Hi people! First of all I wanna thank everyone that had send me a post! It means a lot to me. THANKS!!!
Disclaimer: I don't know them, I don't know them. I'm not making any profit. They are great singers.
Note: I'm changing the time, I know that the Millenium tour wasn't early this year, but last year. But hey!, I don't even know what songs there are in the new CD, so using 'Black and Blue' would have been TRULY difficult for me!
My thanks to my beautiful S. D. Lucly. Love you baby!
Now with the story.
Just the truth By M. F. Luder
Chapter 6
Ring
The telephone interrupted Kate in her homework. Even though she only had to take two classes of Architecture Drawing, it was kinda though. She was taking one class this year and the petite woman knew she had to spend as much time practicing as she could. After all, what was needed in that class was expertise in the lines and exact drawings.
Ring
Placing the fountain pen on next to the board, she stood up and walked towards Matt's desk, where the phone was located.
"Astadourian." Pulling the chair and sitting to be more comfortable, she started cleaning her dear friend's desk a little bit. If there was a word that could describe Matt, would be 'messy'.
/Oh! Phile talking. I didn't know Matt had that much influence in you girl!/ a young male said on the other side of the phone line.
"Ha, ha. Very funny Nick. And it wasn't Matt influence, actually I find it very elegant to answer with your last name." She couldn't believe how Matt could live with all this mess. She was a very neat person and living with someone who wouldn't place the pencils in the pencil case was down right unbearable!
/So, the fact that both Mulder and Scully answer the phone with their last names has nothing to do with this?/ The blonde's voice was a combination between teasing and curiosity.
"Yep, has nothing to do with it. However that is the reason why Matt does it. Not me." Kate said while taking a couple of Matt's books into the bookcase. Placing them in alphabetic order, she was pleased with it and could focus on the phone call.
/Ok, ok. Can't blame a Phile for trying to convert someone/
"It'll take you more than that to convert me. Matt has tried for the past 5 years. Hasn't work. I like it, but not that much." Sitting again, she started doing doodles on one of the stationers they had next to the phone. Matt had bough X-Files' stationers for the whole house.
/Same goes for Brian. Likes it but it's not a Phile./
"Why are you calling anyway, kiddo?"
/Oh, right! Where have you been? I've been trying to call you since 2pm and no one answered./
"It's Thursday." She said as it would answer any of his questions.
/So? It is Thursday. What does that has to do with anything?/ The blue eyed man didn't know what she was talking about. For him Thursday was just another day in the week. When you're on the road it doesn't matter what day it is, or which city you're in, you just have to be on time for the venue and that's all there is to it.
"You of little knowledge. Thursday is the day from hell. More for Matt than for me, but a day from hell none the less. He's got classes from 7am to 7pm, I've got from 9am to 5.30pm." She said looking around for something more to clean. She had even consider having a different study than sharing this one with Matt, but he was changing - a little by little - but it was a change after all.
/Oh! I didn't know. Twelve hours straight in college? Ouch!/ He didn't know how was life in college, but he did know how difficult it was to pay attention at something when you've been busy all day long and how much you just wanna get home - or the hotel in his case.
"Double ouch for him! He's used to it. Medicine has the longest hours in class. He still hates it though. Why did ya call?"
/Yeah! Forgot. Well, I was thinking about our little 'government conspiracy'. I think I've got some ideas./ His voice was full of mischief, like a child knowing he was told not to play before dinner, but was doing it anyway.
"Oh! I love it when you think mean! Great, I was starting to feel the lack of good ideas. What have you got in mind?" She leaned over in the desk, placing her elbow in the surface and resting her face in her palm, while her other hand had the phone against her ear.
/You'd die of happiness Darling, I'm sure of it!/
With that the twenty year old started telling her his 'master plan'. He had given it a lot of thought during rehearsal and Fatima had almost killed him for not paying attention at the changes in the choreography. He had been watching Kevin thoughtfully, trying to read the older man, trying to predict how he will react to the 'actions' taken.
After about ten minutes in the phone, and a couple of laughs from the younger girl, the plan was known by both of the conspiracies executors and it was ready to begin to work.
"My god Nick, what have you been reading!? How to torture your friend in love?" she couldn't help but laugh just by thinking of the older man's plan.
The blond man too laughed, it had been tough to make everything fit, but it had been worth it. /Hey! It took me a long time to think of that, ok? Besides the fact that I couldn't sleep well last night after the incident. My god I was so wanting to yell at them to just kiss!/ He had felt completely frustrated by the whole ordeal.
"I know what you mean. But hey, we just help them. We can't force them - or him - to accept it." Her voice full of recognition. This wasn't the first time Matt had like someone, but the previous guys had been just a week crush, nothing mayor. He'd comment that this guy was cute, and the other one had a great personality, but nothing much. It had never been worked on it. This case was completely different. She knew her best friend and he had it BAD. He was head over heels for the older man, but he wasn't ready to accept it.
