(CH) Chapter 5: Mistaken Kisses

"Thanks for letting me come along." Madison said as she sat on the bus next to Alan.

They were on their way to the used bookstore that his parents owned called Sir Readsalot's Bookshelf. Whenever she visited with Alan, his parents would always allow her to borrow several books as long as she promised to bring them back. In her hands was the last three books that she had borrowed, all classical American literature, and she was certain she would borrow more of the same. She had to dig through mounds of books to find anything that caught her fancy as most books in the store were romance novels.

The bookstore did well enough to feed his parents though it never amounted to anything. It was just their dream to own a bookstore and Alan and his siblings got forced to live less then average lives for their parents' dream. When they were young, his father worked odd jobs to pay for his six children and his wife. As each child got old enough they were forced to take paper routes and fast food jobs. The money went to feeding the family and keeping the bookstore opened. His parents refused to sell the bookstore. They loved it and preferred to suffer than to give up their dream.

There were times when Madison could tell that Alan was rather upset with his parents over such a decision. He had to grow up being teased for wearing hand-me-downs, and not just any hand-me-downs but ones that had come from the second hand store to begin with. He never owned anything new and even today when he lived on his own, he still had the same life style. He would never admit it, but Madison was certain that he found his parents' ways to be selfish.

She could always see the memories flooding back in his eyes as they grew closer to that bookstore. Above it was a three bedroom apartment that his family of eight shared his entire life. The neighborhood was the very same that he grew up in and it use to be he pointed out all the apartments of his old friends. However, he had shown her all of them by now and the bus trip remained silent.

Alan had told her once that he barely had a childhood, as when he wasn't working he was studying. He let his children grow up like he did. He would have a career and enough money to feed his family. It was why he took a career in computers, as he always told her that computers were the future. They would always be there and therefore he would always be needed.

Madison looked at Alan out of the corner of her eye and noticed that he was getting tense. He had been since he picked her up from work that day, but the closer they got to his memories the more his body began to stiffen. Reaching out her hand, she took his into her own and immediately felt him relax. Alan squeezed her hand and she knew that was his silent thank you.

Alan never complained about his family. He never blamed his parents for the way he grew up. Whenever he spoke of them, he only told of happier moments, but Madison could see it clearly in his eyes. There was a sadness and a bitterness that never seemed to fade.

He interlaced his fingers with her own as the bus came to a stop and they stepped off. She watched as he took a deep breath and looked around the broken down neighborhood. Most buildings were ignored by their owners and left to the managers to care for. Which meant cockroaches and rats ran wild in most of the apartments. It was a part of town that most people in Cerulean Harbor liked to pretend didn't exist. This was where the disregarded members of society lived.

Sometimes Madison just wanted to hug Alan and tell him that it was all over now. That he had left this place and he didn't need to let it bother him anymore, but she knew that he could never truly leave. He was locked within this neighborhood as if it were the prison of the child that lived within him. This was Alan's demon, one that he pretended didn't exist. Madison couldn't blame him though. She had her own demon that she kept locked away for no one to see.

Their first stop wasn't the bookstore, instead it was a vacant lot where Alan had once told her an apartment building stood. It was where his eldest brother, Antjuan, had been murdered. It was during a gang war that had occurred five years prior. They were fighting over turf, and his brother had been a member of one side. His body was found in the abandoned apartment building along with the bodies of several other members of his gang. No one had ever been arrested for his death and odds were against it ever happening.

Alan laid a lily that he had bought in town next to a wired fence that had overgrown grass growing at it's base. He said nothing as he stared at the vacant lot that had filled up with trash, dumpsters, old ovens, and couches over the years. He brought Madison's hand up to his face and rested his chin on her fingers.

She never knew what to say to him when they made this stop. There were no words that could take away the pain and there were no words that could comfort. All she could do was stand beside him and wait until he was ready to leave. They always stood there no matter what the weather for at least half an hour. The only movement that they ever made was to blink as they both stared at the single lily.

