Disclaimer: If I was Tamora Pierce, I'd write a book, not make a account. Duh.
Chapter 4 - Aftermath
It wasn't like Kel was avoiding Sean. It was simply that the two of them kept conveniently having work that put them far away from each other. Naturally, Kel didn't mind this too much.
It also wasn't as though they hadn't spoken. They had held a conversation over dinner, Kel following Sean's lead to act as though nothing happened. Their conversation had an air of politeness, awkwardness, and formality, as all such conversations do. They had not, however, talked of the kiss, what it meant, or what would become of it.
Deirdre continually looked back and forth at the two of them, trying and failing to hide the amusement from her eyes. This did what it was intended to do, which was to make Kel think over and over in her head the conversation she had had with the younger girl about Sean and her being "meant for each other".
Sean, on the other hand, would often glance at her, his face clearly showing his amusement. He would shoot her a knowing smile, and Kel had the feeling that, while he was staring at her face, his eyes seemed glued to her lips. It was quite clear that he had enjoyed kissing her, and was probably at this moment planning how to do it again. It was all enough to make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
Not that she was avoiding him. Kel was still, in heart if not in name, a Lady Knight. She had never run away from anything in her life, and she was not about to start now. What was a distressing social situation compared to being at the top of Balor's Needle?
But Kel knew, deep down, that she was avoiding him. She told herself that she chose the jobs she did because they were ones that she was competent at and, besides, they needed to be done. But really she picked them because they were the farthest away from Sean, and the least likely to cause her to come in contact with him.
It was better this way anyway. They both needed time to cool off. Sean would, hopefully, be using this time to see that the kiss was a mistake and he should go after another girl. Whereas Kel was using this time to think of what she would say to him in the event that he did want a relationship with her.
Yes, a little time would make everything clearer, Kel reasoned. So she had to avoid him without making it look like she was avoiding him.
Walking back to the house to get a drink of water after a training session (which Sean had not attended) Kel was suddenly pulled into one of the small alleys between houses. Kel's page training automatically kicked in, and she kicked out. Her attacker dodged it and grabbed the wrist as she swung her arm around to punch him.
"Sean!" she exclaimed upon seeing his face. He gave her a small smile and raised his eyebrows.
"You've been avoiding me," he stated, his eyes flashing with amusement.
"I have not. I've just been very busy. There is a lot to d-"
"You've been avoiding me," he reiterated, seeming to become more serious.
Kel looked at him for a moment. "I suppose I have. We need to have a little space…to…to think out things and-"
"We need to talk." Kel was more confused at this moment than she ever had been in her life. Sean, who was usually so carefree and cheerful, was almost as solemn as Lord Wyldon.
Kel's stubbornness, which she could only assume was also a result of her palace training, took over. "There's nothing to talk about. It was a mistake, there's no need for you to be embarrassed, I completely understand."
"Embarrassed?" he said incredulously. "Embarrassed? I'm not embarrassed! And what do you mean 'a mistake'? What is wrong with you, girl?"
Kel glared at him, suddenly forgetting her Yamani training, at being spoken too as if she was ten again. "Nothing is wrong with me, of course it was a mistake. Surely by now you've realized that it was just a silly kiss and nothing can come of it."
"Nothing can come of it?" Kel was beginning to get annoyed at his insistence on repeating everything she said. "What, are you so high and mighty that you can't be caught in a romantic situation with a poor, lowly commoner? May I remind you that you're as poor and low as I am? What could possibly make you think 'nothing can come of it'?"
It was definitely getting annoying. "It's not about rank, you should know that I don't care about something as stupid as that. It's about how I've been raised to be a noble and you've been raised to be…"
"Vulgar?" he supplied, obviously getting angry.
"That's not what I meant, Sean. It's just that we're from different backrounds. It wouldn't work."
"You don't know that. You haven't even given it a chance. And that's not the real reason."
"The real reason is that I don't feel that way about you, Sean. I'm sorry."
"You're lying. I can tell you're lying. Because I saw your face after I kissed you, and I see the look in your eyes when I look at you. Your mask isn't always on, you know."
Kel stared at him for a minute. "You were imagining it." She started walking away, now even more intent on getting a drink of water. She felt this overwhelming need to get away from Sean as quickly as possible.
He grabbed Kel's arm and turned her around. Before she could get around to breaking his arm and slapping him, he had pulled her hard against him, one hand on her back, and kissed her.
Kel's mind practically exploded. Sean was kissing her hard, leaving her practically no room to breathe. All thoughts of resisting ran out of her head as his lips remained smashed against hers.
Then he broke the kiss just as suddenly as he had started it. Both of them were breathing fast.