/Are you sure we can't?/ His voice trying to convince his younger friend. If Matt didn't want to accept it, well he'd take matters in hand.
"Nope Nickolas, we can't. Matt would kill us if we force him onto anything." She sighed, she had talked with him last night after the pool incident. Unknown to his co-conspirator, it hadn't been the first incident either. Matt hadn't said anything about it. 'It was nothing' had been his exact words. "So, when does the torture begins?"
/Not today, at least. We were killed by Fatima. I swear that girl gets this sick pleasure in seeing us crawl back to the sits for a sip of water./ Nick said as he remember the earlier practice. They had been going on and on for endless hours and Fatima would only give them this evil grin of her own.
The eighteen year old girl couldn't help but laugh. If she had ever thought that being on the 'business' was easy, she knew better now. Sure, she didn't know about the touring yet, but seeing the guys practice till came over them had been enough. "She's just doing her job."
/I know! But she enjoys it too much!/
"When does the plan starts anyway?" She said bringing them both to matter at hand.
/I was thinking about tomorrow. When does your classes finish?/
"Umm... we're done at 5.30pm. How are we gonna manage it without looking suspicious?" She knew Matt would read right through it without any problem.
/Don't worry, I have my ways. You just make sure Matt accepts, ok?/ His plan had to work. It just had to!
"Ok. I'll try my best. I'll call you tonight."
/Great! Tomorrow at 6pm, right after college./
"Right after college. Got it."
/Gotta go. See ya tomorrow then. Bye/
"Bye." With that she hung up the phone and made her way to her desk. Picking up the fountain pen again, she started thinking about the plan. It was mean, that was for sure. He would notice something was wrong when they arrive, she knew. But at the same time it would probably work. Smiling to herself, she focus on drawing at hand. She'd have to convince Matt, but she had her ways.
Finally pulling into the garage, I let my head fall into the steering wheel. It was already 7.45 by the time I got home. I just couldn't believe there would be that much traffic at this hour! Picking up my backpack, I made my way to the study. Looking around I noticed that Kate had cleaned up my desk. All the books I had left there the day before were in the book case. The house was as clean as it was in insistence of her.
I walked towards the living-room, hoping to see her there.
"I'm in the kitchen!" I heard her say.
Walking into the kitchen I saw her. She was dressed only in jeans and loose T-shirt. Her long chestnut brown hair braided. She looked lovely.
"Hey love." I walked towards her. Encircling my arms around her small waist, I placed my forehead in the crock of her neck.
"Did you put the backpack in the study?" her eyes never leaving the pot in the stove.
"Yeah. That's why I didn't come before. Knew you'd kill me if I left it in the living room." I raised my head just enough to kiss her in the neck, then making my way with small kisses to her ear and finishing in her cheek. With my arms still around her, I looked over her shoulder, my chin resting on it. "What ya making?"
"Spaghetti with red sauce." She said turning around to kiss my nose and forehead. "Thought you'd like it after today."
"Thanks babe. You're just too good for me." She knew how much I loved Italian food. Spaghetti and pizza my favorite.
"Was the last thing I could do for not riding with you today." Her hand making slow circling movements with the wooden spoon in the sauce.
"You know it's better if we take different cars. It's pointless for you to be there at 7am for a 9am class and wait for me for an hour and a half would be mean." I loved holding her like that. She was leaning on my chest, her cheek against forehead.
"I know. Still I hate having to ride alone. Guess I'm just too used to you." Her voice was full of humor and I could tell she was just trying to cheer me up.
"Ha, ha! You know you love me."
"You're damn right!" Taking a sip of the sauce, she dipped the spoon on it once again and moved it to my mouth. "What ya think?"
Taking a sip myself, I smiled. "It's delicious. I don't know what I'd do without your cooking."
"You'd be living off tv meals and delivery." Placing the spoon by the side of the stove and turning it off. She turned around and encircled me with her arms, resting her head against my chest. "I love you."
"I know you do. I love you too."
We stayed like that for a little while, then she pulled away and toke my hand in hers and we moved to the living room.
I sat on the couch and she cuddle closer to me. Taking the control, I started looking for something good to watch. Stopping in HBO that was showing ID4, I placed the control in the center table.
"This? We've watch it a thousand times." She said, her head never leaving my chest and her arms around my waist.
"Yep. We know what happens, we don't have to pay attention to it."
"You're nuts."
"But you still love me."
After about ten minutes and The president receiving the message from the alien, she spoke. "Do you have plans for tomorrow after college?"
Thinking about our schedule for tomorrow, I remember that we had classes till 5.30pm. Actually I had classes till 5.30, she had classes till 5pm. "Nope. Why do you ask?"