Then without a word, Alan would suddenly decide it was time to leave and he would lead Madison away from that horrible place. A forgotten memorial of dead youths who died for nothing but meaningless power. It was times like these that made Madison realize how small and insignificant her problems really were. Coming with him was always a rude awakening, and she always knew the day would end with her own tears. Yet, she would always come because it meant so much to her. The encounter with true pain and suffering was something no one should hide from. It was meant to be experienced just as love and kindness were, because you had to understand both to know the others true value.

As they walked towards the bookstore, Alan's expression completely changed. Madison was certain it wasn't because he became suddenly happy, but because he hid all his pain from his parents. He never told them how much it hurt to lose Antjuan, and he never cried in front of them. Instead, he had held his mother and she had cried into his shoulder. His father didn't cry either, only held Alan's two sisters as they cried. The boys weren't allowed to show any feelings towards the loss of their brother.

Alan's two sisters were both married and lived outside of Cerulean Harbor. One of his brothers worked as a construction worker while the other was still finishing high school. Alan was the second to youngest, and only his brother Diego was his junior. However, Diego was not following in his footsteps instead he followed the path of Antjuan. It seemed that his familiar ignored the dangerous path his youngest brother tread, but it was all to obvious that they awaited the day of sorrow he would soon bring.

As they turned the corner, Madison could see the familiar bookstore. A Spanish knight painted on the large glass window. A supermarket and second hand clothing store shared the same shopping center, along with a cart that sold burritos. Even though the lot looked empty, Madison knew that this center was the neighborhoods gathering grounds. It was just that on Sunday most of the businesses were closed, including the bookstore. However, Alan visited on Sunday to help his mother put the new books on the shelves and take inventory.

Approaching the shop, Alan kept his hand on her own and reached for his keys in his pocket. He unlocked the shop which caused the bell above the door to jingle as they entered. The scent of musty old books filled the air as they made their way to the back of the small store. Alan's fingers grew tighter around Madison's hands as they continued to move towards their fate for the day and Alan's past.

---***---

"Alphonso!" A woman cried out as they stepped into the back of the shop.

Madison could never get use to hearing Alan being called that name. It had been a shock to her system the first time she heard it, as he had never told her that Alan was actually his nickname.

A woman no taller then five feet with hair that was obviously dyed jet black made her way to the front of the store's small warehouse. She wore a colorful rainbow dress with her hair pulled up into a bun, she was no older the forty four, but it was obvious that time and stress had taken it's toll on her. Madison could see the beautiful younger woman who she use to be. Pictures of her hung throughout the store of her when she was a young dancer, before she began her family.

Alan immediately dropped Madison's hand realizing that his mother might misconstrue why he was holding it. The older woman grabbed his face and kiss both of his cheeks before doing the same to Madison. She began speak in Spanish to her son, leaving Madison completely in the dark to their conversation. Although, Madison was certain that she was scolding him for something.

Suddenly the woman grabbed Madison's hand and put it back into Alan's. "No need to hide it." She chuckled, her English was perfect and there was only a little hint of a Spanish accent.

Madison looked over at Alan, who was turning several shades of red. She grinned upon realizing what his mother believed was happening between them.

Alan said something to his mother, and she caught her own name and the word "hermana" which she knew meant sister.

The woman she knew as Isabella just waved her hand at Alan and rolled her eyes as she spoke. Madison imagined she was saying something along the lines of "I believe you" in a sarcastic manner.

Alan sighed heavily and rolled his eyes in return. "It's rude to speak in Spanish so that Madison can't understand us. Especially since it's obvious we are talking about her." He suddenly realized he was still holding her hand and dropped it.

Isabella laughed, "Madre-dos," She began using the nickname that she had given Madison which meant mother two, as she always said that Madison was like a second mother to her son. "when are you going to force him to make a honest woman out of you?" She asked as she began to organize some stacks of books into their genres.

Madison knew that it was she that was blushing fiercely that time around, "Uh…"

"You've embarrassed her, mamá!" Alan groaned, "And as I said before she's like my sister!"

"Your papá use to say that about me when his friends use to pick on him about his love for me." Isabella stood up straight and smiled at Madison, "His papá use to protect me from the bigger kids. He was so sweet, mi caballero." Her eyes shifted to Alan, "Your princesa won't wait forever, Alphonso." She turned her attention back to Madison, "Will you?"

