Nala just stared at Simba in response, and for a second – but only a second – he thought Nala was going to return his feelings. He thought she was finally going to admit that she loved him. Everything would go back to the way it originally was…

However, he was unfortunately wrong.

In a sudden explosion of anger, Nala lashed out with her claws and slashed Simba across the cheek. He cried out in pain, holding a paw to his face. "How dare you?" Nala growled furiously, glaring at Simba – hating him.

Simba stared up at her with shocked eyes. "Nala…" he began. "I… I don't understand—"

"How could you?" Nala interrupted. "I'm with Haiba!" she exclaimed. "And even if I wasn't, then I wouldn't be with you! You're pathetic, Simba! A pathetic, worthless lowlife who won't get anywhere! Face it, Simba – you're nothing. I hope you die. And I want it to hurt, too."

With that, Nala turned around and stormed off, hating every inch of Simba. She was right, after all. He wasn't worth bothering with. All he wanted was to steal her from Haiba. He just had a stupid crush on her. It was nothing like real love.

Nala knew what being in love felt like. It felt—

Nala burst into tears once Simba was out of sight. "Oh, no…" she said, sliding to the ground, her head held in her paws.

"What's wrong with me?" she asked, before hitting the ground in anger. "What's wrong with me?"

She couldn't understand her feelings. There was something – right at the back of her mind – which told her she shouldn't have done that. She shouldn't have attacked Simba, and she shouldn't have wished he were dead.

But she should have said that, shouldn't she? He was trying to steal her from Haiba! That was just plain wrong! Haiba was her one true love! The one who had always been there for her! The one who knew all the right answers! The only other person who loved her back…

I know I'm right, Nala told herself, getting to her paws and walking away, not even bothering to look back at Simba. He's not even worth my time. I'm going to see Haiba – besides, he's a much b etter friend than Simb a. He doesn't deserve anything from me.

"… So then the stupid girl actually says she loves me!" Haiba said to all of his male friends. The friends thathe supposedly didn't actually have. According to him, all the other cubs were 'spineless, brainless idiots'. "Can you believe it? She loves me! So then I've got it made. We kiss – and she's a great kisser, by the way – and the idiot has pretty much sealed her fate. Just wait until I show her how babies are made. I hear that can be very pleasurable."

One of the cubs snickered. "You're a sneaky genius, Haiba," he said. "She should have listened to Simba, huh?"

Haiba sighed, shaking his head and smiling. "Oh, dear little Simba…" he said. "The only cub around here with actual logic and reason. The only problem is that he's a total freak. He would have won Nala over – that is, if she had any common sense. But like I said – she's totally dumb. I don't even think she has a brain!"

"Haiba…" a voice softly spoke from behind him. Haiba turned around to find himself staring at Nala, who had a confused smile on her face. "What's… what's going on around here?"

"Nala?" Haiba's eyes widened, before he chuckled. "I was just, uh, well, you know…"

"Who are all these people?" Nala looked left and right at all the cubs that had gathered around Haiba in a large field.

"Aren't these all those spineless, brainless cubs you were talking about?"

"Hey – we're not completely brainless!" one cub declared in defence. "By the way, Haiba, what is two plus two again?"

Haiba sighed, slapping a paw to his face. "It's four, you numbskull," he told the cub, before looking at Nala. "Sorry about this, Nala. Good help is so hard to find these days. I'm sure you understand, though."

"What… what are you talking about?" Nala asked. "Are you saying that these cubs are actually your friends?"

Haiba realised the mistake he had made, and frowned. "Well… yes, Nala. They are indeed my friends." He put his paw around her, hugging her close to him. "But now they can be our friends."

"I don't understand…" She thought she was Haiba's only friend. "I thought your only friend was me, Haiba. That's what you always said."

Haiba shrugged. "I lied," he told her. He sneered at Nala's shocked reaction. "Well, don't act too surprised. Everyone lies. Even you. You lie all the time. You say you don't like Simba – but I know the truth."

"Oh, really?" Nala shot him an angry look. "Then tell me, Haiba – what is the truth, hmm?"

Haiba took a step towards her. "You're cheating on him with me," he said. "I know it. That's where you went, isn't it? To kiss with Simba!"

"No!" Nala cried, shaking her head. "I wouldn't ever do something like that! I don't love him! I don't even like him! Haiba, I love—"

"Silence!" Haiba boomed, holding up a paw for her to stop speaking. "I've heard enough, Nala. I know when you're lying to me. I've always known. It's not me you're in love with…"

"Yes, it is!" Nala insisted, getting closer to him. "Haiba, there's no one I'd rather be with than you. Why can't you understand that? It's you who's lying! We're supposed to be best friends!"

At that point, Haiba burst out laughing, waving a paw in the air. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry, I can't hold it in. It's… it's just too funny." He looked up at Nala. "Oh, Nala… you certainly know how to make me laugh, but I'm afraid that's just not going to help in the grand scheme of things."

"Haiba, what are you saying?" Nala asked. Tears were welling up in her eyes. Was the best day of her life quickly going to become the worst?

"I'm saying that it's over," Haiba replied. "You're just… too stupid for me to be with. I was just going to keep you around for the kissing, but jeez! You're a total idiot! It's not even worth it!"

