Author's Note: 11 chapters strong! Woohoo! Enjoy this chapter!
"Something's got into him. I don't know what it is, but I think his fall had something to do with it," Pasadena thought to herself. It had been 4 days since Crash fell down the hill on Sunday, and from the possum's perspective, Crash had been acting a bit differently. Thinking he may have hurt his brain or something that had to do with his ability to think, Pasadena was trying to figure out why he had been different lately.
"Okay, so he is acting a bit more kind, maybe even sweeter than he usually is, but I'm worried that he may be a bit delusional. Sure, we spent the last few days together having fun, but I need to know if Crash is just acting that way, or if he really means it." It was true that the bandicoot had been strange lately, but whether it was intentional or coincidental or even on accident, Pasadena did admit to herself that the past few days she spent with her friend were pretty fun. And they did get to know each other a bit more. And there were some key moments. Along with words that he spoke that kept running through the female marsupial's mind.
Sunday
Pasadena remembered sitting at the table when Crash walked in. She found a book in the living room that looked interesting, and she read it as she drank her morning coffee. It became a pretty different morning when the orange hero walked in. As she was still reading the book, only when Crash said, "Hi," did she look up to see that his fur looked a bit messy, he looked a tiny bit battered, and there was a cut on his left shoulder.
"Crash, what happened to you?" As Pasadena got up to check on Crash, he simply said, "Oh, don't worry. Just had a little fall, I'll be fine." Checking his torso for any signs of any serious injury, Pasadena did not find any, and the only concern was the cut on his shoulder. "Well, you're okay. But I think we should find a bandage for that cut," she spoke, only to see Crash shaking his head. "It's no big deal, Pas. Really."
With a sigh, Pasadena said, "Sorry, Crash. You just walked in, and when I saw you, I kinda got worried." With a smile, Crash walked up to her, hugged her, and kissed her forehead. "No worries, Pas. I'll be fine."
Pasadena felt reassured as the orange hero wrapped her in his arms. Even though Crash was the one who got injured, she was the one who felt safe. His warmth felt like an impenetrable shield, and the possum felt completely harmless. As he pulled away, she looked at him and smiled. "Ok. Now about that bandage..."
Monday
They had spent the previous day mostly watching TV. The next day, they did the same thing. However, it was a bit different that day, as they spent the entire day watching romance movies. She was surprised that Crash didn't even feel the slightest ounce of being uncomfortable. They would only get up from the couch to visit the restroom or to satisfy their hunger or thirst. Other than those two things, the two friends never left for anything else. Pasadena remembered starting the day, she practically sat next to him, and she ended up resting her head on his shoulder by the late afternoon, which was around 6 to 7. Crash never really moved, unless placing your arm on the couch's arm to rest and support your head counted as moving.
Throughout the movies, they felt a bit closer to each other. Whenever a moment of sadness caused Pasadena to cry, Crash would put his arm around her and rubbed her shoulder to comfort her. The possum responded to the bandicoot's actions by touching and holding his hand. As each movie explored every possible aspect of romance, whether it be about finding love, forgetting the past, struggling with a broken heart, forgiving one another, or understanding the meaning of true love, it brought both friends closer than ever before.
Near midnight, it was time to call it a day. Crash was about to leave the couch when he noticed Pasadena had fallen asleep. With a light chuckle, he stood up to pick up his sleeping guest. He lifted her bridal style, and proceeded to take her to his sister's room. After laying her down, Crash whispered, "Good night." As he was about to pull away and leave, she wrapped her left arm around his neck and kissed his cheek. "Thank you," she said, and Crash responded by hugging her back, replying, "You're welcome. Sweet dreams." As he left, Pasadena went back to sleep, only with a smile on her face.