Kel thought rapidly, trying to get the upper hand in the situation while still reviewing the kiss. "Stop that, Sean. I told you, we're not right for each other. It would be…it would just be wrong. You don't like me, not really, and I don't like you, so we should just both forget about it." She turned to leave, her lips still throbbing and her mind still whirling.
"Kel." She turned around, not knowing why she did so herself. There was something in his voice. His face showed the ghost of a smile. "You kissed back."
Sorry if that was totally OOC. I wrote this quickly, and besides I thought it would be cool. And I don't like how Kel's all stoic. So if you wonder why she's not as stoic as usual, it's because she's beginning to become a part of the village, and she really doesn't need to be stoic. Plus, Sean is just super perceptive. 33
If my squiggly line breakers aren't showing up, I'm sorry. I don't know why they didn't show up in the last chapter, and, if they didn't show up in this one, I don't know the answer to that either. Anyone else have this problem and can solve the mystery?
Sorry it's so short, and sorry for the cliffhanger. But it was just such a great line and a great place to stop! Oh the drama! Oh the upcoming fluff! I can hardly wait!!
Sorry about the wait, I've actually been getting out of the house the last couple of days. I'll be (probably) gone for a week starting Sunday, so don't expect any updates during that time, unless I put all my files on a floppy disk (which I'm too lazy to do) and work on it there (which I'll be too busy to do). I might get out one more chapter before I go though. Probably not tonight, I'm going out for sushi with Lex.
Okay, for those of you who read my Meliara fic: No, it is not dead. I am just not looking forward to all the detail that has to go into the next chapter. If it wasn't obvious enough, it's the first Resistance meeting, which mean I have to introduce all the members and the hierarchy, as well as the meeting itself. I have to work out the logistics of all of this, and I'm (sadly) still working on thinking up the names of people. I have been diligently working on it this past week or so, so I'm confident that it'll be updated sooner, rather than later. Thank you for waiting without coming to my house and killing me (::cough:: MEL ::cough::)
Mel: OMG you're so flattering! THANKS!!! And my excuses are NOT crap! Pssh. Some friend you are. When I finally get published I should deny I ever knew you. JK, calm down. I 3 you!
Mjane: Awwww, Jackie, you're such a sweetie!! You're so supportive!! Unlike Mel. She's always all "NO don't post your Sweep fic!! You can't concentrate enough as it is!!" when everyone KNOWS my Sweep fic is the BEST. ANYWAY thanks for the review!! Dude, you should post Ballade on !!!
Pinky: Yes yes, I know, you want to kill me for making you wait so long. But try to resist the temptation. And hmm…persuading indeed… ::wink wink::
Zella: I was at my friend's house when I read your comment, and it started the three of us into this long conversation about the Sevenwaters Trilogy (both friends, of course, owe their love of the books to me) that lasted a LONG TIME. Except we were comparing Red and Bran. To be honest with you, I actually DID like him in Son of the Shadows, but I DIDN'T like him in Child of the Prophecy. He was just so cool about how he knew Liadan was in love with Bran, but then in Child he was all…whiny. LOL. Liadan was cool in Son as well, but she was so mean to Fainne in Child that I didn't like her as much. I really liked Child and Fainne, mostly because it was the only book where what I wanted to happen DID happen (though Daughter DID come close), which was, of course, a BIG DRAMATIC SCENE WHICH MAKES THE MAIN CHARACTER LOOK TOTALLY KICKASS. In case you haven't realized, YES that's going to happen in this one. DAHAHAHAH. You will love it, trust me. I love melodrama. As to the Juliet Marillier section, no, I don't know how to start one, but I DO want to find out, because I have a GREAT alternate ending to Daughter of the Forest (the same FINAL results, but they happen in a different way. I disliked the fire thingy, it was melodramatic enough for me (::cough:: There should've been more stuff between Sorcha and Red before she left! ::cough::). So if anyone knows how to make a new fanfiction section, please let me know. OMG, look how long this is!
Frisha: Hey, at least it gets out of your head after a couple weeks! I have it constantly going in my head, more so when I can't think of what to do next! Not only that, I have like seven other fics that I'm planning! AAAH!!! My mind is going to explode with all of this!!!
LadyQueenscove: I could die without fluff. Oh man, the fluff in this fic will only come in larger doses, trust me. There is going to be so much drama. I grin at just the thought of it. And you poor poor readers have no idea what's coming!! MWAHAHAHAHHA!!! Obsessed with Kel/Neal much? Because it suuuure doesn't seem like you are! OMG HARRY POTTER. I COULD DIE. Is it just me, or has Daniel Radcliffe gotten INCREDIBLY HOT since the second movie!?!?! (His acting is much better now – he actually DOES it) And only a year younger than me! It's like my sister and her husband. Now I just need to get Dan to fall in love with me! XD I am working on updating more, I promise. And it IS difficult.