Go for it, Kel!

Thursday

Tired, confused, and frankly feeling quite defeated for some reason, Kel plopped down at the lunch table the next day, his forehead thumping its grimy surface.

"How... How did it go?" Basil asked hesitantly, tentatively as if he was unsure whether or not he should pry.

A groan rose from the depths of Kel's throat, the memory of it all a constant stabbing at his brain. "I think I made things awkward between us."

"I-It's okay Kel! I'm don't think anything you did yesterday made things awkward between you two."

"Maybe not for him, but I can't even look him in the eyes anymore! And do you see this Basil," Kel pointed to the bags under his eyes, "it's been bothering me so much that I couldn't even sleep a wink! A wink!"

"Why?" he asked, gentle concern touching his voice. "What happened between you two?"

From then on, Kel was inclined to spill the beans to his only confidant on the matter. How he held his hand, how he swore he felt the hand in his squeeze back, and how he ran home with his tail between his legs after his mind played that dirty trick on him.

"It's over between us! Over!" he shouted, as he tossed his body weight to the backrest of the cruddy cafeteria chair, the impact almost toppling him over. He lifted up clenched fists, dramatically shaking them at the overhead light. As if it were a grand finale of his display, he slumped back down again, this time thwacking his head against the table's surface so hard, he thought it would bruise the next day.

"Don't give up yet Kel! It's too early to say that." Basil reassured him.

Kel groaned in response. Though Basil was probably right, something in his gut was stopping him from believing otherwise. That, or it could be the breakfast burrito he had before he left for school. He knew those beans smelled a little off... He clutched his stomach with one hand. This day already was off to a bad start, there was no way it could get any worse.

"So, you wanna confess to Sunny, huh?"

... There it was. He didn't even need to lift his head to tell from arrogant, yet teasing tone that it was the person who he wanted to keep it from the most.

He raised his head to look up at her, a smirk smiling back at him. "Oh butt out of it Aubrey!" he retorted. "It's none of your busi- wait... how do you know?"

With a point of her chin, Aubrey's aqua coloured eyes landed on the boy that sat across from him as she plopped onto the vacant seat on Kel's right. He knew who the traitor was.

"Basil! I thought I told you not to tell her!" Kel exclaimed. Okay... maybe he hadn't explicitly stated not to tell her, but he thought it was obvious enough that he wanted to keep it on the down low.

Basil put his hands in front of him, "I didn't tell her Kel!" he exclaimed. He looked down at the floor, face full of guilt as he poked his index fingers together. "Okay... it may have slipped as I was walking down the halls and Aubrey asked me why I looked so happy, but! I swear I didn't mean to tell her!"

He sighed. Well, there was no point in hiding it anymore. "So what if I am?" he defensively questioned. "You wouldn't happen to have any advice in that department, would you? After all, you still haven't had your first love yet- OUCH! What was that for Aubrey?!" He rubbed his arm, she sure knew how to throw a punch.

"S-Shut your mouth Kel!" she sputtered, a light shade of pink dusting her face. "I-I just haven't been interested in anyone like that yet, okay?!"

"Whatever you say..." he mumbled under his breath, receiving a hard stomp to his foot underneath the table as a result. "OUCH! Would you STOP doing that?!"