Cagalli didn't know what set her on edge more. The fact that Yuuna the Jerk's arm was around her waist and acting too intimately for her liking, or the fact that she could feel someone was watching their every move.
She frowned.
"Alright, baby, we're here!" Yuuna announced as he climbed out of his car.
"How many times do I have to tell you before it finally drives into your thick skull! I AM NOT A BABY!" she snapped.
"Sure, whatever, baby." Yuuna merely smirked and dragged her into the school auditorium where the dance was held. Hormone-driven teenagers danced their feet off as music was played by the DJ and there was a long table laden with fruit punches and food.
Yuuna, of course, attacked the food first.
How romantic, Cagalli thought wryly as her 'date' ate his second helping of chocolate pudding and chicken drumsticks. Any minute now and she expected he would explode from food overload.
This is my chance. He won't be able to notice if I slip away oh-so-quietly... Cagalli carefully walked away.
Too late.
"Hey, where're you going? We still haven't done our dance yet!" Yuuna said as he pulled her arm again.
One more time he drags me like a dog on a leash, and I WILL make him PAY!
Ignorant of her silent fuming, Yunna dragged her behind the auditorium away from the dancing bodies and loud music and led her outside into a dark corner.
"Where are you taking me, pea-brain?" Cagalli demanded.
"Well, I'm just giving you some romance, baby...kissing in the dark is one, isn't it?" Yuuna smiled devilishly.
Then without warning, the purple-haired freak stopped and pushed her into a wall.
And from a distance, the tic on Athrun's jaw increased.
5. Five
Cagalli twitched when she felt his hand grabbing her waist and he began to lean down.
Her first instinct was to slap him.
Second was to whoop his butt.
Third was to kick him where the sun doesn't shine.
But she did neither. Because someone had already come up from behind and intoned:
"Let. Her. Go."
She blinked and turned her head. Was that...Athrun's voice?
Yep, she wasn't hallucinating. It was her best friend. And boy, did he look pissed off!
Yuuna smirked. "Oh, it's you, Cagalli's little bodyguard. What's the matter? Feeling angry because you're not the only guy in her life now?"
Cagalli shot Yuuna a lethal glare. Since when was HE a part of her life...unless you count him as a major pain in the neck?
"I don't really care if you're the King of England," Athrun smiled through gritted teeth. "Now, please do as I say and let go. Unless you want me to decorate your face with a lovely black eye..."
Yuuna laughed scornfully as if Athrun had said he was a demon from hell. "Wow, that's funny. A loser who reads books everyday probably doesn't even have the muscle to twist my thumb!"
He was quickly proved wrong when Athrun gave him a good punch and sent him flying in the air.
"Ouch. I think you broke one of his teeth," Cagalli said, looking sympathetic.
"Why should you care? I say he looks more attractive with one loose tooth," Athrun snapped. Damn it, he had just saved her from Mr. Jerk's arms and she was feeling sorry for him?
"Well, excuse me, Athrun Zala! At least Yuuna doesn't go around spying on people like a secret agent from the M.I.B.!" Cagalli shot back. "Now why in blazes were you skulking in the bushes? Are you secretly working as a prowler on innocent couples on dates during the night?"
"Prowler?" Athrun echoed incredulously. "I just SAVED you from him and this is the thanks I get?"
Cagalli scowled. "I can take care of myself, Athrun. Why are you acting like this anyway? Strong though you are, violence is the last act on your list."
Her emerald-eyed friend sighed. "I don't know...I was concerned for you, so I...came over and saw you and him...and I hated the way he was holding you and..."
"Why should you care?"
"Because I don't like it, that's why!"
She froze.
"I sacrificed a whole night of revising my studies to watch over you. I'm sorry if it wasn't appreciated!"
Silence.
Something inside Cagalli grew. Years of anger, resentment, bitterness and despair resurfaced. Years of having to hide those emotions for Athrun's sake now came bubbling up, and she couldn't seem to stop the words that was about to flow from her lips.
"You know what real sacrifice is, Athrun Zala?" Cagalli said calmly. "For the last ten years of my life on the planet, I followed you around, worshipping the ground you walk on, willing to do anything for you. Everything I did, I did for your sake and I even gave you my first kiss to satisfy your curiosity on your sexuality confusion." His jaw dropped but years of being ignored prompted her to continue on. "But somewhere along the line I fell in love with you. Yes, I admit it now. I fell in love with you, Athrun Zala. And even though it was Lacus Clyne you adored, I stood by your side because of that love. But now I see, no matter how many sacrifices I give you, it would mean nothing to you. And I mean nothing more to you than the books you used to study. I'm sorry if every sacrifice I did wasn't appreciated."
