DEKE’S POV
“So what EXACTLY are your intentions towards our sister?” Kane asked.
I heard Kaylah gasp as she quickly stood up yelling, “What the hell Kane?! Why are you asking him that? We’re friends! He doesn’t have any INTENTIONS towards me! Remind me to ask mom again how many times she dropped you on your head when you were a baby!!!” She looked at me and starting apologizing then tried getting me up so she could help me ‘escape the idiots’ her words not mine but I put a hand on her to still her ranting, took a deep breath, and decided to come clean with something that I’ve been feeling for the past year.
“No, it’s okay Kaylah, I want to answer that question”
This has been coming for a long time now and I’ve been waiting patiently for the chance to let Kaylah know how I feel. Is this the ideal time for that? No, but it’s been put out there and now that she’s no longer chained to the jerk formerly known as my best friend, it’s time I came clean.
“I care about your sister a lot more than just a friend, I have for awhile now.” I said casting a quick glance in Kaylah’s direction only to see shock and confusion cross her face.
“I knew it! Told you guys, be sure to pay up in FULL later.” Kane said smuggly to his brothers.
They both told him to shut up while Kaylah remained silent.
I was already tipping my toes in this pool of confession so I might as well jump in all the way right? I turned to Kaylah, “I know this isn’t exactly the right time to do this being that you’re still healing and all but I’ve wanted to say this to you for awhile now and I don’t care how stupid I look in front of your brothers. I like you, a lot and I have since the first time Shane introduced us but he found you first so there was nothing I could do at the time. When he started messing around with Cara I wanted to tell you so bad but I didn’t and not for the reason you think. By that point I couldn’t care less about Shane, I just didn’t want to be the one to tell you something I knew would break your heart. Now I realize that by doing that I only prolonged your pain and I’m truly sorry for that. I asked you earlier if you still love Shane because I wanted to make sure your heart was free to make room for me. I understand that this is probably too much for you right now but I’m willing to wait as long as it takes for you to decide whether you might feel the same for me. If not I just hope that we can still be friends because the past month without even your friendship was hard for me.”
Kaylah stayed paralyzed which wasn’t a good sign. She’s never at a loss for words but at this moment I could tell she was. She looked at each of her brothers before resting her eyes on me and it was a look of such pain that let me know it was way too soon to be spilling my guts like this. I should’ve known better, I mean we only reconnected today and I had to go and ruin it by pushing too much too fast. Her next words confirmed that for me. “ I think you should go now Deke.”
I sadly nodded my head and started to leave but not before turning around at the door to remind her, “I meant what I said about your friendship. If that’s all your willing to give then I’ll take it and I’ll never mention this again. Just please don’t erase me from your life like you did Cara and Shane.” And with that said I left.
It was the longest drive home ever and when I got there I headed straight to my room throwing myself on the bed. I laid it all out for Kaylah tonight and a part of me felt relieved to not have it bottled up anymore but I knew that I better get ready to wait for a long while because knowing all that Kaylah’s been through, she was nowhere near ready for a relationship with me. I still wasn’t even sure if she liked me that way. I thought I felt something at the burger shop but it happened so fast. It doesn’t matter, I would wait because I told her I would but I wouldn’t stay away. I will still be the friend she needs me to be whether she likes it or not!
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KAYLAH’S POV
I can’t believe that just happened! To say I was shocked was an understatement. To be honest I was also a little hurt. His reasons for keeping Shane’s secret really bothered me. Being loyal to a friend is one thing but not wanting to be the bad guy is another. The rational part of me understood his reasons but the overwhelmed and confused part of me did not.
“I sooo called that! I told you Kaylah, that day when he pummeled Shane! I knew before then though, I always caught the sappy looks he sent your way. I can’t believe you were so clueless but I guess you just weren’t blessed with my power of perception!” Kane boasted.
“Oh shut it already Kane you sound like a chick right now! Do me a favor and bend over to check if your balls are still there or did they migrate to your chest?” Keegan grumbled through the laptop speakers.
I looked at my brothers and shouted, “Thanks to you dummies you just complicated my already way to complicated life! I mean, seriously, did you have to do this? It’s not like we were dating! We went out for ONE burger! What possessed you to butt into my life like that?”
Kevin, usually the most rational one of the three replied. “Kane’s been telling us how Deke feels about you and we figured we’d work him over from the very beginning so you wouldn’t have to go through another Shane situation. It would’ve worked too if you had just gone to your room like we suggested!”
“Yeah sis, we would’ve set him straight then he could’ve confessed his love privately!” Keegan agreed.
I love my brothers to death but sometimes they are just way too much. Not wanting to deal with anymore of this I turned around and stormed out but not before hearing Kane remark wisely, “Oh so now she goes to her room!” IDIOT!!!
I threw myself on my bed and thought about everything Deke said. It really was sweet and I have to admit he’s always held my interest more than a boyfriends best friend should. I even admitted to my self a month ago that we made more sense together. He was adorable and sweet and caring and thoughtful, the list is endless. Any girl would be lucky to have him but after what I just went through I wasn’t sure if I could trust someone with my heart again, no matter how perfect they were. He did say he would wait till I was ready though so maybe this is just what I needed to see if he could stay true to his promises. The comment Cara made earlier about Deke always wanting what Shane has still bothered me so I would make him wait and squirm a little to see if he really does want to be serious with me and only me. I just hope in the end we both get the outcome we want with no more tears from me.