"Um, I…" Madison continued to blush madly. The old woman always did this to her and she was never able to find a way to correct her.

Isabella laughed, "He's always got his nose in a book studying. Trying to make a better life for himself, doesn't realize that his life is passing him by." She sighed, "Of course from what I hear, you are no better." She shook her head, "Both of you should be romancing each other on a beach and dancing under the stars. Instead you are eating top ramen in a room barely the size of a closet and acting as if there is nothing but family feelings between you." She frowned, "I just hope you are saving yourself for each other after marriage!"

"Mamá!" Alan yelled as he and Madison both turned darker shades of red.

"I see you have successfully turned them into tomatoes." A masculine voice said from the stairway. Madison recognized the voice as Eduardo, Alan's father.

He had aged more gracefully then his wife. The sides of his dark hair were turning gray and he stood as tall as his son, even though he was much thinner. Alan told her once that he was built like his grandfather, where his father got the height but none of the girth.

"They are only embarrassed because I speak the truth. A truth that they do not wish to hear." Isabella coughed as she returned to organizing the books.

"Perhaps a truth they aren't ready to admit." He came to stand next to his wife, "It took me a long time to admit my feelings towards you, and even when I did it was in a letter when I was stationed overseas." Eduardo looked to Madison, "That way if she declined me I would still be gone for another year and wouldn't have to hear her rejection."

Isabella giggled, "It was such a wonderful letter. His hand writing was shaken. He said it was because he was on a ship when he wrote it, but I know it was from being so nervous." She sighed blissfully, "Even though I wasn't there, he was still so afraid to allow his feelings out even if it was only on paper. I still have the letter, I'll show you it later, Madre-dos."

Eduardo chuckled, "Yes, you should leave Alphonso alone until he is ready to admit his feelings. Just like you had to wait until I was ready to admit mine."

"Your mother hounded us since we were thirteen years old about how we felt for each other. Alphonso didn't find his love until he was twenty, I still have at least another seven years of this in me to make up for all the embarrassment I suffered myself."

"Well, I'm glad I have to pay for things grandmother did to you."

Isabella smiled, "Your sisters got married before I had the chance, Diego is too young, and Carlos is engaged. You are all I have."

"Diego is seventeen, didn't you just say grandmother began hounding you at thirteen?"

"He has you there." Eduardo laughed.

Madison had began to help Isabella separate the books, while she searched for her own reading material. She didn't even have to announce she had brought the books back as Isabella trusted that she would. Everyone fell quiet as Madison had set the example of what they should be doing, instead of meddling in their love lives. Alan began to take books out to the front and put them on the shelves, while Eduardo did the accounting.

---***---

"I want your baby girl named after me." Isabella whispered so her husband wouldn't over hear.

"Alan and I are just friends." Madison finally had the courage to say.

She stopped working and sat up to look at the beautiful girl. There was no doubt in her mind that Alan was in love with the girl, but she couldn't be certain if Madison felt the same way. The young woman was so hard to read and normally Isabella was blessed with the ability to read others.

"What keeps you just friends?" Isabella finally asked.

A blank look fell over Madison's face, before she finally shrugged. "I've never really thought about dating your son. It's not something that I need in my life, and as Alan said we are like siblings."

"Not something you need in your life?" Isabella asked. "Everyone needs love, romantic or otherwise. It's our love for one another that keeps this world bearable."

Madison didn't respond.

"What is it about your life that makes you believe you don't need love?"

"I have Alan's platonic love and same such love from others in my life. It's all I need right now and it's all I can handle."

"Why?"

Madison realized that the woman had stopped working and had become incredibly serious with the conversation. She stood up to tower over the small woman, "I have a past that needs to be sorted out, before I can more forward. Right now dealing with that and school, I just don't have time or the energy it takes."

The older woman fell silent as Madison returned to her work, "Alan does not hold platonic love for you." She suddenly said,

Her words from Madison held in place.

"I have never seen that boy look at a girl the way he looks at you. He most certainly does not look like his sisters like that."

"And how does he look at me?" She asked.