She turned her back on him, hiding the tears sliding down her cheeks. "Thank you for helping me all those years ago, Athrun. Thank you for being my first and best friend. And most of all, thank you for all the wonderful banana split sundaes you shared with me."
"Cagalli, wait..."
Athrun reached out for her but she had already run off.
-...Now what?
-Shut up.
-No, I won't shut up. You got yourself into this mess in the first place. Now you've hurt her feelings...not that you haven't hurt her feelings for the last ten years because of your ignorance...but you can at least make it up to her. Go after her. Talk to her. Do ANYTHING but stand here like a drooling idiot!
-I-I can't. Not yet.
-Well, just remember what I said last time.
-And what is that?
-I TOLD YOU SO!
For two days Cagalli had cut off any possible interaction with her ex-best friend. She switched off her cell phone and told her brother she would not take phone calls from Athrun. She didn't go to school on Monday morning. She didn't want to face Athrun again and she had wanted to stay home for the day. Kira and her father Uzumi had been worried, of course. But one look at her miserable face and they kept their questions to themselves.
The whole morning, she sat in front of the television, channel-surfing and feeling bored out of her skull. Math class didn't seem so bad in the face of such boredom...almost.
And then she heard it.
Someone had knocked on her front door. She frowned. Her gut feeling was telling her she knew exactly who it was. But her heart was telling her to open it anyway. Because even though she was fuming mad at him, a stupid part of her still missed looking at his adorable face.
Five seconds. I'll glance at him for five seconds and then I'll shut the door in his face and never look at him again!
So she slowly opened the door.
There was Athrun Zala, standing in front of her with his hands behind his back.
"Cagalli..."
She narrowed her eyes. "What do you WANT? You've already ruined my first date, broken my heart and destroyed any pride I have left. Our friendship is in ruins! I don't even know if it can ever be the same again!"
Athrun paused. "I...I'm sorry."
She stiffened. And instantly the resentment in her heart faded into insignificance.
Silence.
"I'm sorry...because I've been blind to both our feelings for too long. My mind was right. It was trying to tell me I was missing out on something truly precious...something that could come only once in a lifetime. And my mind told me –"
She blinked. "Wait. Did you say your MIND was right?"
Athrun cleared his throat. "Err...yeah. This little voice in my head is the most irritating and formidable opponent I have ever faced. But it's been trying to tell my feelings for you all along, and I tried to ignore it. That's because I cherish you and our friendship more than anything else on earth and I didn't want to lose it just because my feelings for you had grown. But when I saw Yuuna's hand on you...I got jealous. Mad with envy even. And you know why?"
He smiled shakily as he went nearer to her.
"Because Cagalli Yula Athha, I am hopelessly, desperately and utterly in love with you."
"But what about La-"
"Lacus Clyne is my dream girl. But I was infatuated with her because she reminded me of mother. But the girl who had stolen my heart is not her and never will be. It's YOU."
Her golden-brown eyes moistened. "D-Do you realize how long I've waited for you to say that, Athrun Zala?"
Athrun sighed. "My guess is, too long. I took me the past two days to finally accept that I couldn't live without you. And when you didn't come to school this morning, I freaked. Can you find it in your heart to forgive my stupidity and stubbornness and at least be my best friend again? I won't ask for anything more, because I know I don't deserve that. Not after all that I did..."
Cagalli's eyes blazed. "Athrun, you dingbat! Aren't I your best friend or has someone else already taken my place? And, God help me, I can't seem to get rid of my feelings for you even if you do talk to your own mind! So let's just get this whole sappy nonsense over and done with and get to the part where you tell me you love me again and kiss me senseless!"
His green eyes widened, and then he laughed. "I love you too, princess. And later I'll kiss you senseless if that's what you want. But first..."
He revealed a bowl of melted banana split sundae.
Cagalli stared at it in surprise.
"This banana split sundae symbolized our friendship." He ate some and then handed her the bowl. "And it is this banana split sundae that will seal my promise. That no matter how many female friends I may gain, you are and always will be the princess of my heart. And should I ever break my promise..." He paused and smiled. "Well, I'm sure death is preferable to the bloodcurdling wrath I shall receive."
"You got that right, buster! And remember, you owe me TEN years of kisses!" Cagalli happily ate the sundae and then he did what he had promised her.
He kissed her senseless.
And later, much later, they danced to their very own private party for two, to make up for last Friday's.
Thus ends the story of Banana Split Sundaes.
-The End
So that's it. I hope you've enjoyed this story and thank you all for the support. They really encouraged me on!
And yes, unfortunately, it's true. I will stop writing as soon as August the tenth hits...which is today. The reasons have been posted on my bio, but I WILL take up writing again as soon as December comes. I'm REALLY sorry. So please don't kill me and wait patiently until then.
There will be ONE last update later on. So I'll have completed most of my fics.
See you in December!