Disguised Vengeance

Chapter 24

"Why did you do it?" 

Catherine's words were spoken in a soft, non-accusatory manner. She stood fidgeting uncomfortably by the entrance of Chris's study room.

Chris wasn't sure how to answer her question but he was happy to hear her voice again. The pair had not spoken to each other ever since he forcibly kissed her in the palace courtyard all those weeks ago. The thought alone made him burn with regret.

Chris contemplated her question for a second longer. It was a vague question. He could play dumb if he wanted to.

One look at his best friend's piercing gaze told him not to. She knew him too well to buy into his pretense. She had personally sparred with him enough times to know that he never made careless mistakes like that. To play dumb was to insult her intelligence. And she did not take such insults well.

Since playing dumb was out of the question, Chris tried to divert her attention.

"I haven't lost a fight in awhile. I thought I'd try it out and see what the fuss is all about. Everyone else seems to be so fond of it. Yourself included."

Chris smirked, remembering the countless times he had disarmed her and the frustrated tempter tantrum that had followed.

"To be honest, losing is not much fun," Chris blabbed on.

Catherine rolled her eyes briefly before narrowing them at him, refusing to be sidetracked by his playful banter. Deep down in her heart, she felt a burst of warmth. Her friendship with Chris was slowing mending itself.

But she still needed to know why he willingly sacrificed his pride and gave Jase the opportunity to win the fight.

"Why?" she persisted.

"Because I want you to be happy," he replied, his expression sobering. The sadness in his eyes was palpable, but the pain that had been lurking behind them for weeks was gone. His sacrifice had set him free.

Without even realizing it, Catherine had crossed the length of the room. It was as if the invisible bonds of friendship were drawing her towards her childhood best friend.

"I'm sorry for forcing you to love me." Chris's words were laced with sincerity and regret.

"I do love you," Catherine protested.

"I know." Chris reached out and patted her head affectionately before pulling her into a brotherly hug.

Everything about Chris felt familiar to her, from his smell to the hole in his shirt.

Catherine rested her head on his chest. absentmindedly tracing the old scar on his forearm. The uneven mark was faded, much like the diagonal scar across Jase's chest. Faded scars carry with them stories from the past, or in Jase's case, secrets.

She knew the origin of every scar on Chris's body. She had cleaned and sewed up many of them. A few minor ones she had inflicted on him herself. The more recent ones during practice and the faded ones during their childish fights and fits of annoyance

The scars on Jase's body, however, were a mystery to her. Catherine wondered if she would one day find out where they came from or how much they had hurt. If only the stubborn stranger would share his past with her.

"Why are you tickling my arm?" Chris asked, turning to look at where she was tracing his scar with her index finger.

Raising an eyebrow, he asked "10 years later and you're finally ready to apologize for stabbing me with a fork?"