Chapter 14: Indecisions and a Gift

The Kong family used to meet often on weekends after a few laborious days, and this occasion was one of them. It was night and they were in the middle of the jungle, near a lake. On the one hand, there were the older kongs like Donkey, Candy, Funky, Swanky, and Lanky; while in another corner, there were the younger ones like Diddy, Dixie, Kiddy, Tiny and Chunky, who were playing a card game.

Diddy was having a good time with his friends as he used to do when they got together. While playing cards, in an oversight of Dixie, Diddy looked at her cards and saw that she had quite an advantage for the game.

"Hey, what's that up there?" Diddy pointed out, making the rest of the group look up, and took advantage of the distraction to take Dixie's card and place it in the center.

"Hey, hey, very funny, aren't you?!" Dixie exclaimed, who realized Diddy's trap instantly.

"Oh, too bad, I've already won," Diddy added mockingly.

"No, that card was mine!" replied Dixie, picking up the card that Diddy stole from her, but he took it back from her. Immediately, Dixie threw the cards in his face.

"Hey!" Diddy, in revenge, threw more cards at Dixie and thus began a 'war' between the two of them.

"Hey, it's just a game, stop fighting," Tiny said, frowning and placing her hands at her sides.

"He started!" Dixie replied, annoyed.

"Well, let's start another round and no cheating!" Chunky exclaimed, calming them down.

"But I didn't cheat!" Diddy lied, holding back his laughter.

"Huh, how can you say no?!" Dixie exclaimed, looking at him angrily.

"Oh, you both love each other," Tiny muttered with a few small laughs.

"What?" asked Diddy, who luckily didn't hear well.

"Nothing, I said don't fight anymore," Tiny replied with a few small laughs, while Dixie blushed a little and looked furiously at her sister, since she had heard what she had said.

"Okay, okay," Diddy added, calming down. "Let's play again, I won't cheat anymore."

"Not you, but now it's going to be my turn to play for real," Dixie said, smiling defiantly.

"Yes, yes, we'll see," Diddy replied in kind.

Many times, when playing, Diddy liked to cheat to annoy Dixie on purpose; they were friendly fights, of course. On certain occasions, the others in the group used to look at them with speculations as far as feelings are concerned, although these two didn't usually realize it.

Later, Funky called everyone to have some fruit sodas he had prepared, and then they dispersed into several groups. It was a moment of rest.

Diddy, on the one hand, was sitting on a rock by himself, while drinking his soda. From there, he could only look into the distance... to Dixie. While she was now his best friend, deep down, Diddy felt much more for her; beyond her appearance, her way of being or her friendship, it was something inexplicable what he felt, what he liked about Dixie was simply... her. A long time ago, when he had just met her, he couldn't imagine feeling something like that... Perhaps, now he was understanding Donkey better when he told him about Candy from their beginnings.

"Diddy," Donkey said, appearing near him, so Diddy turned to look at him. "Come, I need to talk to you."

Both kongs went to talk in a corner, a little isolated from the other ones. Donkey would have to say something important to his little nephew.

"What happened, Donkey?"

"Well, little buddy, you'll see... is that I think it's time that... you should tell her," he suggested quietly.

"Tell what? Who?" Diddy asked in confusion.

"Well, who else, little buddy?" he added, arms crossed. "To Dixie. You know what."

"What?! Oh, no, Donkey, I don't think I can-"

"Come on, buddy! Isn't that what you say you want?" he said, giving him a little push and smiling at him. "Besides... she also shows that she likes you," he whispered in the last sentence.

"Why do you say that?"

"Haven't you noticed? When you ask her to hang outjust the two of you, she looks pretty excited. She cares about you, and she looks very smiling when she's with you."

"But, Donkey, that's what friends do too, and she sure sees me as one of them."

"But those just friends can also become something more when they've been very close, you know?"

"Oh, I don't know, Donkey, I don't know how to do it, at least not for now," Diddy didn't feel quite sure telling Dixie his feelings; he was afraid that she wouldn't feel the same way and then she would no longer want to be his friend.

"Okay, little buddy, it doesn't have to be exactly now. Just find the best moment and tell her," he said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "But I think you could do it anyway."

"What if she doesn't feel the same way and goes away and we won't be friends anymore?" Diddy asked worriedly.

"Well, if she accepts you, well for you. And if not... you just have to be strong and respect her decision too," Donkey said. "Oh, but something important: whether she reciprocates you or not, never leave your friendship, even if you'd have to get away from her for a long time until things pass. If you two drift away forever, it's because maybe you weren't such friends after all."

"Are you sure I should tell her, Donkey? That's risky."

"Of course yes, buddy, I know it's risky but look: you've been getting to know each other for a long time, you're best friends, you care about each other, and you share moments together. I think you have enough to take that risk."

