. "I've felt this way for some time now Rei. But I wouldn't allow myself to move towards it. Maybe a few baby step, but I wasn't going to leap. I didn't think you felt the same way." A smile lit his face. "But then you kissed me and I
learned hope."

He stopped the chase for a moment, tired of her constant retreat. "And when you pretended as though nothing had happened I almost believed that I had been wrong about everything. But I can't be wrong about what I felt. And if I felt so much from one tiny kiss, then you had to feel something too."

"You were right the first time. You probably were wrong." She nervously assured him.

"Prove it," He challenged. "Let me kiss you again. If you feel nothing then I'll just forget about everything. We can both go back to acting as if nothing ever happened."

She took an unprovoked step back. "I'm not going to fall for a childish trick like that, Jed."

"One more step and you'll be in the pool, darling." He told her mildly and had the satisfaction of seeing her freeze. "And you'll play along because you know it's the only way I'll drop this."

She hedged her bets. She could probably make it past him. And if she could make into the house without him catching her, she could grab the keys to his jeep and drive herself home. And he'd just keep continuing this conversation tomorrow. "Fine. Kiss me. Then everything can go back to norm-"

She was cut off as Jed rapidly closed the distance between them and hauled her up against him.

Gasping, they both came up for air minutes later.

She pushed herself away from him. "That's not going to happen again."

Jed reached for her, ready to pull her back. "Want to bet?"

She dodged him. "I'm not going to fall for my best friend again. Been
there, done that, got it tattooed across my forehead."

He shoved his hands into his pockets to prevent them from reaching for her again. "This is a bit less one sided." He pointed out.

She sputtered for a moment as his argument sunk in. Desperately she pulled up accusations to keep him away. "You can't have it all Jed. You don't get to be prom king and have the perfect girl." She crossed her arms defiantly. "You didn't even notice me before. Not until I started dressing like a fashion drone."

He stepped towards her, relieved when she didn't step away. "I didn't know you back then. I'd noticed you, " She snorted in disbelief. "I noticed you Rei. But I never said a word to you. You have a way of staring down people as though they aren't there. It's completely intimidating."

She scoffed. "You're saying you were afraid to talk to me? Jed "the ladies man" Hathaway was afraid to talk to a girl?"

He nodded. "Terrified. And anyway, back then you thought I was an arrogant asshole. And I'm not." She lifted a brow and he amended. "So much anymore." He pulled his hands from his pockets to take her hands in his. "The point is that we didn't know each other then. We do now. You could walk around in a flour sack and I'd think you look wonderful."

She smiled. "It's good you said so. That pretty much described my homecoming dress." Still smiling she allowed him to pull her close.

"I'm serious about this, about you Rei. I don't want you to have any doubts. I'll tell the committee that I'm dropped from the race tomorrow."

She shook her head. "Don't. There's no point."

He nodded, still serious and leaned down to kiss her.

She rose on her toes and met him halfway.







A.N.

The last chapter will be out just as soon as I'm finished writing it. The sad fact is I'm a bit behind schedule. I'm trying desperately to have it finished within this week but if it's not up by next Tuesday, expect it by Sunday at the latest.

After I get that posted I'll be taking a month to get started on "Underneath It All". And possibly explore another plot bunny that's been trying to breed for a while now.