Disclaimer: I don't own The MBS

Chapter 6 (Kate's POV)

Sighing wasn't really my style, but right now I guessed it fit well enough.

"Connie…?" I asked as I knocked on her bedroom door.

"Go away, Kate!" Was all I heard in reply. I sighed again.

"Well now that we're past the pleasantries…" I mumbled half to myself before I spoke into her door again. "Come on Connie girl, I just came to apologize."

"It's too late for that!"

"Why is it too late?" I questioned, even though I figured this had everything to do with Sticky.

She didn't answer and after standing there for a few silent seconds, I was about to turn and leave. But just then I saw the knob twist and the door creak open. I wasn't one to cower even if I was going into a room full of Ten Men, but I've gotta admit I hesitated this time. Sure I'd dealt with Constance being upset plenty of times, but something told me this time would take the cake. And thinking it was at least a little my fault made it even better.

But sucking in a deep breath I decided to just charge in like usual. Connie was sitting on her bed hugging her knees with her eyes clenched so tight I almost worried her face might end up staying like that. But that wasn't what caught me off guard. Nope, but around her there was a few random items floating motionless. A piece of clothing, a hairbrush, and several crumpled pieces of papers were just hanging in the air around her like moons in a stalled orbit.

Stuffing my hands in my pockets I let a whistle slip before I could decide if I should have. So I cleared my throat before speaking up. "You must have been practicing the telekinesis, huh?"

She didn't even budge an inch for at least a full 30 seconds before she snapped her eyes open and focused them on me. "You said you were going to apologize."

I sighed as I did my best not to let her accusing stare make me feel worse than I already did. "Yeah, I thought I'd be helping out, but I guess it was wrong to put you guy's on the spot like that…" I trailed off as I looked up to try and see if my attempt at saying I was sorry was softening her any.

Yeah… It didn't.

Without moving her hands or anything she lowered the clothing and brush but kept the paper airborne. Then tilting her head to the side she flicked open her window without laying a finger on it. That's when it kinda hit me what she was gonna do, so jumping over a pile of clothes on the floor I managed to dive just in the path of the wads of balled up paper. They pinged off of me and landed on the floor, barely escaping being hurled out the window.

"Littering is a crime you know Connie?" I said softly trying to tint my words with a little playfulness.

"I don't care…" She said in a low growl.

I frowned as I leaned over to pick up one of the wads. "You know, something tells me this isn't trash anyway."

He turned away from me and stared into the wall. "You'd be really wrong about that…"

Unfolding the piece of paper I saw line after line of Connie's neat handwriting, the kind I always sorta wished I had. I was just starting to read a few lines when she shouted across the room.

"Don't read it!"

I looked up and over at her. "Personal I take it?"

But she didn't say anything, so probably past good sense I pushed on. "In fact, I'm betting this is poetry, right?" Thankfully I stopped just short of adding in that I figured I knew who it was written about to boot.

"It's trash now…" She said coldly.

Taking another deep breath I slowly paced over to her bed before being bold enough to sit down next to her. I just stared at her for a second before leaning to absentmindedly adjust my shoestring. "You can say it's trash, but feelings are a lot harder to just throw away."

"That's what I'm afraid of…" She mumbled through gritted teeth and what sounded like a choked up voice.

We didn't say anything else for another minute or two before I finally decided to just cut to the chase. "What happened out there anyway? I mean you both looked pretty happy if you ask me." I rubbed at my chin. "In fact, you both had that same kinda sappy look that you always make fun of me and Reynie having."

She shook her head suddenly. "He wasn't looking at me like that! He was just thinking what great friends we are."

I crossed my arms, unconvinced. "Well, maybe you know better than anyone what he was thinking, but I know what I saw."

She frowned stubbornly at me. "And I know what he was feeling."

I raised an eyebrow. "You can figure out emotions with your telepathy too?"

She nodded slowly. "That aspect is called being empathic, but yes I can."

"So…" I asked cautiously. "What was he feeling?"

"Confused…" Was all she said in a weak voice that surprisingly lacked her usual spice.

"About you?" I asked.

She pinched her lips tighter together before finally answering me.

"I guess so… I…" She hesitated before closing her eyes and muscling on. "I think he knows now… I think I let too many of my emotions bleed through the mental link…"

I slapped my knee suddenly. "Well, no wonder he felt confused then! If you're right and he knows, then he's probably reeling trying to figure it all out." I put a hand on her shoulder. "Remember how I was when you first told me about Reynie?"

She nodded slowly.

"Well Connie, the thing is that didn't mean I didn't feel the same way, it just took some time to get it all straight in my head! It could be the same way for Sticky!"

"Could?" She said in low voice. "Or he could not. I could have forever embarrassed myself. We could not even be friends after this. I could end up dying alone. He could-"

"Or!" I said cutting her off before she completely went off the deep end. "Or he could feel the same way."

She was silent for a second or two. "That's not a chance I ever wanted to take…"

I shook my head and crossed my arms again. "Nobody likes risking heartbreak sure, but what other choice do you have? Isn't it worse living each day not being honest with him?"

It looked like I had finally stumped her, so she didn't say anything else. Sliding to my feet I took a few steps away before I turned to look back at her. She glanced up and met my stare. "Connie…" I began softly. "I never told you...but I hoped that we'd always end up together. All four of us I mean. After things worked out with me and Reynie...I just couldn't help but think how great it would be. You know what I mean?"

I guess it was a crazy thing to ask her, but since I'd already said it I couldn't take anything back. She just blinked at me without breaking her focus. Then just before I was about to leave she opened her mouth.

"Longing…" She said it so matter of factly. "It's just two letters short of being belonging." She crossed her arms thoughtfully. "Almost like you can't ever have one without the other... Or," Her face took on a sudden strength, and it really reminded me all over again... Reminded me that she wasn't a kid anymore.

"Or like you have to have one before you can have the other…"

I felt my eyes drift down to the two little rings sitting on my left hand. Were they the missing B and E? If so, it seemed to me that the largest part was there from the start. Like it was always there…

So I smiled at her and really meant it.

"Yep, I think it's just like that..."

Thanks for reading! More to come soon!