"What in the world was I thinking?" That was the one thought that was constantly being run through the head of a tempered brunette.

This was supposed to be a normal visit to the Kinomiya compound to see the long-term friend, Tyson Granger. The visit actually did start off normal with the two of them talking about what they had been doing since they last saw each other. Everything was going fine until Tyson mention the secret crush Kenny had on the rival member, Emily. That got Hilary asking about any other secrets Tyson may have been hiding from her, which he denied.

So, Hilary then came up with a little game she called "Truth or Torture". The rules were quite simple. They would each take turns doing something to the other as a means of torture until they revealed something the other didn't know. Hilary decided to go first to show Tyson an 'example' of how the game was played (though he knew she just wanted to torture him first). Through the use of a plate of glass and a nail Hilary was able to find out that, despite the fact that Tyson's entire career was launching razor sharp beyblades, he was almost deathly afraid of injection needles.

For his turn, Hilary awaited to see what he had in mind, which is why she was in his room... alone. She had no idea where Tyson went, but she was starting to get a bit nervous.

"Okay, Hilary. Tyson usually isn't smart enough to plan anything very elaborate. He's probably out getting help from either Max or Kenny," she convinced herself. "But then why is it taking him so long." Just when she was about ready to leave the door opened and Tyson walked in, with a long rope and feathers.

"What's your plan?" Hilary asked, creasing her brows unimpressed.

"You'll see," Tyson replied, looking at her with a slight smirk. "Now before we get started, I'll need you to take your shoes off."

"My shoes?" Hilary repeated. Tyson nodded. She didn't know why, but took her shoes off anyway and placed them by the door. She then sat down on Tyson's bed.

"Now, are you ready?" he asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Hilary replied. With Hilary ready Tyson lassoed the rope around her, and bind her tightly around the waist.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" she yelled, struggling to free herself.

A second rope wrapped itself on her feet, bringing her legs together, as Tyson tugged on the rope tightly, shamelessly grinning.

"Okay, Tyson! Just what do you have planned?!" Hilary barked. Tyson just smirked as he took a few steps closer to Hilary.

"I think this will tell you all you need to know." Hilary didn't know what he was talking about, but then she felt something on the bottom of her foot. She froze, now knowing what he planned to do.

"No, Tyson... please don't do this! You know how I am!" she begged.

"Oh, I do, and that's what makes this the perfect torture for you," Tyson replied. He then started to slowly move his finger across Hilary's foot. She tried to pull her foot free, but the ropes were tightly constricted on her feet.

"I ain't letting you go," Tyson chortled. As he continued to tickle her, Hilary found it harder and harder not to start laughing. She knew once she started there was no stopping. After a few minutes Tyson suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong? You giving up already?" Hilary asked, slightly giggling.

"You wish," Tyson replied, bringing the feather into the play.

Hilary yelped as the soft feather began to brush against her feet, and she resisted, using all of the strength to undo the dominance. But the moment she tried to pull away Tyson wrapped his arm around her legs.

"Oh no. You're not getting away that easily," Tyson overpowered her.

"Come on, Tyson. Let me go," Hilary begged. Tyson had her legs trapped under his right arm while he held the leaf in his left hand. He looked back towards Hilary, twirling the feather in between his fingers.

"Is there anything you want to tell me before I get started?" he asked.

"I hate you, Tyson Granger," Hilary replied.

"Wrong answer," Tyson said. He then started to brush the feather gently across her feet. If Hilary thought it was hard before it was now near impossible to keep from laughing.

"You know how to make me stop," Tyson teased, feeling Hilary jerk under his grip.

"No... you won't... b-break me... t-that... easily..." Hilary was fighting as battle on two fronts, one to free herself from Tyson and one to keep from laughing. And she was losing both of them. She couldn't pull her legs free and the tickling was slowly becoming too much. Then, after resisting for a few minutes, she could no longer hold her laughter in.

"Start talking, Hilary," Tyson said.

"HAHAHA.. I... I hate Ming-Ming!" Hilary yelled out through her laughter.

"Already knew that," Tyson replied, intensifying the tickling. Hilary's laughter grew louder and louder.

"I... HAHA... I love... HAHAHA... Ramen... HAHAHA more than anything... HAHAHA!" Tyson looked at her.

"Something else I already knew," Tyson replied. "Now come on. You know I'm not going to stop until you let me in on a secret I know nothing about." By now Hilary's lungs were screaming for air and she was starting to feel light-headed, leading to her next statement.

"I... HAHAHA I have a secret crush!"

"Now we're getting somewhere," Tyson flashed an eerie grin. "Who is it?"

"HAHAHA... No! I won't tell you!" Hilary yelled.

"Suit yourself," Tyson replied, tickling her even more. Hilary started to squirm, hoping to make Tyson let her go, but that wasn't going to work. Hilary wasn't sure if it had anything to do with getting Tyson to stop or what but right then she would do anything to get him to stop.

"It's... HAHAHA... It's you!" she yelled. Right then the tickling stopped, finally letting Hilary get some air in her lungs. After a few deep breaths she looked at Tyson. He was frozen, not moving or saying anything.

"Hey... you okay?" she asked. When Tyson still didn't respond she began to worry. She managed to free herself and made her way to Tyson's side.

"What is it? What's wrong with you?" she asked. She looked at his face and saw that he had a shocked expression.

"What's the matter with you, Tyson? Was it something..." Right then she knew what had happened. In all the excitement she had let out her deepest secret. She immediately started to think about the repercussions, the worst being a strange friendship with Tyson. That was the one thing that kept her from ever telling him, the one thing she always feared would happen if he ever found sat in Tyson's bed, felling more nervous than ever.

"Listen, about what I said..."

"Did you mean that?" Tyson asked. He still wasn't looking at her but Hilary could swear she heard something that sounded like desperation in his voice. She wanted to open her mouth and say 'Yes! I love you, Tyson Granger!', but the fear of him not returning her love was too great. She turned her head slightly away, but then looked down when she Tyson take hold of her hands.

"Please, Hilary... I have to know." She looked up and saw him finally looking at her. His face showed anticipation for her answer, but his eyes held different emotions... Longing... Desire... and... Love? Right then Hilary decided to take a chance.

"... Yes. I meant every word," she said in a soft, quiet voice.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Tyson asked.

"Because... because I was afraid," Hilary replied. "I was afraid that things might get... awkward between us." Silence followed in the next few seconds. For Hilary it was the most excruciating few seconds she had ever experienced. Finally, Tyson spoke.

"You don't have to worry about that... because I have a secret too," he said. He then leaned close to Hilary and put his mouth close to her ear.

"I love you too," he whispered. Right then Hilary could swear she was dreaming. Her one secret desire, her one wish, was coming true. There, right in his bedroom, Tyson Granger had told her he loved her.

"Wait a minute... this has to be a dream," she gawked. "I mean, I've been hoping for this for over five years. And now it just happens, just like that? I mean, how do I know I won't wake up back in my bed when this is all over? How do I know that thi..." Her rant was ended by Tyson's lips on hers. It surprised her at first, but she slowly deepened the kiss. It was everything she expected and more. In that moment there was nothing else in the world, just her and Tyson. After a few minutes they separated.

"Still think it's a dream?" Tyson asked.

"If it is I don't want to wake up," Hilary replied. With nothing else to say the two kissed once again. In their minds they couldn't have imagined that a afternoon of boredom and torture could have ended with the re-discovery of their feelings for each other.