Diddy looked at Dixie again in the distance. Would he be able to tell her? Just thinking about it, all Diddy felt was nerves and more nerves invading him. Donkey put his hand back on Diddy's shoulder.

"Cheer up, Diddy. If you want, don't do it now, but try not to let too much time pass... Or it could be too late."

"O-okay, Donkey... I'll try, I hope I can," replied Diddy, still not so sure.

"Okay, little buddy," Donkey said, patting him on the head. "Anyway, if you need any help, don't hesitate to talk to me."

Donkey left the site and went back to his friends. Diddy just stood there thinking for a long time after that conversation. He knew deep down that for something else to happen with Dixie, he would have to be direct and confess his feelings to her, but he didn't know how to do it or what words to use. Besides, the reaction that Dixie could have and the risk of ruining their friendship only generated fear to him, more fear than the new teacher who had arrived at the school. He wasn't sure if Dixie would see him as more than a friend, considering he didn't even know how to take a first step and what to do after he confessed to her.

"Diddy," someone behind him called later. Diddy turned to look and, as if it were a coincidence, it was Dixie. "Can you come for a moment? I wanted to show you something."

Diddy looked at her strangely at first, but then followed, and both of them headed to a corner among the trees. Dixie seemed to carry in her hands a small box wrapped with a ribbon, as if it were any surprise.

"What were you going to show me, Dixie?" he asked her curiously.

"Well, Diddy, it's that... you've been my best friend and... I thought you would like this. Take it" Dixie showed him the small box. Diddy got surprised for a moment, but then he took it.

"Oh, it's… a gift?" Diddy asked as he opened the box, where inside it was a photo of the two of them that Funky had taken months earlier. Below the photo, there was a note that said 'for the coolest monkey on DK Island' written clearly in Dixie's handwriting and, in addition, there was a very bright emerald of a deep green hue. "Wow, is this really for me?"

"Yes, you'll see... that stone is the only thing I could bring from where we lived. My mom gave it to me because it was the same as the color of my eyes, and... she had told me that if I give it away, I could give it to someone special who I'd trust and who I'd love very much, and... I thought you might be that someone."

Although the detail was small, it made Diddy smile, and he had to restrain himself so as not to blush before the last words Dixie had said: did she say that she considered him someone very special and that she loves very much?

"Oh... it's great, thank you, Dixie!" Diddy said, smiling excitedly, before looking a little confused. "Uh, Dixie, but isn't this emerald some kind of family heirloom or something?"

"No, it is not a relic, I always carried it to remember that she is taking care of us from wherever she is, but... I know she will still do so regardless of whether I take it with me or not; she told me I could give it away, so you can keep it... I know you would be that someone special to me," Dixie reassured, smiling at him. "You can use it for the pyramid that the new teacher told us to make," she suggested, whispering.

"Really?" Diddy asked again, to which Dixie nodded. "Okay, Dixie" he looked at the gift for a few seconds and paused before continuing... remembering what Dixie had told him. "You are also important to me."

Suddenly, a smile immediately appeared on Dixie's face.

"So do you," Dixie replied, smiling at him and trying not to blush too.

The two were talking alone, and at the time, Diddy remembered what Donkey had suggested to him recently.

"Uhh, Dixie... I had something to tell you too," he said with a forced smile, as he tried to take courage to tell her. "I mean, can you hear it right now?"

"Oh, yeah? What is it, Diddy?" Dixie asked, smiling, seemingly, showing some curiosity.

"W-Well, it's that..." he continued trying, but at the last second, he didn't succeed. "Uh, no, forget it, it was nothing important."

"Uh, sure?" she asked him again, still looking curious. "I mean, did you want to tell me something?"

"No, really, I even forgot," Diddy added, trying to be confident and laughing a little. "Oh, yes, I remembered: Donkey said that tomorrow he could help us with the pyramids, so you can go to our house."

"Oh... it was just that... Uh, I mean, it's okay, there's no problem tomorrow," Dixie replied… although with a forced smile, and even with an apparent disappointment.

"Yes, of course, you can go tomorrow," Diddy added, speaking normally again. "Donkey even said he could help us with the pieces of wood to use it."

"Okay, I thank you. Then we'll meet tomorrow at your house."

Diddy smiled at her, to which Dixie smiled back, and then they went away from that corner to reintegrate with the other kongs. Even so, Dixie didn't seem to want to look away from Diddy while he wasn't seeing her. She smiled at first, but then her smile faded... as if something hadn't gone as she expected.

The gathering of all kongs continued, and this time they all met together: from the older kongs to the younger.

"Dudes, I propose that we play something," Funky suggested to the rest of the Kongs.

"Yeah, and what do we play?" asked Chunky.

"Let's play truth or dare!" Swanky proposed.

"Great!" Tiny exclaimed. "Uhh, but how do we play that?"