"Like a man who sees what he wants so desperately, so whole heartedly, and so purely and knows with all that he is that it can never be his. A man who knows that he can only have what he desires in a way that he does not, so he accepts that fate though he is not happy with it. Like a man whose heart is secretly breaking as each moment ticks by and is only miraculously healed when you smile at him. Yet, the moment you look away the heart begins to crack again."

Madison swallowed unsure of what to say.

"He has always been good at hiding his feelings. You can thank Eduardo for that. However, my children can never hide their true feelings from me. I know that Alphonso hated the way he grew up. I know that he hates coming to visit. I know that he sometimes even hates us for forcing this life on him for our own dreams. And I know that I regret that he has never gotten one thing that he has wanted his entire life. Not getting the toys he wanted. Not getting into the college he wanted, even though he tried so hard. Not getting a childhood. Not getting anything that a boy should have had his entire life. He knows how to deal with disappointment. For once, just once, I want him to get what he wants."

Madison's eyes fell to the book in her hand, "I don't think I can help you."

Isabella fell silent as they returned to their work, but it didn't take long before she began to speak again. "I go to church every night." She said standing up straight, after Alan had come back for another load of books then left the room. "I pray the whole time that I am there that God gives him this one thing. All his life he sacrificed his wants and desires for others, and I have no doubt he'll let you walk out of his life if you find someone else. That is the only reason that I meddle."

"I really don't know what to say to you." Madison dropped her head, "I just don't think of him that way."

"Then start." Isabella said. "Honestly tell me now what is it about him that makes him unsuitable for you?"

She was put on the spot and tried to think of bad qualities that Alan possessed, but couldn't come up with any.

"Do you think if he knew about your past he would love you less?"

"No."

Isabella seemed relieved with her quick response, "That's good, I was worried. Do you think he wouldn't care for you? Do you think he wouldn't have time for you?"

"No."

"Then why? Just tell me what about him makes him unsuitable?"

Madison looked up into the woman's eyes, "I don't love him."

Isabella looked defeated for a brief moment. Her eyes went to her husband who was sitting at a small table doing the accounting. Papers were spread out around him as he concentrated desperately on the math in front of him. "He is terrible at math. I have to have Diego go over the figures once he is done." Isabella told her.

Madison looked over her shoulder at Eduardo.

"He has such a cute expression when he is trying so hard." She cocked her head to the side as she watched her husband, "He never wanted to own a bookstore, but he loved me so much that he made my dream his."

Madison returned to gaze to the woman in front of her.

"Remember I told you about his letter?"

She nodded.

"I never responded to it. He continued to write me for the entire year, afraid that I had rejected him and in truth I had. His mother and my mother were always trying to convince me that he was the best match for me, even though I kept telling them that I didn't love him like that. He was only a brother to me."

Madison felt her patience was being lost when she realized the woman was still going on about Alan and her.

"When he came back, I avoided him. He begged me to accept his love and I refused. I was only sixteen at the time, and he was twenty three. It felt strange to me to have a boyfriend that much older, but our mothers kept pushing us together." Isabella lowered her heads to her books. "I've never told my children about this." She sighed, "Finally, I gave in. I couldn't argue with them anymore, and I was married and pregnant by my seventeenth year. Eduardo knew I was not happy with the whole arrangement, and it took him a long time to make me fall in love with him. He gave up everything to make me happy and to make me love him. That's the whole reason we even have this bookstore."

Madison watched as the woman who normally looked so happy showed a sadder and more regretful side.

"Truth is I loved someone else, and I still have not forgiven my parents for not allowing me to be with him. However, I do love Eduardo and I would never leave him." Isabella looked to Madison, "So, I say to you, if you don't love Alphonso, I understand. Yet, I will only understand if your heart belongs to another, otherwise all I see is a stubborn girl. One who won't even give a man, who is obviously devoted to her, a chance. One can learn to love someone if they just allow that person the opportunity to prove they are worth being loved."

"Alan is not devoted to me." Was all Madison could manage to reply, as she didn't want to come off as rude.