"Nick called earlier to see if we could hang out tomorrow." She was just telling me half of the idea, of course.
"Sure. What time?"
"Right after college." 'Good Kate, just say what needs to be known.'
"Ok. Why not?" I didn't see any problem with it, after all we've been hanging out with the twenty year old man a lot lately.
With that the conversation ended. Of course that I didn't notice her victory smirk.
I walked to the study as quietly as I could. Kate had already gotten into bed, since it was 11.49pm, and the last thing I wanted was to was wake her up.
Opening the door, I got inside. I sat on my desk and turned on my computer. Logging on internet, I decided to check my email. Nothing out of the ordinary, some emails from the list I was on and a couple from this on line friends I had. However I wasn't here to check my email. I wanted to some research about the guys. I didn't know anything about them, and I was thinking about finding out.
First of all I visited the official page and let me tell you that it's one boring page! Knowing that if I really wanted to learn about them I'd have the check the fan's pages, I went to Yahoo for some help and started surfing through the various pages that had been shown.
"School work?" I heard a voice ask from the hallway, her tone ironic.
Damn. Busted.
I moved the mouse around and was planning on closing all the windows, so she didn't have any prove against me. However she predicted my actions and said. "It'll be pointless, I know exactly what you're doing."
Walking through the study until she was by my side, she leaned down and looked at the screen over my shoulders. "I knew it."
"It's just research." I said trying to cover myself, but I knew it was, as she said before, pointless.
"Yeah, right. And I'm Scully." But before I could answer that with my usual 'But you're my Scully' she continued. "I know, I know I'm your Scully." Going over her desk and pulling the chair so she was seated by my side, she asked. "What did you find?"
"Nothing much. The usual stuff, fav. color, food, cars. Their b-days and age." At least I knew something more about them.
"And what about this?" she said as she pointed at a page in the screen, using the mouse to opened it up.
'Crap!' I muttered to myself as the window displayed itself. I was hoping against hope that she wouldn't notice it.
"A page about Kevin?" she turned around to look at me, her eyes full of mischief. I wasn't gonna live this down.
A just shrugged as she started reading through the page. There was little information about either of them. I mean, the basics. However I was surprised to find out that he was professional ball-room dancer.
"Ball-room dancer?" she asked when she had gotten to that part.
"That's what it says. If you want to know for real you'll have to ask him." I looked at the screen one more time and decided to check out some other pages. Maybe I'd find something a little bit more interesting.
"Why don't you ask him?" her tone was teasingly. She knew perfectly well that if I really wanted to know, I'd ask him. However I wasn't that interested in it. Yeah right!
"I don't wanna know." I opened another link and came across fanfic about them.
"I so don't believe you Matty! You're dyeing to know for sure!" she dropped her arm around my shoulders and pull me closer to her. "Tell me the truth. You do like him."
I turned around to look at her. My head was croaked slightly, my left eyes was partly closed and my right eyebrow lifted. That was my typical 'you've got to be kidding' face. However I didn't know if I was doing it because it was obvious that I did like him, or that I just wasn't gonna tell her even if I liked him.
"There are fanfic about them." I said trying to change the subject. If anything I didn't wanna talk about it right now.
"Really?" she took the mouse in her hands and choose one of the links to a fanfic page.
"No. I'm just making it up. Of courser there is."
"Have you read any?" Looking through the page, she clicked in one of the names and started to read it pretty quickly.
"Nope. Just found about it. Are you reading it?" I asked amused by it. I too was feeling a little bit curios about what they would write about them.
"I'm just looking through."
"Sure you are love. Sure you are." I too started reading a little bit. It looked like the classical story about how they met them in a concert and fall in love with one of them right away.
"There's got to be something more interesting than this!" taking the control of the mouse in her hands, I decided to scoot over and let her check through the page as much as she wanted.
I looked at the clocked and it was already 12.55 am. "Baby. I think it's better if we just leave for now. It's late and God knows we are not going to wake up tomorrow!"
With a slight pout she log off and turned off the computer. "Ok, but we'll do some more 'research' tomorrow, right?"
Throwing glances between the computer and her, I just shrugged. "If you really want to."
"Come on! Like you don't wanna know either!" placing her arm around my waist, she continued. "You're dyeing to know!"
Dropping my arm on her shoulders, something I've been doing ever since I was twelve, I walked her to her room. "I just wanted to know a little bit more about them."
"I'm not blind Matt."
"Nope, but you're in your way." I said with a smile. If anything we had both just come to notice that we were going to need glasses very soon. I knew it'd happen sooner or later, after all the time I spend in the computer, it was the last price I had to pay for it. Not that I was complaining, I always thought glasses make you look smarter.
