Unchained Heart

Chapter 17

This is hard. I don't even know if I want to even go through with this. Something is telling me...no SCREAMING at me not to go through with any of this. Trying my best not to let my guard down right away but I knew that if I didn't then that would only have him beg for me to forgive him. Then there's what happened between me and Andre in his car. God that kiss was amazing but he's just not the type of guy I'm looking for. Sure he's a great guy but at the same time he's too.....goofy. Everything is a joke to him. Granted he can be serious when it's necessary but I know how much of a prankster he is. I wouldn't be surprised if I woke up every morning with shaving cream or random drawings on my face. But that kiss! That kiss was real! I mean to be fair Prince is an amazing kisser too but prince can't seem to keep his hormones in check whenever a pretty faces walked by. We've been living in the same neighborhood and the same state and went through the same school system since we were little kids. Andre has grown up lot and so has Prince. However the mindset of a man is definitely strange. Sitting in silence on the sofa Prince and I gave each other an occasional glance before staring off into space. Both of us wanted to say something to one another but neither of us knew what more we could say. All we knew that we were trying to pick up the jagged pieces of our friendship. I was deep in thought about what I could say to break the cold silence between us when I felt one of Prince's fingers softly graze against my left hand. I watched out of the corner of my eye as his fingers slowly trailed up my hand and to my wrist. They soon went back down to the now empty ring ringer which made me sad that the beautiful diamond was now gone. I couldn't let that thought break me because I knew if I did I'd be right back to square one with the lies and the heartbreak. I shifted my eyes back to the plant over in the corner by the bookshelf when a soft voice called my name.

"Regan?"

I turned to find him staring back at me with a lonely look on his face.

"What Nelson?" I said as blank as I couldn't without making it seem like I was trying to fully blow him off.

"I really want you to trust me again. What do I have to do to get your trust back?"

The deep inhale of warm air I pulled in through my now blood dried nose was a hint that I really had to think about my answer before I gave him one and he knew it.

"For starters you could be there when I need you. Like actually keep your word and be there. Then there's the whole snitching snitching business that you've now gotten into. You really thought coming to my mom about me and Andre was something that serious? If you did than you've got some issues to improve nerd. Then finally there's the relationship in general. Prince I don't know what's been going on with you lately but you and I both know that we won't be able to get back what we had. Don't get me wrong what we shared was......well it was something that Marcus could have never given me and I will forever be grateful to you for that. But......."

Prince interrupted me with finger gently placed on my lips.

"It's ok Mouse. I get it." Prince said sadly.

"You do. Are you sure you get it?" I asked him as I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Regan come on I understand. Look. You are special to me and you will always hold a place in my heart no matter what happens between us. Besides......I kinda miss our friendship too. I think being your best friend was more fun than being your boyfriend."

My face went blank. Almost as blank as the wall next to the kitchen door. I wasn't sure what gen meant and I was hoping he would give a little insight into what he said.

"I'm assuming you have something smart to say right?" I sasses at him.

"Calm down I have a reason don't kill me yet. I'd prefer us as friends than lovers because......I need someone to keep me grounded. I need my best friend to keep me sane. You were that and maybe even more to me."

"Maybe?"

"Meaning.....that when we were friends I was finally seeing you not just as my friend but as my sister. Now considering the previous circumstances I know what we were doing was not what normal brothers and sisters do but....well.....you get it.....it's complicated to explain-"

"Skipper I get it. You cant just say you screwed your sister and call me your sister at the same time. I know. And stop using big sentences like you just graduated from Harvard. It's weird!"

We laughed a little bit as we sat in each other's company. It was different. The two of us just sitting here not being romantically involved was something that I was still not used to. I felt like we were both out of our element. It didn't help that my mom and his dad were just on the other side of the wall in the kitchen with Andre. I bet he's probably telling my mom that I kissed him right about now. That is if he's not stuffing his face with pie and vanilla ice cream. Prince was still looking at me like I was about to leave him hanging high and dry. He gave me a simple smile before he tugged at my fingers again.

"Come back to Paisley tonight." He said.

"Prince......I think it's best we just take this one day at a time. Just so we don't.....you know.....rush into something either of us would want."

Prince looked sad that for the first time I refused to go back home with him. Deep down I knew it would be beat for the two of us just so we would both be on equal footing and repair the damage that was done to our friendship. It was the best thing for the both of us. I was hoping that he'd understand that this was what I wanted right now for the sake of my longevity.

"Say something Skipper. I look like you want to. Tell me what's going on in that musical brain of yours." I said with a smile scooting closer to him on the couch.

"Mouse I'm really sorry. About everything. I never meant to be such a jerk to you. I just......I don't know. Knowing that you have cancer is hard to deal with. I don't want to lose you. At least not like this. I need you right now. That may sound selfish but I do. I haven't been there the way I know I should have been and I'm promising you that......starting right now I'm gonna be a better man and a better friend. Not just for myself.....but for you. You need me to be that for you and I've let you down. I failed you as a man and I wanna make.....all of this right again. Starting with the surprise I have planned for you this weekend."

Prince stood up and went over to the front door in excitement.

"Wait! Where are you going?" I called to him as he ran outside.

Chasing after him a ran through the screen door and down the front steps to see Prince getting on his motorcycle.

"I'll see you in a few days. Just promise me you'll come back to Paisley Friday night." He grinned.

"Prince what do you have up your sleeve?" In questioned with a smirk.

"Just promise me. Please?"

With a giggle I nodded as he revved his engine.

"Alright. I will be there."

"Good. Be dressed and ready by 7. Dez and Tricky will be picking you up."

"Just promise me something since I made a promise to you."

"Anything. What's up?"

I walked up to his bike and placed a hand on his right shoulder.

"Lay off Andre? He's still your friend and he's willing to work things out."

Prince turned away and looked at a car that had just passed by us.

"Regan-"

"Please? You and him are like brothers. He'll forgive you when you do something wrong. It's best you do the same do him."

I turned his face to meet mine and the sun began to peak through the clouds. The light glazed his honey brown eyes making them look warmer than the air around us. He smiled a little and touched my hand.

"I'm only doing this because I love you. And because.......I can't do anything without my right hand man."

We smiled at each other as he revved his bike one more time. I planted a small kiss on his cheek before he popped the clutch. He looked at me and smiled then drove away. This is the day of our renewing friendship.