"I asked him to move back here when he lost his job. It would take him longer to get to school, but it would make his life so much easier. He told me that he couldn't leave you alone. That you needed a friend and he refused to walk out on you no matter how hard things became for him." Isabella looked like she was nearing tears, "He said he would sell his own blood every week if he had to just to keep that damn apartment."

Madison didn't know what to say, and she was lucky that she didn't have to continue the conversation as Alan walked in. He smiled at them both and asked what was for dinner. Isabella announced she had something in the crock pot and the family returned to teasing each other. Alan joked around with his family and even made a few teases about marrying Madison just to shut his mother up.

All Madison could notice was the way that Alan looked at her and how he spoke to her. She searched his habits to see if his mother spoke the truth. She did see such things like the way he would touch her hand to get her attention. Or how his lips was a little too close to her ear when he whispered something to her. She didn't know if she was just noticing these things because of the seed that had been planted in her mind, or if she had blinded herself to them all this time. Little did Alan know that his mother had changed the way that Madison would look at her best friend forever.

---***---

Grady stepped into the mansion and threw his keys on the table next to the main door. There were hooks for the keys to be placed on; one with his name above it. He never placed them on the hooks, but always found them hanging there in the morning. That was the way of the household though. Everything had a place and the servants were always certain to ensure that everything was to Madam Dawson's expectation.

This place never felt like home to him. Darick's house felt more welcoming despite that he had servants rushing about cleaning up their every mess. Yet, it felt lived in and the furniture was comfortable. Everything in this place felt as if it were meant to be in a museum and definitely not for general use. There were even things in his bedroom that were off limits for him to touch.

"Ah, there you are." A woman in a black Armani blazer with matching pants and shoes and a white blouse underneath stepped out of the dinning hall. Her black hair was pulled up in a bun while she put her diamond earring in. "Grayden," She called him by his given name; one which he utterly despised. "you didn't come home last night. I called the Mitchell's but they said you weren't there."

"I picked up a girl at the club and went home with her." Grady answered, knowing his mother wouldn't listen.

She began to sort through some mail on the table beside him, as she absentmindly placed his keys where they belonged. "Doesn't matter, you are here now." She waved her free hand, "Kincade Industries is having a gathering. You met Mister Kincade before haven't you? His two daughters are single, though I haven't seen the oldest in a while. I'm told she's traveling Europe and might be back soon."

"Is there a point, mother?" Grady asked.

She looked up at him, "Do you know what it would mean for our business if you were to marry one of his daughters? Especially the eldest, she is the heiress after all. You should definitely aim for her. You have a way with women, I'm certain it wouldn't be a difficult feat for you. Besides, both the girls have done modeling, I'm sure they will fit your tastes."

He tried to control his face as he didn't want to show emotion or roll his eyes at his mother's suggestion.

"I doubt Kincade would look twice at you as marriage material for his daughters, considering how wealthy they are. We look like paupers next to him. However, if you could weave your way into her bed…"

"Mother!"

She looked surprised at his outburst, but continued. "Anyway, before I was so rudely interrupted by your childish outburst. If you could get the girl pregnant, Kincade would have no choice but to allow a marriage between you two." She grinned as she dropped the letters in her hand back on the table. "I know it's sneaky and I'm sure Kincade will see through our plans. He is an excellent business man, after all. You just have to keep it under the radar until the girl is madly in love with you."

"I won't do this."

She pressed her lips together, "Yes, yes. I know your affection wavers towards the poor, but these two girls could take our business to the next level. With the economy as it is, many businesses are going bankrupt. Don't you want to help the family in any capacity that you can?"

"Yes, but I don't want to help by impregnating a girl!"

She rolled her eyes, "You'll fall in love with her, I'm sure. I hear they are both quite charming, and beautiful. As I said before they both do modeling work. One more than the other, I hear." She was somewhat muttering to herself.

Grady watched the woman in front of him that was his mother. At first glance not only was she beautiful, but one would assume she was kind. However, the moment her mouth opened all thoughts of kindness were removed until one had more money than her. The richer one was, the kinder she was, and he was certain that Kincade ranked number one on his mother's list.