Tuesday
As Monday ended, Tuesday began. Crash was not lazy that day, as he decided to clean his house. By that, he meant pretty much just sweeping the floor, throwing out the trash, cleaning the kitchen, raking leaves, and cleaning out the gutters. Pasadena didn't want to feel like a free loader, so she decided to help as well. Spending most of the sunlit hours helping her friend clean his house did help the female possum to clear her mind a bit. She did feel a bit better by helping. As she was sweeping around the leaving room, she was caught off guard when she looked out the window. Crash was raking the leaves, but he was also listening to his iPod at that time as well. It wasn't what he was doing that got her attention, but rather how he was looking. Crash wasn't one to extremely work out like Crunch, but the orange bandicoot did seem really fit.
Pasadena could not help but stare. To her, he was very attractive, and what made him even more appealing was the fact he was sweating. Sure, sweat isn't the greatest thing, but there's something about seeing the one you like work really hard that makes them eye-candy. Seeing her crush work hard made Pasadena forget what she was doing. Seeing his muscles made Pasadena think of Crash holding her in his arms. His strength was very strong, but he was gentle and showed a bit of intimacy whenever he looked in her eyes. Thinking back to those times made Pasadena wish she could just go back and kiss Crash. As she became lost in her thoughts, she came back to reality when she dropped the broom and the broom made a loud smack against the floor.
Immediately recognizing what she was doing, the possum did feel relieved when she saw that Crash hadn't noticed her at all. She tried to shake the idea of wanting to be in his arms again, but it only left her wanting more. It caused her to think, and she only thought of spending more time with him. When the day came to an end, Crash thanked her for her help. "It's no problem. After all, you would've helped me if you were staying with me, right?" Jokingly, he replied, "Depends on the mess." Crash laughed and said, "I'm kidding. Of course I would help you." She proceeded to hug him, and at that point she began to think of them together. She wasn't the only one to think of them as a couple, as Crash was thinking the exact same thing. Nonetheless, both friends said goodnight and went to bed. However, both laid awake for a while, thinking about the other.
Wednesday
Crash didn't really seem like the type of guy to swim. So, the bandicoot made a bit of a surprise when he asked Pasadena if she wanted to go to the beach. She figured, why not? Warm sun, nice waves, and it did feel like a pretty great day to go out. Crash was already prepared to go, but Pasadena insisted he go ahead and that she'll catch up. It took almost half an hour, but she got ready and walked to the beach. The possum thought it was pretty cool that the beach wasn't very far from her friend's house. It only seemed at least 4 minutes away. When she got to the beach, she was astonished at the view. It seemed very relaxing. Looking around the beach, she found Crash sitting and looking at the ocean. When she approached, she said, "Hey." As Crash turned his head, his eyes widened. With all his might, he tried not to stare. His friend was wearing a white bikini, and Crash had discovered that Pasadena really had a nice body. "So, we gonna sit here, or what," she asked playfully. "You go ahead, I still need a little sunscreen," the hero said nervously. "Ok. I'll be in the water."
As she ran toward the water, Crash's urge to look came back. Oh crap. Don't look. Don't look. Don't lo-Oh my God, she looks fantastic. Her beautiful blonde hair, her nice smile, and a rockin' body-STOP! Focus! Fight it! Needless to say, Crash felt completely tortured. Having to spend the day with a very beautiful woman made Crash hate himself. He was hoping to be confident and bold, but his plan backfired as his friend, the girl he loved, had shown up wearing a bikini. However, a bit of bravery came to him when he decided to teach her how to surf. Crash himself was an experienced surfer, on account the time he surfed on a board that had an engine, but it was pretty close. It took a few hours, but by the beginning of sunset, Pasadena had learned how ride a surfboard. Despite a few falls in the water, she had come out pretty decent.
Before returning to home, they decided to stay a bit to watch the sun begin its course to the other side of the planet. "It looks really amazing. I bet you enjoy this view every day," she said. Crash smiled and nodded in agreement. As they looked at the sunset, Crash wrapped his arm around Pasadena. As his arm settled down, she leaned her head against his should. The orange bandicoot seemed like a very comfortable pillow. "C'mon, let's go home." With a playful smile, she said, "I'm too tired. Carry me." Pasadena meant it as a joke, but Crash seemed to think other wise. He practically carried his friend to the house. After dinner, they both said goodnight and went to sleep.
