A Change of Heart

Chapter 8

'I can't wait until we move in together' Alyssa was saying, skipping ahead of him happily and swinging her arms merrily. 'I have everything planned out, I know where I want to live, what I want the place to look like...as soon as we've finished college...' she sighed, turning back to face him with a wide smile upon her face. 'A soon as we finish college,' she said to him, 'we can be married and start a family.'

Ken slowed to a stop, giving her a level expression.

'Is that what you really want?' he asked her.

'What do you mean?' she asked him, her smile faltering slightly.

'I mean...' Ken began uncertainly, 'do you mind having your future planned out for you like this? You know we are only together in the first place because of our parents...'

Alyssa stopped then, moving closer to him.

'Meeting you is the best thing that's ever happened to me' she spoke genuinely. 'Do you not feel the same?'

'I do but...' Ken hesitated, 'I just want to know that this is what you really want. I don't want to think that you're here with me just because your parents want you to be.'

Alyssa reached out to him, taking both his hands in hers.

'I love you Ken, I love you more than anything...I don't ever want to be parted from you.'

Ken stared at her, his expression sombre.

Alyssa lifted her head to his, kissing him gently.

Ken's attention drifted out of focus, and he closed his eyes, closing his fingers as Alyssa held him.

As he kissed her back, Mustang's words rang through his mind.

Live your life how you want, not how others want you to live.

'Come on' Ken said to Alyssa, speaking more confidently now, taking her hand in his. 'Let's go to the park.'

*

*

Time passed, and Ken had not seen Mustang in many weeks.

Things began to slowly slide back to the way they were before, and Ken found himself feeling happy, feeling liberated.

Things are great he thought to himself as he leant back, smiling to the sky. I haven't argued with my family or Alyssa in ages, not since I was hanging around with Mustang...

The cool breeze lifted his hair, and the warm sun shone its rays gently on his face.

Things are great. They are just the way they were before......so why do I still feel so different?

'Ken!'

He looked around at the sound of his mother's voice, seeing his mother and the rest of his family sitting upon the picnic blanket.

He rose and went over to them.

'Come along dear' his mother said to him. 'If you don't hurry up the food will be gone.'

'Alright' Ken laughed, sitting between his mother and his sister, who was busy stuffing crisps into her mouth as fast as possible.

'Sue, don't do that' their mother scolded, 'you'll choke.'

'She's right' Ken told her as Sue took a big gulp of water from one of the small bottles they had brought with them, 'you shouldn't do that, it's not lady like' Ken said taking a napkin and dabbing her mouth dry as she began to dribble.

Sue began to squirm, flinching and trying to get away from him.

'Why do I care about being lady like?' Sue protested.