THE CRIMINAL FILES ~ Happily Never After

N I N E

/When you hold me in the street, and you kiss me on the dance-floor. I wish that it could be like that. Why can't it be like that? Cause I'm yours. {When you're with him, do you call his name, like you do when you're with me? Does it feel the same? Would you leave if I was ready to settle down, or would you play it safe, and stay/ ~ Little Mix feat. Jason Derulo {Secret Love Song}

Kristen's Perspective

The music was blaring. And the heat radiating off of everyone was becoming claustrophobic, but Owen seemed fine. In fact, he was over in the corner, flirting shamelessly with a table of girls type of fine.

And I totally was not jealous.

Jackson sat beside me. He downed his drink, slapped the glass on to the bar and asked the bartender for another shot of whatever he was drinking. Owen was now dancing very close with one of the girls from the table.

She was tall. Brown hair. Brown eyes. Tan. Pretty. She was so Owen's type.

I looked down at my glass self-consciously. Landon went home, claiming that he felt a little sick. I wouldn't blame him. He was like me when I had drank a little too much. He was probably throwing up pretty much everything in his stomach right now.

But that was the thing that troubled me.

Landon and I, we were alike. We were both into rock and some emo songs. I liked Panic! At the Disco, Fall out Boy and My Chemical Romance. He liked Green Day and a few other bands. We both understood each other.

But yet...although we were a lot alike, and I loved him, I didn't know if I was...in love. There was something so moving, and beguiling, and, what's the word - enchanting? Yes. Enchanting about Owen. But I wasn't supposed to feel this way. I was supposed to love Landon and hate Owen.

Or maybe, love Landon and love Owen.

Or was it, hate Landon and love Owen...?

Ugh.

I hate emotions. It was easier when I was pretty much an emotionless robot. I didn't have to worry about much. Just myself.

Now, I was involved in something I wanted to get out of as soon as possible. If...I could get out.

It was always an, 'if', getting in the way of every single fucking thing in life. If.

Looking over, I noticed that Owen was no longer dancing with the girl. He wasn't even near her. Instead he was beside me, a big ass grin on his face, a few beads of sweat staining his forehead and his hand extended. "What? You want me to shake your hand?"

He shook his head, sipping at my alcohol. "No, I want you to dance with me, dumbass."

"Oh, Owen just called Kris a dumbass." Jack whispered in my ear. I shook him off, getting up.

"Stick that drink up somewhere else." His jaw dropped, but after I leaned in beside Owen, I saw him smile, hop off his bar-stool and run over to the rest of our team.

"Before we dance, and make everyone else's asses look lazy as fuck while doing it, I need you to drink two of these." He held a small glass with bright blue liquid in it.

I rose one eyebrow. "Why?"

"So then you'll let go and actually dance." He said matter-of-factly. Holding now two of those blue drinks in his hands. I took both and downed one after the other. "That's my girl." He said. You could tell he was drunk, but after the drink set into my system I felt giddy myself. I ended up having a few more of those before we danced. And I had to hold onto Owen's hand tightly when I felt myself begin to trip.

He pulled me in, rubbing his scruff against my cheek playfully. I was laughing and smiling way more than I do with Landon. I shook my head, letting the thoughts of Landon go and focusing back on present time. But, present time was different.

Owen had stopped and he was just staring at me. "Do I have something on my face?"

"Besides beauty? No."

I smacked him lightly. "You aren't gonna pick up chicks like that, Faraday! Way too cheesy!"

He laughed. "You're right." We swayed along to the beat. He held my arm up and spun me around. Pulling me in closer, he put his face close to mine. More close than what I deemed as friendly. "What if I told I was in love with you, and just kissed you? Right here, right now? What would you do?"

I smiled and shook my head. "You're drunk, Faraday!" I said giggling hysterically.

"I'm sober enough to know that I'm in love with you." I smiled, but stopped laughing. He just went on. "I'm sober enough to know that I hate Landon and I think he's a scumbag. I'm sober enough to know that you deserve way more than him. Than me. Than probably any other guy you'll meet in you life." He let go of his hands, planting them on either side of my face, gently. With his thumb he stroked my cheek. I felt myself begin to cry. Although, I didn't know if it was happy tears, or sad tears. Maybe, both. "Kristen Genevieve Walker, I am sober enough to know that you deserve the entire goddamn world and more. I'm sober enough to know that I can't possibly do that. I have limitations. But are you sober enough to know that I will do anything, and everything in my power to make you happy? Whether you're with me or not?"

I felt some-what speechless. "W-what are you saying?"

He smiled. "I'm saying..." he looked into my eyes one last time before I felt a wave of emotions. He pulled me in, and put his lips on mine. And...I felt myself kiss back.

The feeling was warm, and it gave me butterflies. Different than what kisses with Landon felt like. And after realization hit me, I kissed him back more eagerly. After fifteen years of silently pining over Owen Christopher Faraday, today was the day that I knew...that he loved me.

But did I love him?

***

I was greeted with Balto, who was darting in between my legs, happy that I was home. Kneeling down, I put my hands on his head and began to rub. He flopped to the ground, spreading his limbs out wide, showing off his belly.

Shaking my head, I saw Landon come in - and a wave of guilt came onto me. The feeling of Owen's mouth lingered on mine, and the way it felt to have his hands on either side of my face was calming. But I was with Landon. And I still loved him...right? Yes! Yes, I did. And there's no denying that. Owen and I were both drunk, I was still slightly disoriented from this night, but the buzzing feeling had died down enough for me to know that it was wrong what I did.

I just needed to figure out how to tell Landon and when.

"Hey," I said, smiling. He didn't respond. I walked closer to him. "You okay?"

"We'd tell each other anything, right?" He asked suddenly, his eyes piercing into mine.

"Yes, o-of course. Landon, what's going on?" I laughed nervously.

"You're with me!" He shouted. "Not him!"

I looked to the ground, feeling tears sting my eyes. "Landon I - I don't know what to say -"

"Say the truth!" He demanded. Anger flashed in his eyes. His face got red, and I felt scared.

"Owen is just my friend! There's nothing going on between us!" I shouted back. We both were getting respectably closer to each other. Balto had ran off to his bed in the corner. His head was down, as he watched us. "Landon I swear -" my mouth opened, and my throat went dry.

His fists were clenched and he was walking towards me. Balto began barking at him, but I couldn't focus on anything over the distinct sound of his feet on the floor and the anger that boiled through him. It showed in his eyes. In his posture.

And it definitely showed up on my face.