Thursday
Up to that day, Pasadena found it very sweet that Crash wanted to spend time with her. This day, however, Crash had no plans. When she walked into his room, she saw Crash lying on his bed listening to his headphones. "What are you doin'?" She guessed Crash could hear her as he perked his head up. "Nothing really. Feeling pretty lazy today. Why, what's up?"
"Oh, nothing. I thought you may have had plans." As she began to leave the room, Crash spoke, "Wait." Pasadena turned around as Crash got up from the bed while pulling down his headphones. "Is there something wrong?" Pasadena walked over and sat down on the bed next to him. "Well. I thought you might wanna do something." Crash then asked, "Well, you have something on your mind?" Pasadena opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. What was there to do? The possum felt helpless as no idea came to mind. "Huh. I guess not." Reassuring her with a pat on the back, the heroic marsupial said, "Hey, I don't blame you. This island may seem like there's a lot to do, but trust me; living here for many years, there's not much to offer." Both friends sighed. As Pasadena looked at Crash, he got an idea. "Wait a sec. I got something." The bandicoot got up and walked over to his dresser where he got out a medium-size brown book. "Here, look at this."
Pasadena took the book and opened it. As she saw the contents, the possum was amazed at what was inside. The book's contents contained sketches that Cras had drawn. He drew a few views of the island, his family, his friends, and he even sketched his own art works. "Did...you draw these?" Crash had responded with a nod. "You're really good at this." Crash sat down next to his guest and said, "Yeah, well I kinda always had a thing for sketching. When I still couldn't talk, I felt that this was another way of expressing myself." Still amazed by his drawings, Pasadena then remembered Crash saying he had something. "Is this what you meant by something?" With a chuckle, the bandicoot responded with, "Something like that. But if you're okay with it..." Puzzled, the possum asked, "What do you mean?" Nervously rubbing the back of his neck, the anxious hero said, "Well. I was wondering if I could...draw you." Pasadena felt flattered, but also surprised. "O-okay, sure."
"Really? You sure you want to do this?" Pasadena nodded her head to confirm. Crash smiled and said, "Alright then. Well, uh, where do you want to be drawn?" Biting her lip, Pasadena stood up and took Crash's hand and led him to the living room. She sat on the couch and looked out the window. "Here?" Again, she nodded her head to confirm. "Okay then. Gimme a sec." Crash left and came back with a chair and two pencils. Just as he was about to sketch, Pasadena stood up and left. Just as the bandicoot was about to ask, Pasadena said, "I'll be back in a few minutes." Puzzled, the bandicoot simply waited until she came back.
"What do you think?" As he turned his head towards the direction of his friend's voice, Crash's jaw dropped. Pasadena was wearing a beautiful white dress that seemed to show her curves. "Wow," was all Crash could say as he looked upon the possum. She walked back to the couch and assumed the position she had before. "Ready," he asked, and she nodded. It took at least an hour and a half, but Pasadena sighed a breath of relief when Crash told her he was done. She came to look over at the sketch, and she was amazed. Crash drew very accurately, down to every single detail. It looked more like a photo then it did a sketch. "Crash, this is amazing. You have some really potential talent." Feeling good about himself and even feeling a bit confident, Crash had said, "Thanks. That really means a lot to me." Looking at how lovely his friend looked, the orange hero said, "You look really wonderful, Pas." The possum couldn't help but blush, and said, "Thank you."
"Hey, Pas?" Turning her head towards the bandicoot, Pasadena asked very sweetly, "Yes?" Taking a deep breath, Crash asked, "Would you like to go out and have dinner with me tomorrow night?"
