Chapter 14

It was a mistake. That wasn't supposed to happen. An honest mistake…

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"Zolo, I'm not gonna tell you again. Get out," Adella said with seriousness behind her words. "I want you gone." She pointed to the door of the kitchen. "Out."

Zolo smirked. "I'm not leaving." He crossed his arms.

"Please!" She put her arms out and shoved him.

He grabbed her in his arms and held her close. "Adella, about last night-"

"Nothing happened last night."

"Yes, something happened. You and I-"

"There is no 'you and I'!"

"Adella!" Zolo looked her right in the eye. "Why do you want us to be distant?"

"Because…" She sighed and calmed down. "Zolo, last night, we both wanted it, but I'm different now. I don't want to love you."

"But I want to love you. Adella, if you don't love me, why are you in my arms right now? You're very strong and it would be easy for you to get out." He kissed her.

She broke the kiss. "Please, not now…Not here. Sanji will be back and-"

"I locked the door." He kissed her passionately. He pushed her into the wall and kept her there. She couldn't help but give in.

"Adella? Adella, why is this door locked?" It was Sanji.

Sanji! Adella tried to push Zolo away. "Z-Zolo! Stop! It's Sanji!"

"So?" He pushed her down onto the table. "He can wait." He gently caressed her sides.

"Well, I must have locked it somehow when I left. But don't worry, I have a spare key." There was a click sound.

Adella visibly panicked. "Z-Zolo…!" Zolo suddenly got up and sat at the table.

"There we go." Sanji walked in. "Hey! Zolo! What're you doing in here? Stop patronizing Adella!" He grabbed Zolo by the shirt collar and threw him out. He focused his attention on Adella. "Are you alright? Did he hurt you?" She just stared. "Adella? Hey, you're face is red. Is something wrong?"

She panicked again. "Nothing!" She grabbed the bottle of spices that he had. "Let's make lunch, okay?" She put the bottle on the counter and began to chop vegetables.

"Huh?" Weird, Sanji thought to himself. He shrugged. "Okay I guess."

That idiot Zolo! I hate him! Adella made a mad face as she thought about Zolo. He makes me so mad! I don't love him! Her expression softened. But if I didn't, why did I let him dominate me?

"You make some great faces."

"Huh?" She turned to Sanji.

"You're making faces. So what's on your mind?"

"My…mind?" Zolo. "Nothing at all!" She laughed and waved her hand nervously. She continued to chop. Was Sanji watching me…or what? Why would he watch me… 'I watch you all the time.' That was what Zolo had told her last night. She glared again. I am so gonna kill him! Taking advantage of me like that! Last night not was not intended! Suddenly, "Ow!" She pulled her hand back and looked down at the blood on the knife. She put her cut finger in her mouth, then pulled it out.

Sanji put down the spoon he had and looked at her. "Adella, are you okay?"

"Uh, no. I cut myself." She put her finger back in her mouth. "It hurts Sanji."

He walked over to her. "Let me see." He took her finger and looked at it. "Oh, it's not too deep." He took out a cloth from his pocket and wrapped it around her finger. "I'm not Chopper, but your finger will be better soon." He looked into her eyes.

Adella felt as if she got closer to him, never once taking her eyes off his. Sanji… "Thank you." She felt all tingly inside. Her face beamed crimson.

He laughed. "What's wrong beautiful? You're red."

"R-Red? M-Me?" Her heart raced. She had never had this feeling before with Sanji. Why do I feel so strange? She felt for the counter and turned her head. "I don't know why I'm red." Pain suddenly took place of the strange feeling. "Oh…" She covered her mouth and cough. She felt something wet all over her hands. While Sanji was laughing, she looked down at her hands. Blood. No! She covered her mouth and ran out of the kitchen, pushing Sanji out of the way.

He stopped laughing. "Adella?"

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She ran for the bathroom, terrified that someone might find out. As she ran down the hall, she saw Zolo. She wasn't about to turn around and run the opposite direction.

"Adella?" Zolo stopped and watched her come at full speed towards him, her mouth covered by her own hands. "Hey! Look out!" She hit him dead on.

Damn! She stood up, as did he.

"Adella, why are you running--?" He looked at a trickle of red liquid falling from between her fingers. "What is that?"

She looked down. Oh no! She mustered up what strength was left and shoved Zolo out of the way. She ran into the girls' bathroom and locked the door. She removed her hands and grabbed a fresh towel. "What is wrong with me!" She unexpectedly began to cough uncontrollably, blood rushing from her mouth. "Dear God! No! I thought I had gotten over this when I was a child! So this is what this is!" She started to wipe the blood off the floor, blood trickling from her mouth. She some how succeed, but she would not stop bleeding from the mouth. "Why must this happen again? Did I not make the right choices in life? Am I being punished for something! Why is this happening?" She screamed, then blacked out.

-/-/-/-

"Oh…Oh…" Adella opened her eyes to see two girls staring down at her. "AHH!" She rolled over and tumbled out of the bed.

"Oh thank God you're alive!" shouted Vivi. "We thought you were dead!"

"Yeah, after we saw all of the blood…" Nami shook the image out of her head.

"B-Blood?" Adella got up and looked at them.

"Adella, what happened? We found you sprawled on the floor of the bathroom totally unconscious. And then there was a towel full of blood!" Vivi hugged a pillow. "You need to tell us the truth!"

Adella shook her head. "I…I can't."

Nami looked Adella right in the eye. "Listen to me Adella, you have to tell us. Something is terribly wrong with you."

She couldn't lie to her closets of friends. She sighed, "Alright, I'll tell you. I…I'm…sick."

"Sick! More like ill!" exclaimed Vivi.

"Please, I don't wanna talk about it anymore." She looked up, trying to seem optimistic. "Besides, nothing's gonna happen to me! I'm okay now, so everything will be alright!" She feigned a smile. No, everything will not be alright. I'm afraid that I might not make it this time…What would Zolo think if he found out that I was ill?

"Adella?" She looked at Vivi. "You…have that look again…"

"Who is it!" exclaimed Nami, making Adella jump.

"Gee Nami, you sure are hyper about these things." Adella laughed.

"Is it Sanji this time?" asked Nami.

"Um…It's Zolo…"

"Zolo? You still have a thing for him?" asked Nami.

"I have no idea. Part of me still loves Zolo, but part of me doesn't. Sometimes, when I'm around Zolo, the part of me that loves Zolo is stronger than the other part. I…don't know what to do."

"So, you're still in love with him?" Nami and Vivi leaned in to hear.

"I…I dunno…" What to do?