"J-Just drink it already. It's not poisoned so just do it." He says shakily, not looking at me.
I stare for a moment at him then slowly look down at the large glass. Looking up at him one last time, I bring it to my lips. I take a small sip, not realizing how thirsty I was. I quickly down the 'orange juice' in two goes. As I set the glass back down onto the table, I turn my attention to the shaken paladin.
Keith was still facing the opposing wall, head slumped between his shoulders, making his mullet flare in the back. I shift uncomfortably, not knowing what to do. Is he embarrassed?
Slowly, I shuffle closer to him, trying not to make any noise. When I get next to him, I place a hand on his back and ask,"Are you alright?"
He tenses automatically, inhaling sharply. Quickly standing up, he whirls around and glares at me. His face was red, whether from anger or embarrassment I couldn't tell.
"What do you think are you doing?" He hisses, his fist clenching into a ball briefly.
I stare at him in suprise, before anger floods through me. I try to be nice to this jackass, and this is what I get.
"Being nice; you ever heard of it?" I retort, glaring back.
He gives a sarcastic smile in reply, quickly returning to his pissed expression.
"I dont know why you hate me so much; I haven't done anything to you!" I mutter angrily, coughing.
"Oh, you want to know why I hate you so much?"
I narrow my eyes at him and stand up as well.
"Tell me Kogane; why do you hate me so much?"
"I hate you because when I look at you, my heart starts beating so fast I can't breath. And when you smile, my face feels hot and my chest gets tight. And whenever you're in the healing pod I can't sleep at night, because all I think about is you getting better." Keith rants, his fists clenching by his sides.
"I hate you because, whenever I'm around you I feel weird and nervous. I hate you because whenever you touch me I get tingly. I hate you're the only thing I can think about, no matter how hard I try. I hate you because I want you to notice me, and to talk to me, and to touch me, and to be near me." He continues angrily, still red in the face.
"I hate you because you make me love you." Keith finishes, breathing heavily.
I stand there in shock, unable to move. He loves me? Then why is he such a jackass all the time? Even though I wasn't the one yelling, my heart starts beating hard. I feel almost lighteaded as I take in the words he said. "I hate you because you make me love you.".
"Say something!" Keith snaps, his voice desperate.
I sharply look up at him, gazing at his panting figure. Only now I see him so differently, it's hard to believe he's the same person. Before, all I would see is an asshole, who yells at me whenever I tried to be his friend. But now, I saw someone who was so disconnected from his feelings he doesn't know how to deal with them. Someone so afraid of being close to someone else, that he pushes them as far away as he can, in fear he'll get hurt or abandoned. Someone so scared that he'll mess things up, he doesn't even try.
I try to think of something to say, anything to say, that wouldn't 100% result in catastrophe. I stare him in the eyes as my brain whirs, the only sounds his heavy panting and my frantic heartbeat. When I can't think of anything, I hesitantly take a step forward, before walking to him and pulling him into a hug.
I feel him tense under my touch, so I squeeze him reassuringly and rest my head on his shoulder. Turns out, my heartbeat wasn't as frantic as I thought as I feel his racing against my chest. No wonder he's breathing so hard.
5 - Rudely In Love
Start from the beginning