Friday
She agreed to go with him. It was Friday. It was today. The possum looked out the window to see it was beginning to grow dark outside. It was 6:58 in the afternoon, and Crash had reserved a reservation for two at a local restaurant. True, it did seem a little odd that they were going to a restaurant that was actually a bar that happened to sell food and look a little fancy, but she really didn't seem to mind. Pasadena felt so happy to go to dinner, but she felt extremely nervous to go to dinner with Crash, mainly out of the fact she loved him. She was afraid of letting her feelings out for him, and she tried to maintain a cool level of control. As the clock hit seven, she sat up from the bed in Coco's room and looked in Coco's mirror that rested on the door that was the entrance and exit to the room. Pasadena was wearing a midnight blue dress, and had her hair tied up in a small bun. She looked in the mirror, and felt annoyed that her right bang kept getting in front of her eye. Seeing as it was hopeless, the possum left the room and went to the living room to find Crash waiting for her.
As he was watching TV, Pasadena got his attention when she clicked her heel against the wooden floor. Crash turned and his eyes widened. Damn, how the hell does she do it? In short, Crash was stunned by how gorgeous Pasadena looked. Crash didn't look too bad himself. He was wearing a black blazer with a white dress shirt underneath. He wore a pair of dark blue jeans, and he wore the same canvas shoes, only they were black to match his shirt and coat. Both looked absolutely amazing. "You look great," the bandicoot said to his friend. "Not too bad yourself," she replied. Both friends walked to the garage and left for town.
Arriving back in the villa, Crash drove the car to a small restaurant. When they walked in, a mongoose walked up to them. "Can I help you folks?" Crash responded, "Yes. Bandicoot, party of two." Checking his clipboard, the mongoose said in a well mannered tone, "Alright, Mr. Bandicoot. This way please." The mongoose led them to a table where there was a few utensils laid out for them, their chairs were pulled out, and a rose in a glass vase sat as the centerpiece. As they sat down, the mongoose said, "Okay, can I start you off with some drinks." Both friends asked for water and the waiter left to fetch them their drinks. After the waiter came back with their beverages, both ordered their meals after spending a few minutes looking through the menu. As the mongoose left, both Crash and Pasadena decided to talk for a bit until their food came back. They shared stories, with Crash telling his adventures and Pasadena talking about her job. They listened to each other and spoke as the other finished, and their communication level was very well.
The waiter came back with two dishes. Crash had ordered a chicken salad while Pasadena ordered a Wumpa Fruit salad. "Have you ever tried Wumpa Fruit before," Crash asked his date. Shaking her head, Pasadena replied, "Not really. Except for the Wumpa Whip, but that's the closest I've actually come to eating the actual fruit." With a small laugh, the orange hero responded, "Trust me. It's really great." The bandicoot kept true to his word, as Pasadena's eyes widened at the sweetness of the infamous fruit. "This is the greatest fruit I've ever had!" Chuckling, Crash said, "I'm glad you feel that way." As they finished their meal, the two friends were about to leave when an announcement played from a ostrich. "Hello, ladies and gentlemen. I would like to announce that it is Couples' Night, and that it is time for the dance. So, if you want, please take your partner to the dance floor." Feeling a bit shy, Crash slowly turned his head towards his friend, only to see her perform the same actions as he did.
Taking a deep breath, Crash summoned the courage and said, "Before we leave, do you-I mean, would you like to dance?" The possum blushed and responded a bit nervously, "S-Sure. I love to." Crash took Pasadena's hand and guided his partner to the dance floor. As they walked towards the floor, the ostrich spoke in a smooth tone into the microphone, "Ok. We'll make this a slow one. Richard, play the music." Receiving his command, Richard, a dog, walked towards a nearby radio and hit the play button. Just as Richard was about to hit the button, Crash sheepishly confessed, "Pas. I don't know how to dance." With a smile, Pasadena said in a low tone, "Don't worry. Just...let the music guide you." As the button was pressed, the music began to play. Placing his right hand on her hip, Crash held her right hand with his left. The couple then proceeded to move in a slow fashion, gradually building up to a comfortable pace.