As she sat down on her bed, I kissed her goodnight on the cheek and left for my room.
"Love you." I heard her call after me.
"Love you too." I answered when I was in my door, after all I was just across the hall.
As I changed into my pjs, I remembered one of the many pictures I had been checking on line. He looked gorgeous with that blue sweater. With a smile, I got into bed and decided that the best for me was to go to sleep. After all I had classes tomorrow.
I looked at the clock for the thousand time in just two minutes. It was already 5.25pm on Friday afternoon and the clock seemed to not want me out of this class.
Anatomy.
There was nothing as dull as Anatomy and I was hating every minute of it. Kate was probably already outside the door waiting for the bell to run. To tell you the truth, so was I.
She had been all mysterious about where we were going. She had only said 'You'll have fun', which was what scare me. She had even insisted on coming with her car. That was down right weird, we usually come to classes with my car. I don't know why, I guess a black 4Runner called for less attention than a gray BMW.
Looking over to the clock again I wanted to scream. It was only 5.26pm and every minute seemed like a life time. I was trying to pay attention to the teacher, but I just hated anatomy. All you have to do is know which artery is which, what are the names of the bones and you'll pass. It was so... dull.
There! The bell rang and, putting all my notebook in the backpack, I made my way out off the room.
"Air!" I said while getting to the hall, if anything most of the windows had been closed and I felt like I was asphyxiating.
"Finally!" she stood up from the sits by the side of all the walls in the campus and packed her book. "Let's go!"
"Sure. I just wanna get out of here as fast as I can."
Carrying both backpacks and placing my arm on her shoulders in a protective manner - hey, can't help it! - we made our way to the parking lot.
"Where are we going?" Opening the passengers door, I threw both backpacks to the back sit of the care.
"I'm not telling." Placing the key in the ignition, she started the car and we were in the highway in no time.
"Why no? Come on!" I knew I was whining, but I just didn't like to be kept in the dark. I started looking through the glove compartment for something to listen to until I found a very estrange and new CD for me. "What is it?" I asked as I showed her the CD.
Blushing a little, she whispered something I couldn't understand.
"What?" I knew I was just doing it to embarrass her, but hey, it work in my book.
"A Backstreet Boys' CD ok! You happy now!" her cheeks looked just too adorable with that reddish color.
I had to laugh, I knew she too listen to the 90's music from time to time. But a boy-band? Even though they were our friends... I still found it hard to believe. "When did you buy it?"
"Yesterday after college. I have the other three."
"I can't believe you both them all!"
"Yeah, the others are in my room. This one is the last one, the one they are doing the tour for. Millenium. Great CD cover I think." She looked at me for a moment, then resume looking at the road.
"It's a nice picture." I didn't want to think about it. Kevin looked great, though.
"Put it on."
"I don't think so..."
"Oh, come on! You've never heard them before. Even 'I want it that way', you've only heard the chorus on the radio." She was trying to be subtle with the whole thing, if anything I wasn't asking where we were going anymore.
"Ok. Ok." With that I put the CD on and some very loud, kinda rock music started. "What is that?"
"Larger than Life. I think is for their fans."
I nodded and started listening to the song. It was kinda nice, not my type, but nice.
After a while of listening to their cd - we were in the 5th song, I guess - I turned around and looked at Kate for the nth time since we had left the campus. "Are you or are you not going to tell me where are we going?"
Her gaze left the road for a moment, and focus on my eyes. "You just have to be patient Matt."
Crossing my arms in my chest, I said something like a "hum" and sat back down. I was hating not knowing what was going on.
Twenty minute later we were pulling into the driveway. As I looked up to see where we were, since I had been trying to finish my reading while she was driving, I realized I was trapped.
Turning around to see her, she was smiling from ear to ear. "Katherine Lynn Astadourian."
"What?" her voice trying to sound innocent and angelic. Liar. She opened the door and left the car.
Without anything else for me to do, I left the car as well. Walking over to the gate, I saw a figure leaning on one of the cars. I couldn't tell who it was - besides the fact that I was starting to notice that I needed glasses. However Kate sure knew the person, as she was walking right to him. As I came closer, I realized it was our new friend.
"Nick?"
"Yep! How are ya Matt?" he said as he hug me.
"Why are you wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap?" Sure, it was sunny, but not that sunny.
"I don't wanna be mob." The blond man whispered back.
"Ok. So what are we doing in Disney?"
Nick looked over at Kate, who just smiled in answered, and then turned again to me. "Kate told me you had never came here, so I thought it'd be good idea."
Just as I was about to ask something else, I saw another car pulling next to us. Focusing on the person inside, I wasn't sure who it was. As he left the car, I can swear that all color must have left my face as well.