Kincade Industries owned a large portion of the world's oil, plus many other companies that used such oil including automobiles and other equipment. They owned the largest shipwright company around the world which produced most of the world's cruise line ships. On top of all that, they got into certain sects of technology two decades ago and were beginning to make deals with the US government for their military. When his mother said that they were wealthy she hadn't spoken lightly.

Grady realized that his mother had been talking to him while he had been thinking and now she stared at him as if waiting a response. "What?"

She sighed, "Go get dressed. You have an hour."

Reaching out his hand, Grady grabbed his keys off the wall and walked out the door.

"Where are you going?" His mother screamed when the door closed.

He ran down the stairs to his black Bentley Azure and jumped in since the roof was down.

"Grayden Connor Dawson!" His mother yelled and ran down the stairs as he turned the car on. She grabbed his arm, "Get out of this car and go change into something nice!"

"I'm not going! You can't use me to make yourself richer! I'm a fucking human being!" He snapped and yanked his arm away.

He pressed down on the pedal at his feet and sped away, which caused his mother to jump back and watch him drive out of the long drive way. He looked up in his rearview window to see the anger in his mother's eyes. He knew that she would retaliate. The last time he acted out, she had all his credit cards turned off and even forbid him in the house. There was no doubt that such a thing would occur again. She was going to prove to him that he needed her money in order to survive in this world. His car would be gone in the morning as she would send someone to take it from Darick's house. He would be broke.

Eventually he would have to apologize and admit defeat, he already knew it. He was already sorry for what he had done and knew that Darick wouldn't be to pleased that he needed to mooch off him again. Darick was a giving person, but he would only let his friends take it so far before he had enough. He let out a long sigh as he pulled into Darick's driveway. He wasn't ready to explain to him why this had happened again. He knew Darick wouldn't understand, because Darick was always willing to indulge his mother. Even if he had no intention of seeing her plans through.

---***---

Darick turned his eyes as Grady walked into the large white room. He was laying on his back, sprawled out over the couch with the phone in his hand. "You're mother said I shouldn't give you safe harbor." He mumbled and turned his eyes back to the blank television screen.

Grady sat down in the chair next to the couch. He was always curious why Darick sat in the room and stared at the television that was never on. His friend had done so since he met him when they were twelve. Never once in the nine years that he had known him, had Grady seen that television turned on. No matter how many times the television in the room was upgraded to a newer model, which was normally twice a year.

"Are you asking me to leave?" Grady asked as he put his feet on the coffee table.

"Nope." Darick mumbled.

A grin came to his face when he heard his friend's answer. Darick was an asshole. He had been in physical brawls with each member of the group, and had even put Brad in the hospital once. He got angry at the smallest of things and never let anyone know that he cared about them in the slightest. Yet, he was always there when they needed him. Even if he complained about helping them constantly. All he could see was the top of Darick's head as his friend laid on the couch, but he knew the solemn look would be on his face. He always looked that way when he sat alone in this room.

"Where is everyone?" Grady finally asked.

Darick looked around the room as if suddenly aware that he had been alone in the room. "They were here a moment ago."

Grady pulled out his cell phone and dialed Brad's number, "Hey, where are you?" He asked when Brad picked up.

"We went to the café that chick works at. Darick is in one of his moods and we thought we could convince her to come over, but she already got off work." Brad answered.

"Darick said you guys were just at his house."

Brad chuckled, "We left like three hours ago. Stopped off to get something to eat before we headed over here. Like I said, he's in one of his moods, not really there."

"Are you coming back?" Grady asked and looked over at Darick who hadn't moved.

Brad started talking to the people with him, which Grady assumed was Arion and Aries. "Yeah, we'll be there in a bit."

"Alright, see ya." Grady hung up the phone before Brad could respond. "They are on their way back."

"Oh." Darick responded. There was a long pause of silence, before Darick spoke again. "What got you thrown out this time?"

He could hear the sound of his car being started in the driveway outside, and stood up to watch it drive away through the window. He pulled the curtains aside and watched as the car disappeared through the main gate. "She wants me to impregnate one of the Kincade daughters, so they will be forced to marry me."

