Just One Word

Just One Word Ch 1

T'Shaka looked at her best-friend Tobias Swiftfoot as he kissed Cynthia, his fiancee and wiped her suddenly sweaty palms on. her pants. Just this morning she'd realized she fallen for him and she'd run to Tia for advice since she'd experienced the same thing when she'd realized loved her father. Tia hadn't told Shaka's father how she felt. she'd chosen to keep it to herself. Shaka had promised herself that if she was ever in the same position she would tell the fella. 

Now she was in that spot and she was scared. But no matter how scared she was she was gonna tell Tobias how she felt. Wiping her damp hands again Shaka willed her feet to take her over to Toby. Right then her legs felt like led and didn't want to work. After what seemed like an eternity she reached her best-friend. As she waited for them to come up for air - did being engaged mean you had to be attached at the lips every five seconds? she rehearsed what she was going to say but everything sounded like crap in her head. Finally the liplock ended and it was time. Shit, should she even say anything? No, yes, no suppose he laughed?  

"Shaka, is something wrong? Do you need something?" 

Damn he'd seen her. It was now or never. "Yes Toby, something is wrong and yes I need something. I need to talk to you for a few minutes." 

"Sure what's up?" 

"In private please." Shaka begged. 

Nodding Toby followed her to the corner of the room and took a good look at his best friend. She was nervous about something. "Shaka, it's me. Why are you nervous?" 

"What I have to say is not easy." Shaka told him looking down at the ground. 

"T, just tell me." Toby begged. 

"Ok. Here goes." Shaka said. Taking a deep breath and looking her best-friend in the eye she said "Tobias Swiftfoot, I'm in love with you." 

Toby blinked at her several times. Of all the things he'd thought she'd say, that wasn't it. This had to be some sort of joke. 

As she waited for Toby to speak Shaka prayed. Prayed that he believed her. Prayed that he somehow felt the same way. Prayed that if he didn't they could still be friends. 

When Toby opened his mouth nothing came out. Then "You're joking right? You wouldn't say something like this otherwise. Not on the eve of my wedding to Cynthia. Is it because today's April fool's?"

"No Toby. I'm not joking. I wish I was but I'm not."

Toby sighed, Shaka was his best-friend but he wasn't in love with her. "Shaka, I.."

"Ssh, Tobe, I know. I can see the answer in your eyes and it's ok." Shaka assured him even though her heart was breaking.

"You always could read me better than everyone else." Toby said sheepishly. He was silent for a bit before asking "What happens now?"

"Now, we forget I ever said anything and move on. You go on with your wedding and life and I'll do the same."

"Just like that T?"

"Yea Toby, what else can we do?"

"T, if it's really that easy then you have to be playing me."

"Think what you what you want Toby. Just don't tell Cynthia what we talked about ok?"

"I won't. T?"

"Yea?"

"You write your speech yet?"

"What's there to write? All I've to say is good luck Cynthia. Don't look at me like that! Of course I wrote it. It's typed and printed." Shaka's phone rang before she could say anything more and when she saw the number she had to take the call. As she walked away she looked over her shoulder, "Hey Tobe?"

"Yea?"

"Are we still friends?"

"Always T."

Shaka smiled and walked away. Toby watched her go and thought no more about her confession. Never knowing about the thousand tears that fell from Shaka's eyes that day or the sobs that poured out from her soul or the pain that she thought would be the end of her. She drove home on auto and fell into her Dad's arms the minute she entered the house. Looking imploringly at Tia, she asked "How do I survive the pain?"

"Oh Shaka, I wish I could tell you that it'll be easy but it's not. Unfortunately all you can do is take one day at a time."

Shaka bowed her head and sobbed while her father held her like he did when she was little.

Raul wished he could do something to take her pain away but this was something you could slap a band-aid on and call it a day. When Shaka eventually left his arms and went to her room, he looked at Tia. "History repeating itself huh?"

Tia nodded tears in her eyes. Drawing her close he asked, "What do we do now?"

"Be there for her and help her get through this. Especially this week."

Raul swore "Happy f...ing April's fools."