Turning around I looked over at both Kate and Nick, my eyes flashing anger. My breathing was uneven and my eyes had narrowed instantly. Both of them just looked at me, like nothing was wrong! Looking back at the person, I just couldn't help but want to leave that place in that very same instant - no wonder Kate wanted to come in her car.
"Matt." The older man said as he realized he, too, had been set up.
"Kevin." My eyes never leaving his piercing green ones. I was so mad at them. Nope, screw mad. I was furious!
Looking over at the blue eyed man, his voice soft and low. "Nick, you didn't told me we were having company."
The blond man just shrugged, like he didn't know which color to choose. "I forgot." Was his answer.
'He forgot.' Thought the dark haired man. 'He forgot. He doesn't know what he's doing to me right now and all he can say is 'I forgot!'. He didn't know wherever to cry or to scream. He couldn't spend the rest of the day in the amusement park with the college student. If anything he'd die in the process.
"Shall we go?" asked the younger singer, offering his arm to the petite girl.
Smiling at him, the brown eyed girl took it gratefully and off they were, walking through the gates and into, what was supposed to be, a place of happiness. Leaving a very uncomfortable pair behind them, neither of them what to do.
"Guess we have to go too, huh?"
"They didn't leave us much of choice." Rearranging his baseball cap and sunglasses, the older man motioned for me to walk with him into the place. With a smile, we both entered.
"Think this will work?" The voice of the college student barely above a whisper, if anything she was afraid of the consequences of their actions.
"I'm hoping it will." The older man whispered back. This had to work, otherwise they were both toasted.
"What if it doesn't? Did you see how stiff Matt went when he saw Kevin? He's gonna kill us after this." Shaking her head, she placed her palm against her forehead. She loved her best friend dearly, but was afraid of the reaction.
"If it works, then it'll be worth it. Just calm down and play cool. Lets see what happens." Sighing he hoped his words were true. If he wasn't kill by the younger man, the dark haired man would sure do it.
About ten feet behind them were both Kevin and I, walking side by side. Neither of us had said anything since we entered the place. Guess we were both hating this moment with everything we had.
"So..." I started. At least we could talk, right? "Nick tricked you?"
The green eyed man looked at me and smiled. "Yeah, he said he wanted to come here, since it's been long enough since the last time and wanted me to come with him. I asked him why he didn't ask Brian, and he said that he was busy. I should have seen right through it."
"Hey, I didn't do much better. Kate didn't want me to know where we were going. I didn't push either." Looking over at the couple before us, I could see they were talking quietly, probably debating which game to start off with. "I don't know why they wanted both of us to come." Ok, I knew. But I wasn't gonna tell him that, now was I?
Kevin gave me a small smile and resume his looking through the path they were heading. 'If you only knew Matt, if you only knew. I would have understood it coming from Brian, but Nick?' he too was lost. However he didn't know that Nick's plan was killing two birds with one stone.
I have to be honest, I was having a great time. I was never the person to go for amusement parks when I was younger, let alone at this age, but it was great. We had gotten into about five games and I was having a blast. Kate and Nick would sit together, so that just left Kevin and I. Not that I was complaining, but still I had been a little bit scared at the beginning.
By the second game, which had been a roller coaster, I was screaming. I still don't know if it was from the excitement or from the fear. What I do remember is clutching to Kevin's arm for protection. He had, in return, put his arm around my shoulders and held me there until the silly thing stopped. There's no need to say that I had almost killed Nick for that. I didn't like heights.
"You're just like Brian." Had been his answer. Damn him!
As we were heading God knows where, since it was Nick who was guiding the whole thing, we were talking about the rides and how much fun we were having. We were waiting on line for one of the rides, it was something about water and a roller coaster, but Nick had promised it wasn't too high and since I loved the water, I was gonna like it. Both Kevin and Nick didn't want to use his 'celebrity' status and were fine with waiting on line.
I was talking with Kevin about how much fun I was having and how I couldn't believe I hadn't come here sooner when I saw someone tapping Kevin on the shoulder.
He turned around to look at the person who had called his attention and froze in the spot. Both Nick and Kate turned around to see why we had gotten so quiet. Nick, of course, recognize the person.
"Kevin."
"Kristin." Said the older man, his voice as steady as he could muster in that moment.
"It's been long enough since the last time we spoke. How are you doing?"
I had to say she was a stunning beautiful woman. Her skin was fair and porcelain white, amazing blue eyes, shining golden hair. She had a great figure, to say the least. Long legs and great body. Who she was? That was beyond me.
Turning around to notice the rest of the company, she smiled at the blond singer. "Nick. It's good to see you too."
"Hi." He mumbled. Unknown to me was that he had never liked her at all. She was a gold digger and he hated her guts.
"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend Kevin?" she asked, or should I say demanded?