"But we were friends and—"

"Ha!" Haiba cut her off, grinning. "You actually thought we were friends? I'd have to be insane to make friends with you! Absolutely insane! You're living in a dream world, Nala. I'm not surprised you're so inept."

"But I loved you!" Nala cried, causing all of Haiba's friends to laugh at her. "And you're supposed to love me!"

"Nala, there's only one cub stupid enough to be in love with you," Haiba told her. "The trouble is you're too foolish to notice he's even there. Now get out of my sight. I have other girls to kiss…"

"Why, you… you…" Nala couldn't control her anger, and leapt at Haiba, tackling him to the ground. She tried to slash at him with her claws, but Haiba quickly kicked her in the stomach, sending her flying onto her back.

Haiba growled, getting to his paws and grabbing Nala by the throat, his claws digging into her neck. "That's it," he said, his voice low and threatening. "I've had enough. I'm going to finish you off once and for all, you stupid girl."

Haiba pinned Nala to the ground. She struggled to break free, but it was no use. "Let me go!" she yelled. "Let me go!"

Haiba laughed evilly, smiling. "I don't think so," he replied. "I'm going to kill you."

Nala's eyes widened in fear. "No! Don't kill me! Please, Haiba! I'll do anything!"

Haiba just laughed again. "Shut up, girlie. It might make this a bit less painful." He raised his free paw, extending his claws, ready to slash Nala in the throat and silence her once and for all.

"No! I don't want to die!" Nala cried, terrified. "I don't want to die!"

"Too bad," Haiba snickered. "Because I do want you to die!"

Nala closed her eyes, knowing that she was dead.

But then, she heard Haiba grunting in pain, and her eyes snapped open to see that he was lying on the ground, pinned down by…

Simba?

It was Simba! He was growling angrily, his paws around Haiba's throat, ready to kill him if necessary.

"Don't touch her," he threatened, shaking with rage. "If you lay so much as a claw on her, then I'll kill you."

Haiba chuckled in response. "You're going to kill me?" he laughed, pointing at Simba. "Don't be so ridiculous. You couldn't kill an ant!"

Simba felt a sudden urge. To rip Haiba's throat out and finish him off. It would certainly put an end to all the trouble he had caused him. He extended his claws, ready to murder him in cold blood.

But then, he hesitated, sheathing his claws and releasing Haiba from his grip. He then walked away from him, heading over to his one true love. "Nala?"

A weak look on her face, Nala managed a smile at him. "Simba…" she said, before slipping away into unconsciousness, her eyes flickering shut.

Simba did the most noble thing he could think of, and put Nala on his back, before walking away, leaving all the trouble behind.

Haiba just watched him leave, frowning. A red glow appeared in his eyes, and he speak in a deep, demonic voice. "You win this time, Simba…"

Simba lowered Nala gently to the ground, next to the water hole. Coincidentally, it was where Nala had carried him earlier, after Haiba had beaten him up. Now it was the other way around.

Her eyes slowly flickered open, and she smiled at the sight of him. "Simba?" she said, sounding frail and weak. "You… you saved me."

Simba smiled down at her. "Of course I did," he told her. "I'd do anything for you, Nala. You're my best friend – even if you don't feel the same way about me. And that's never gonna change."

And then – in that exact moment – Nala realised who she really loved. It was Simba. It always had been. He was the one who cared for her. He was the one who knew all the right answers. He was the one who loved her back.

"I think it might," Nala told him, pulling Simba close to her. "'Cause I've just realised something. It's been you. It's always been you, Simba. I've just been too stupid to realise that. Every time you tried to show me you cared, I just… I just threw it right back in your face. I concentrated on stupid old Haiba." She hung her head low, sighing. "I'm sorry."

"That's okay," Simba said. He didn't care what Nala had done. She was safe, and that was what mattered. "But I meant what I said, you know. I really do love you."

Nala giggled. "I know, Simba," she replied. "And I love you, too."

And before Simba even knew it, they were kissing. Wow… he thought, as his heart began to pound in his chest, faster than it ever had before. That was quick. I wonder why…

His heart began to beat faster and faster. Hey… my heart is b eating pretty fast, he realised. Just what the heck is— Simba screamed, his eyes snapping open. "Whoa!" he exclaimed, his eyes wide. "What the heck happened? What the heck…?"

He looked around, and found himself lying in the den at Pride Rock. He saw two figures running towards him, and quickly recognised them as Nala and Haiba. He smiled. Looks like it was a dream after all, he concluded, happy.

"Simba!" Nala cried, an urgent look on her face.

"We've missed a day!" Haiba yelled, looking worried. "A whole day of our lives and we've missed it!"

"What?" Simba slowly sat up. "What do you mean?"

"It's the next morning," Haiba explained. "According to your Mom and Dad, we've been missing a whole day."

"Yeah!" Nala agreed, nodding. "What happened to us?"

"I…" Simba scratched his head. "I don't know. I mean, I thought it was just a dream…"

"Thought what was a dream?" asked Haiba, noticing his perplexed reaction.

Simba narrowed his eyes, a sudden thought occurring to him. That felt far too real for it to b e just a dream…

"I think something's messing with us," Simba confessed. "Something – or someone…"

"What are you talking about?" Nala asked.

Simba shook his head. "I don't know. But I would like to find out."