"It's very easy," Swanky replied. "We must all stand in a circle, spin a banana in the center, and whoever it points will choose whether to answer a question truthfully or dare a challenge. Whoever lies or doesn't meet the challenge will eat the banana but covered with the mud of that puddle over there," he concluded, pointing to a very dirty muddy puddle that was nearby. "Exactly, no one is going to want to do that and it's harmful, so it's the way for you to comply."

The whole group decided to participate. They were placed in a round and therefore placed a banana in the center as indicated by Swanky.

"All right, here goes," Swanky said, spinning the banana, which stopped just pointing at himself and Donkey. "Well, with you we start, Donkey. Do you want truth or dare?"

"Dare," Donkey replied with all attitude.

"I dare you to climb that tree and stand headfirst on one of its branches," Swanky pointed to a tree with unconventional branches to climb.

"Oh, that's easy," Donkey said without concern, and proceeded to meet the challenge. He climbed the tree and stood headfirst on a branch... However, unfortunately, he weighed a lot and fell off the tree. But luckily, he had a good fall. "Geez!"

Then, he joined the group and they spun the banana again. On this occasion, it pointed to Lanky and Funky. For his part, Funky chose a dare.

"All right, Funky, I dare you to swallow one of those fallen leaves," Lanky said defiantly.

"Oh, really?!" exclaimed Funky, hands on his sides. Then, with a little disgust, he took a dried tree leaf and ate it, showing quite disgusted afterwards. "I will take revenge, Lanky!"

They spun the banana again, and this time it pointed at Tiny and Lanky. The latter also chose a dare.

"Okay, Lanky, I dare you to wallow in that puddle over there," Tiny pointed to the mud puddle.

"Oh, why me!" complained Lanky before going to dive into the puddle to finish all muddy and dirty.

"Well, revenge won't be necessary anymore," Funky said triumphantly.

They spun the banana again, and it pointed to Chunky and Candy. She chose dare as well.

"I dare you to give Donkey a hug and a kiss," Chunky said.

"Of course," Candy hugged and kissed Donkey as everyone made a tender expression.

Again, they spun the banana, and this time it pointed at Funky and Diddy. Diddy, knowing how bold Funky was, could imagine that he would put a risky challenge on him, so he decided to choose truth.

"Oh, brother, I wanted to challenge you to jump into the lake from that tree," Funky said frustrated. "But since you chose truth, well... here's the question," Funky cast a defiant look at Diddy before questioning him. "Have you ever liked Dixie?"

Diddy felt his nerves activating at the sudden question; now he wished he had chosen dare. The question also activated curiosity in others. Donkey almost burst out laughing and, at the same time, Dixie's family was in the same. For her part, Dixie tried to stay serious and calm, although she also felt the nerves alive... even if deep down she expected an affirmative answer from Diddy.

"What?! W-what do you say, Funky?! Of course not, she's my friend, and it would be... weird to see her that way," Diddy clarified, trying to sound as true as possible.

"Are you sur-"

"I said no, Funky," replied Diddy, with a forced and simulated smile before the sentence was over.

"Okay, okay," Funky said, almost laughing because he knew Diddy was lying, but he wasn't going to give him away either. "Following!"

Dixie, hearing that, just disguised an expression of seriousness, and had to admit that she was a little disappointed at that answer.

They spun the banana again, and now it pointed to Swanky and Dixie. Dixie was going to choose truth, but she didn't want awkward questions, so she chose dare. Swanky also gave her a defiant look.

"Well, Dixie, I dare you-"

"Wait, wait... Uhh, I think I don't want to play anymore," Dixie said as she stood up and smiled a little.

"Hey, what are you saying?" replied Swanky. "I was going to dare you to dip your hair in the puddle."

"Oh, no, not that! I mean…" Dixie replied, thinking of some quick excuse. "Uh, I just don't want to play anymore."

"What do you say? Just dip some of your hair," Swanky said, his hands on his sides. "Look, we have all completed challenges."

"No, no, just... I don't want to play anymore, I think I got tired," Dixie said before leaving without arguing further. "I'll be back, I'll go to rest for a while."

"Hey, Dixie, but we're all playing," Swanky said when she was further away, so he just shrugged. "Anyway. Let's continue then for now. Following!"

The group of kongs continued with their game, and spun the banana again to signal the next participants.

On the other hand, Dixie went to a corner among the trees and stayed there for a while. When suddenly... She didn't know how, but for some reason, she felt somewhat disappointed; specifying why, it led her to think about Diddy's answer; the fact that he said that it would be weird to see her more than a friendship, generated her a certain inevitable disappointment that she couldn't explain... It was as if she was somewhat frustrated to hear that.

But she didn't want to be discouraged at the time, so she later returned to the group and they continued playing with challenges or chatting until they started to get tired. Without a doubt, everyone enjoyed the moments where they did group activities.

Finally, everyone went home at the end of the meeting late at night.

A/N: We're already in the main plot :)