"Kristin, this are Matt and Kate, friends of mine. Guys, this is Kate, and old friend." After he had made the proper introductions, he hoped she'd just leave. He was having a great time and the last thing he wanted was for it to be ruined by her.
"And old friend?" the woman questioned. "Is that who I am now? What happened to the fiancée title?"
Ok, I needed an ambulance and I needed it fast, coz my heart had just stopped. FIANCEE!? What was that about? I didn't know Kevin was engaged!
"We broke up Kristin. We are just friends now." The older man clarified. He didn't like her tone, he didn't like the fact that she was behaving like she had power over him.
"Oh, that's right. You didn't want to get married with me, right? You're so fickle Kevin." Her cold and expressionless, she wanted to torture him and that was obvious.
"It was a pleasure seeing you again Kristin, but if you don't mind, my friends and I are busy right now." He wanted her out of the way. And soon.
"Oh, am I'm interrupting you? Sure, I have to leave anyway." With that, she smiled at Kevin one last time and left.
At that moment I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding. After all, who was I to care about his private life? We were just friends. 'I hate this.' I thought to myself.
After she had left we were all uncomfortable. I wanted to kill Kate, that was for sure. If I had had a teeny tiny little hope that maybe Kevin too felt the same way, now those hopes were gone. He was as straight as they get. I sighed, I wanted to head back home and quickly.
Before any of us could say anything, we were in the door of the ride. We got in. Kate and Nick in the front and Kevin and I in the back. It was a nice ride. It was kinda a roller coaster, but inside this creepy place.
When we got out Kate and Nick started talking.
"Why didn't you tell me he had been engaged?!" yelled Kate, even though she was keeping her voice low enough that only Nick could hear her.
"They broke up two weeks after he proposed. It didn't even got to the media. Kev said something about knowing they weren't meant to be together."
"Still that means he's straight! How could you let something like this slip!" She sighed knowing that by the time we headed home, she'd be dead. "He's gonna kill me before we even get home."
"I still have hope that Kevin does feel the same way. You saw the whole thing at the pool." He wanted to believe that both of us could be a couple at the end.
"What if it was nothing by Kevin's part? Matt would..." she didn't finish her thought. If she had told him, then I would have really gotten mad. "Forget it. It's getting late anyway, lets just head back home."
"We still have one ride left."
"Forget it!"
"No. Look, if there's some hope at least, then we'd see it here. Please."
With a sighed, she nodded. "I'm dead anyway."
While those two were fighting over who was gonna get killed first, I was walking silently with Kevin. None of us had said a word since that woman left.
"I never liked her that much." He mumbled.
"Then why did you ask her to marry you?" I knew I was going out of the way with the question, after all I was no one in his life, but I had to ask.
He focused his gaze in his folded hands, he didn't know what to say. "I don't know. I guess we've been going on and off for so long, that I thought that it was the best. But when I did, I realized it was the wrong move. I didn't love her. That's why I called it off."
"Guess she didn't take it too well." My voice low enough that only he could hear me.
"Yeah. She threw a fit about it. Saying how I could do it to her, that I was nuts about proposing and then calling it off so soon. I was glad when it all stopped. She just got used to the idea, I guess."
"Probably." Was my answered.
By this time we were already at the entrance of the next ride, however I haven't notice that it was the love boat. How had Nick and Kate gotten us here without us knowing? I didn't wanna ask. I turned around and glared and Kate. She was trying to give me a stroke or what? Before I could complained about it, both Kate and Nick had gotten inside.
I looked over at Kevin and shrugged. Without a word both of us got into the tiny boat. As the ride started, all I could see was this red lights and darkness at the end.
I tried to calm down enough so my breathing was even. The last thing I needed was Kevin to realized that I was completely uncomfortable with the situation. Not that I wasn't liking it. I think I would have been thrilled if it wasn't for the fact that I had just found out that the object of my affection would never feel the same way about me. Life sucks sometimes, doesn't it?
We were completely quiet in the ride, none of us wanting to even betray the silence around us. I guess I didn't say a word because I was scared to death. I could feel my sanity slipping through my fingers and I couldn't do anything about it. And to make matters worse we were in a public place with people, even though were my friends, I didn't feel completely comfortable around. I just wanted to head home and cool for the rest of the century.
Kevin sighed. Here he was in a romantic place with the man he liked, however he couldn't do a damn thing about it. And if that wasn't horrible enough, he had to come across Kristin. It had like he had been high when he had popped the question. He had regretted it afterwards and had been completely thrilled when everything had been over with. How could he even imagine that he'd be happy with a woman when he was gay was beyond his rational mind.
He looked over at the man next to him. He was so young and cheerful, in a way he reminded him of Nick, but so much different at the same time. He knew his feelings went deeper than just a simple crush, but he still couldn't face them. Slowly he moved his arm so it was resting against the back of the sit, touching the young man's next slightly.
