friendship // mirstie

■■ You Are In Love

One look, dark room, meant just for you. Strange look on his face, pauses then says, you're my best friend.

After chatting with Jeremy, Kirstie went out of the van and the security was doubled. As expected, there was a huge crowd surrounding them again.

Mitch went out before her and held her hand. He was smiling at the camera and she waved with her other hand. The stunt? They could play it, but it was this time when Kirstie contemplated it all.

Everything used to be like this, just as the flashes are the cameras were the little orangey white lights they use to build a fort the last time. What happened?

In the plane, Kirstie and Mitch were assigned to be with each other's company. They expected Scott and Mitch but even at the plane, the management wanted them to be together.

"Hey Mitch." Kirstie called him.

She didn't wait for the same response. She wanted to call out his attention. She doesn't want to hear that response Mitch used just for her calling. She didn't wait for Mitch to say something anymore, she just wanted to ask one thing to confirm the confusion inside her.

"Did you love me?" She asked.

Mitch's mind woke up suddenly, as if something choked him, or something shocked him with electricity. But what he heard was made up of stupidity, the answer was obvious.

"Yes, I love you." He intended to say. It wasn't in the past tense. If he is alone with this girl with nothing empowering his feelings, he can feel everything falling back. If he said that he's okay with Jeremy as a barrier or, if he said that he's already moving on, it would be a lie.

He turned to Kirstie, "why? You didn't love me, did you?"

"I loved you, silly." Kirstie answered. "I just wanted to know if..." She cuts what she was saying.

Mitch felt lips on his. It felt familiar. Why was this happening while he thinks he's just dreaming? He was tired enough but he had the strength to pull away from it.

"Kirstie." Mitch said. "Jeremy told me I've got my limitations now, and you heard it, why did you do that?"

"I just wanted to know something." she said. "I just can't take it any longer, I need more proof of what I'm feeling towards you right now."

"Wait." He stopped Kirstie before she could do anything that will destruct her relationship with Jeremy. "You can't do anything more than-"

"No one has to know what we do, Mitch." She then kissed Mitch on the neck. He involuntarily moaned because he was too tired to resist it, but that time, Mitch was strong in the inside.

"Stop it honey, you need to rest." He said and looked at her in the eyes. He kissed her suddenly on the nose that made her squint. "You're cute."

"And I can't resist you." She said. "You still make me feel weak. Maybe I still love you."

"You are officially breaking my heart, Kirstie." Mitch said. "You are trying to do so, aren't you?"

"No." She answered. "But why is it every time that it's okay for boys to break us, but it was never accepted by the society to break a boy's heart? Can't we girls also be classified as heart breakers as well?"

"You already broke my heart." He said as a response. "You made me look at girls the same way, that they'll just break my heart."

"Yet why having a third-party could be okay when boys do it?" She queried. "I mean, why can't I do it?"

"Because," he sighed. He knows what to answer her. "People just love foolishly, we all can have the choice to gain a third-party in a relationship, you know? Besides, who said that cheating is okay? Why would you cheat on Jeremy?"

But he found Kirstie asleep already on his shoulder.

That must be it. She's just tired, but maybe it also confused her. The entire publicity stunt just went in circles they never wanted to ever go back to.

Mitch wanted Kirstie back, but she's still his best friend and Jeremy is his friend who has given him his trust, so Mitch couldn't just ask for Jeremy to breakup with the love of their lives just for his own sake.

This is only a publicity stunt, Mitch thought. And it still is.