In Love with My Best Friend
Chapter Nine: What makes a true friend?
She tore her lips away form his. "Neal! We shouldn't, I mean, we can't-" She was flustered. Extremely so. He leaned down and kissed her again. Instead of pushing him away, she just sat there, letting him kiss her.
Kel's common sense had disappeared the moment those words had left his mouth. And then he'd had to kiss her. His kisses made her unable to think about anything else. It scared her. It scared her more to realize how much she wanted him to do it again. To realize that she wanted to spend the rest of her life having him kiss her like that.
She loosely wrapped her arms around his neck, and he leaned down. As he kissed her, and image of Yuki flashed into her mind, and what she had said the other night. You are a true friend, You are a true friend, You are a true friend. The words echoed in her mind, mocking her. She pulled away from him.
He was hurt from her reaction. She seemed to be fine with his kisses at first. Why had she pulled away? Had she realized who she was kissing suddenly?
"What?" Neal asked her, voice harsh.
She flinched. "Its nothing. I mean, umm, we really shouldn't be doing this. What if someone should see? What if Yuki walked up?" He stiffened.
Anger flashed through him. He knew that, once again, he was being unreasonable, but couldn't help it. "So, its okay to kiss me as long as no one sees? Is that it?"
She looked shocked, as if someone had slapped her. Reaching over and resting a hand lightly on his shoulder, she said quietly, "No, that's not it at all."
Her words, coupled with the gentle hand on his shoulder, made him relax. "Then what is it?" He asked, voice quiet as hers.
"Nothing. I have to go." She hurriedly stood and practically ran to her room. Neal sat for several hours after she had left, brooding.
Kel sat on her bed, thinking over what had happened.
He had no right to kiss me. Part of her said.
The other side argued, Well, its not like you pushed him away or anything.
So? I was surprised.
Yeah. You liked it though, didn't you?
So what if I did? That doesn't make it any less wrong.
So it's wrong that you love him? It's not like your sneaking behind Yuki's back. Besides, she's your friend; she'd understand.
That's why it's wrong; she's my friend. I couldn't do that to her!
Oh, its not like she'll care that much. She and Neal are already broken up. She'd be happy for you.
Yeah! A week ago! And I'm moving in on her old fiancé! How would that make me look?
Who cares? You love him! She would understand!
It's wrong.
Back to that again, are we? That part mocked. She ignored it. She had done right.
A knock sounded on the door, making her jump. Before she could answer, Dom walked in, looking strangely uncomfortable.
"Hey, Kel. Can I sit down?"
"Be my guest." She watched him curiously, wondering what was the matter.
They sat in silence for a few moments. Finally, knowing that he wouldn't speak, she asked, "Did you need something?"
He looked startled. "Oh, no. Just wanted to talk. Anything on your mind?"
He knew. Of course Neal would tell him. That was why he looked so uncomfortable, and why he had come to talk to her. To make sure everything had gone right. Well, she may as well talk to him.
When she opened her mouth to speak, however, it was to ask something that she had planned to keep to herself.
"What makes a true friend?" She clamped her mouth shut. This was really not something she needed to know, and defenantly not something she needed to ask him.
It took him a few moments to answer. "A true friend is someone who puts your feelings before theirs, who will help you when you need it, and who will still be there for you, no matter what happens." His voice was quiet but sure.
She nodded. She wasn't a good friend. Well, she would be, no matter how much she wanted Neal. She cared about Yuki too much to hurt her. It was, well, it was betrayal. And she couldn't do it to her.
Dom at the moment hated everything. But most of all, he hated his bloody cousin. Neal had no right to do that. To, to kiss her! He just broke things off with his fiancée, and suddenly he's kissing Kel! He had no right! And what if she hadn't wanted to be kissed?
As she talked, she traced her lips with a finger, imagining, he guessed, what Neal's lips had felt like on hers. He wished he could slam his cousin over the head with something. To him, it seemed as if she had liked Neal kissing her.
He wished that Neal hadn't told him what happened after the meeting in the garden. He hadn't wanted to know. And then, he had asked Dom to go and see if she was all right! He did not want to get in the middle of their relationship, but he loved Kel, and he loved Neal too most of the time. Today, however, was not one of those times.
Finally, he went back to his room to report to Neal.
"So, what did she tell you?" Neal asked excitedly when the door opened.
Dom sighed before stretching out on the bed. "Nothing much. She asked me what made a true friend." He wasn't going to mention how she had been running a finger around her lips the whole time, or how she had frowned slightly when he had said Neal's name.
"So, what did you tell her?" Neal asked, curious.
"I answered her question, Meathead."
"Oh. Wonder why she asked you that." Neal pulled lightly on his hair, thinking.
"Probably she feels guilty about doing this to Yuki." Dom answered with a yawn. The day had been quite lively, and at the moment, all he wanted to do was crawl under the blankets and fall asleep.
Neal continued to question him. Finally, he told his cousin to get out so he could fall asleep in peace. His last thought before he slept was that no matter what happened, he would be a true friend to the lady knight.
That chapter wasn't so short, either. Well, anyway....ummm....