I flinched as I realized that Kevin had moved his arm. My mind was going into overdrive as I tried not to believe that he was doing it to be closer to me. 'He's straight you blind! He doesn't like you!' my rational mind screamed. Ok, now all I had was not to act upon my feelings. However that was a lot easier said than done, as I - subconsciously anyway - leaned over his arm. At least I wanted to fool myself for a while.
As the older man felt the college student leaned into his touch, his heart started to beat faster and faster. 'I'm seeing just want I want to see. He's probably just resting a little bit and I'm just seeing things' he kept telling himself. Ever so slowly he turned around to gaze right into my eyes.
Feeling his gaze on me, I turned around myself. I couldn't see his eyes, I couldn't see anything for that matter, it was just too dark. Without even thinking about it, I started to move closer to him, my feeling taking over my body.
The green eyed would have loved to look into the eyes of the younger man, just by looking at those eyes he would feel happy and thrilled all in the same time. Before he could control himself, he leaned over slightly, trying to reduce the space between as much as possible.
I didn't know that Kevin was leaning over me as well as my face was coming closer and closer to his. I knew I'd make a fool of myself at kissing him. And I didn't even cared that my very first kiss would be a stolen one, but in that moment all I wanted was to taste his lips on mine. His cologne was intoxicating me as closer as I came to him. I could even feel his breathing against my nose.
As the distance was as small as it could be without our lips brushing against the other's, I saw a flick light through the corner of my eye. Pulling away ever so quickly, I sat back on the other side of the boat. Putting as much distance as I could between the both of us.
He too saw the light coming closer as he was about to bring our lips together. Knowing it was the best thing for both of us to do, he pulled away and moved his arm from the back of the seat. Placing both of his hands on his lap, he started to play with his rings. He had almost blown it. He had almost kissed him and embarrassed both of them.
I thanked God when the small boat we were both in got to the end of the path. Kate and Nick were waiting for us there, since they had been in the one before us. Without either of us saying a thing, we made out way out of the ride.
"Do you wanna see anything else?" As the words left his mouth, Kate glared at him. Intelligent girl, at least she thinking now! The last thing I needed right now was to be with people.
"I think we better leave Nick." Stated Kevin.
Kate and Matt both nodded and silently we made out way to the parking lot. After saying our goodbyes and me promising Nick to kill him when I hugged him, both Kate and I got into her car.
Matt and Kate had just left, when Kevin turned around to talk with the younger man. Coming closer and closer ever so slowly, he made sure to scare him to life. At least like that he'd think before setting him up, even though he didn't know he had done it.
"If you ever do something like that, not telling me who else is coming with us, I swear to God Nick I'll never speak to you." His voice was as cold and steady as he could muster. He needed to get out and he needed it to be quick.
The younger man only nodded, afraid of doing something else to upset his friend. He had not only gotten Kate mad, Matt furious, but Kevin pissed off as well. 'Well, it was a productive day, wasn't it?' he thought to himself.
Giving the blue eyed man one last look, Kevin got into his car and speeded off to his house.
Nick sighed as he saw the black 4Runner leaving the parking lot.
"It wasn't boring." He said a lout. God, he was dead meat.
Kate had already taken the highway, we had left both Kevin and Nick about five minutes ago and I hadn't said anything yet. I knew exactly how to play Kate. There wasn't anything that worried her most that me not talking to her. She said that was the base of all my problems, me keeping up everything inside until it just blows up.
She kept giving glances from time to time, I could tell even though I couldn't see her since I was looking out my window. I was so mad! She had done the only thing I had asked her not to: mind my love life. Or should I say my 'lack' of love life. Gosh! I had even believed it myself.
"Matt---"
Turning around for a moment, I cut her off. "Don't. Not here and not now." My voice was completely cold. I wanted to talk about it, but the car wasn't the place. I wanted to fume about it and the only place were I could do it freely was our house.
It was twenty five very uncomfortable minutes, to say the least. The expression 'the tension could be cut with a knife' was underestimated. She had barely parked the car in the garage when I grabbed my backpacked and jumped off the car. Opening the door with a 'bang' I made my way to the study. Throwing my bag onto the floor, I didn't mind the neatness for that moment. Locking the door, I started to pace the room. Sure, it wasn't that big, but it was big enough for what I needed. Try to calm myself.
"Matt!" She started calling me, banging the door to emphasize her point. "Please open."
"If you cherish your life Kate you're gonna stay right where you are!" I yelled back. I had never yelled at her, but this time it was too much. I kept pacing the room, wanting to throw things all over the place. To destroy everything I could get my hands on. But I just couldn't. I knew that the next day I'd need them. At least my rational mind was still working.