If I don't say this now I will surely break
As I'm leaving the one I want to take
Forgive the urgency but hurry up and wait
My heart has started to separate
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Be my baby
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Be my baby
I'll look after you
The lyrics spoke to both marsupials. Crash felt the need to confess his feelings, otherwise he would feel like a wreck. At that moment, he wanted to ask his friend to be his, but he held back. For Pasadena, she remembered she would be leaving in a week. It hurt her to think of confessing her love for the bandicoot, only to leave him. Fighting back tears, the possum stayed strong. Both friends struggled to hold their feelings, and it was amazing that they couldn't tell what the other was thinking or feeling. Over the past week, they developed a sort of bond that let each other know what the other felt. At that moment, they could not understand what the other felt.
There now, steady love, so few come and don't go
Will you won't you, be the one I always know
When I'm losing my control, the city spins around
You're the only one who knows, you slow it down
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Be my baby
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Be my baby
I'll look after you
And I'll look after you
To Crash, Pasadena did feel like the only one who could truly understand him. His family knew him very well, and his friends can describe him with pinpoint accuracy. But there was something about Pasadena that the hero felt she was the only one who know his dreams, his fears, and the only one to understand what others could not. Pasadena felt that Crash was the one person who could help her get rid of her tears, the one who could look past everything about her, and the only one who could truly make her happy. To both, their love for the other seemed to give them a new strength, a new purpose, and a new hope.
If ever there was a doubt
My love she leans into me
This most assuredly counts
She says most assuredly
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Be my baby
I'll look after you
After you
At the right time, Pasadena leaned her head against the bandicoot's chest. Crash responded by leaning his head onto hers. Taking in a deep breath, he took in her sweet scent which made him only want to hold on longer. The gentle strength in his arms brought a comfort that Pasadena never felt with anyone else. In their embrace, the two marsupials found something that was only rare to find. To some, it was something common. To others, it was something one would only find in another one. It was love.
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Be my baby
Oh, oh, oh
It's always have and never hold
You've begun to feel like home, yeah
What's mine is yours to leave or take
What's mine is yours to make your own
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Be my baby
Oh, oh, oh...
As the song ended, both friends looked into each other's eyes before departing. As they drove home, there was an atmosphere of awkwardness, but deep withing themselves, they wanted to express their feelings for the other and shower the other with their love, warmth, and compassion. They wanted the other's touch so much that it felt like a drug they had become addicted on. In fear of the other's possible rejection, both friends kept their distance. When they arrived home, they went to bed immediately without sharing a word. The marsupials laid in their respective beds staring at the ceiling for what seemed like hours, when actually only few minutes passed. The bandicoot and the possum could not sleep, as for every time they closed their eyes, they saw each other. Thinking of each other only made them wish to confess even more.
With an angry sigh, Crash silently screamed into the pillow he laid his head on. He fought every will in his body that wanted to force him to go over to Pasadena and just be with her. The bandicoot was fighting a losing battle, as his urge got stronger, his resistance became weaker. However, the bandicoot forced himself to stay, and he shut his eyes and saw the possum once more. Deciding to just go with it, Crash forced himself to go to sleep with the image of Pasadena repeating itself in his mind.
As for his guest, Pasadena had buried her head in a pillow. She thought to herself on how she wanted Crash to be hers and only hers. She would accept becoming his, and as she kept thinking about the hero down the hall, she began to think of what she wanted to be to him. Pasadena wished to not just become Crash's girlfriend, but his mate and lover. She also wanted to be his wife, and even thought it would bring great pain, she wanted to be the mother of his children. Pasadena understood she was still young, being only 17, to even think about things this serious. However, she didn't care that she was young. She loved him. The thought of spending the rest of her life with the bandicoot only made her want to be with Crash even more.
Only thinking of each other made the two friends love the other more than they did before, and so with both no longer able to keep their feelings for each other hidden away, Crash and Pasadena both knew what they wanted to say to the other. Now, it's only a matter of time before both friends discover just how much they loved each other...
Okay, that's it for this chapter. The song is "Look After You" by The Fray. Just wait a little longer and the chapter you've been waiting for will arrive very soon. Peace, I'm out!