Before I could even realized it, Kate had gotten into the study with the master key that I always kept in the kitchen. Damn me and thinking about our protection. She was standing by the door, looking at me, waiting for some reaction.
"Why did you do it?" I yelled. "Why?! I told you I didn't want to delude myself. I told you I didn't wanna fall for that one!" I kept passing the room while taking. I was trying my very best in controlling my anger.
"I--"
"You thought it'll worked! I told you it wouldn't! Why didn't you listen to me?" I just couldn't keep it up anymore and I passed by her and into the living room. I need more space.
Kate came running right after me, hoping to calm me down. "Matt, I'm sorry. I didn't know." Her voice full of plea and sorrow. She knew I was deeply hurt and only wanted to make it better.
"I can't believe I fell for it. That I even thought that something could happened." I turned around and looked at her. "I let you deluded me for it. I even let Nick force me into all this. I can't believe it."
I continued passing, I just couldn't stay in one place or I was gonna explode. "I was stupid enough that I too believe it could work." My voice had lost it's loudness. It was like I was only to myself. "I actually thought he could feel the same way about me. Plain stupid."
"It wasn't stupid."
I turned around and looked at her. She was scared and I couldn't blame her. I was hurt, so very hurt inside and she wasn't gonna take any chances and leave me alone. "Yes it was. What would a guy like him see in someone like me? Nothing Kate. Nothing." By this time I was only whispering, repeating something I've been saying for a long time already.
"I didn't know he had been engaged. Nick didn't tell me. If I had known, I'd have never done it. You've got to believe me." Tears were welling up in her eyes. "I'd never hurt you."
"I know you wouldn't. I know." I sad on the couch and glanced at my folded hands in my lap. Touching my silver ring in my right hand's middle finger, I remembered its meaning. A promise of love.
Kate walked over to me, sitting by my side. I took her right hand in mine and brushed my fingers over the cold metal of her ring. We had gotten matching rings when we were just kids, we were eleven, I guess. Plain silver. We had saved for them for a while, we wanted to pay it, not our parent. The rings were very simple. Plain silver bands with an inscription on the inside.
"I'm sorry." her voice was so soft and tender, like when she was just a little girl.
I looked up from our hands and rings to her eyes. She was truly sorry and I could see it in her eyes. I loved her and I was hurting her by not talking with her.
"I know." I whispered back.
I reached out and caressed her cheek with my palm. She leaned into the touch, her eyes closing briefly, her lips partly open. Two single tears made their way down her perfect sculpted cheeks and I knew she was trying her best not to let any more fall.
"I'm fine now. I'm fine."
She opened her eyes and moved closer to me. Leaning onto the couch, I opened my arm so she could laid down on my chest. I encircled her lithe waist with my arms, her head right over my heart. She could listen to my heartbeat and was glad to realized that it was clam and steady.
"Are you really?"
I sighed at her question. It'd take some time for me to be back into my old self, even tough my old self wasn't that normal either, but I'd be fine with time.
"Yeah. I'll just have to go to the club more often."
She chuckled and let her worries at ease for a moment. She knew perfectly well that when I needed to relax or think I'd go swimming. For the next week or so I'd probably life there.
"I wish I could take the couple of days back. I'd have never done it."
"I know love. I know. Lets just forget about it and move on. It was something that was bound to happen. I knew I'd fall some day and I'll have a broken heart." I knew she was gonna complain, so I cut her off. "You knew I'd happen, it was just matter of time. If it was either him or someone else, I'd happen. I was wanna go back to our normal routine, ok?"
I felt her nod against my chest and I placed my chin on top of her head.
"I love you Matt." She whispered.
Bending a little bit, I kissed the top of her head. "I love you too Darling. I love you too."
I don't really know how long we stayed there, just cuddling together. But by the time I woke up it was already dawn. I was grateful that we had classes at 9am, so we had some time to go our beds and sleep for a little while.
I helped Kate into her room, kissed her good night on the forehead and was about to leave when she held my hand.
"Stay. Please."
I only nodded and left took of my clothes until I was in my boxers, she did the same until she was only on her underwear and we get into bed. She had her head in my chest, one of her legs on mine and her arm around my chest. I cuddle up with her, placing my arm on her back and the other on her thigh.
"Don't leave me." she pleaded before drifting into sleep.
"Never love. Never." I mumbled. Kissing the top of her head once more, I too, fell asleep.
Ok. I know this chapter was a lot shorter than the usual, but I was having some trouble with it. I've never gone to Disney, so I don't know anything about the rides over there, so bare with me.
I hope you like this chapter, it wasn't one of my best work. But hey, at least it'd do for now.
If you have anything to say about the story, please feel free to drop me a line at: jmfluder@hotmail.com
Take care and Investigate.
M. F. Luder