"That's less than admirable." Darick respond in his detached voice, "You should have just gone with her and acted like you were making the effort. Then just make sure you don't like anything the girls do." He yawned, "That's what I do when my mother tries to set me up."

"But you normally don't like anything that they do." Grady chuckled as he sat back down in the chair. "As a matter of a fact, you don't like much of anything."

"I like some things."

"Such as?"

Darick still hadn't moved from the same position he had been in since Grady entered. "Whatever she likes, I'll like too." He mumbled.

Grady pressed his lips together, as if suddenly aware of why his friend was acting this way. He remembered that Brad had briefly mentioned to him about the day before with Madison. He had let it slip his mind as it wasn't important to him at the time. "She? You mean charity case?"

He didn't respond, he really didn't need to.

Grady shook his head and grinned. Darick couldn't go very long without mentioning her. Before they had met her, or rather before Arion showed an interest, they had caught Darick staring at her several times. He had even forced them to take the long way to their normal resting place, just so he could get a glimpse of her on the stairs during lunch. No one questioned him about it, and he never said anything. Not until he had made his intentions clear, and now that was all Darick could talk about.

"What's so great about her?" Grady asked placing his feet back on the coffee table and folding his arms across his chest.

"Everything. I like being with her, even when she is angry with me." Darick mumbled, his voice still carried no emotion. "She doesn't have that money induced love struck look in her eyes when she looks at me. All she sees is me."

"She has a money induced hatred towards you, I would think." He responded with a sigh.

"Doesn't matter how she feels towards me." There was a sliver of anger in his voice that dissipated quickly, "I won't stop until she wants me as much as I want her."

"Wants? As in desire?"

"Wants as in everything. Desire, love, lust, whatever you want to call it. Whatever it is I feel for her, I want her to feel it towards me."

Grady smiled, "You're a strange man, Darick."

"Am I?"

"Yeah, a great friend and a determined individual, albeit very strange."

Darick smirked, "I know what I want."

"I just hope that you understand the consequences of going after this." Grady cleared his throat. "Winning her over will be the easy part, and that's saying a lot. She doesn't seem to want to be bought, and you are a difficult person to befriend."

"I don't care how hard the road is. I look at Madison and I know that she was made for me. Don't ask me how or why, because I don't know. Something in her eyes, the way she looks at me without any ulterior motive without any reason to look my way, it's… it makes me stop breathing sometimes."

Grady smiled, "I never thought I would ever hear something like that come from your mouth." He chuckled, "If that's really how you feel, you can count on me all the way."

Darick sat up suddenly and looked over at him. A look of sincerity crossed his face, "She isn't a toy that I am going to stop playing with once I have it. I want this one. You know I have had my eye on girls before but never done anything. Is there no significance in the fact that I am going after this one? Does that have no meaning to you?"

"It has great meaning to me, but I just want to know you are serious. Your family has no desire to wed their heir to a poor girl with no background or sophistication. It's something you both will become painfully aware of if this becomes what you hope it does."

He nodded, his unkempt hair fell into his eyes. "I am already painfully aware. It took me a year to make the decision that I am willing to face it. Once I have proven my sincerity to her, I have no doubt someone of her character will be willing to face the challenges with me."

"We're back!" Brad announced as he and the twins entered the room.

Both Grady and Darick fell silent.

"Figure out what's ailing our friend here?" Brad patted Darick hard on the shoulder, but his question was directed at Grady.

"Lovesickness is all." Grady mumbled and stood up. "I have to piss."

---***---

"Hello?" Brianna picked up her cell phone, she already knew who was calling her by the caller id.

"Hey, Bri!" The lack of an "A" at the end of her nickname only brought home the fact that it was really him.

"What do you want, Caleb?" She asked with no amusement in her voice. She was in the middle of a busy sidewalk and had to step near on the shops to get out of the way of traffic. It had always been beyond her to talk on her cell phone and walk, even though she could carry on a conversation with someone beside her.

"Still can't walk and talk on the phone at the same time, I see."

Brianna eyes darted around the large shopping center, "You could have just walked up to me and said hi, instead of wasting my cell minutes."

Caleb's husky voice made an "Eh" sound before laughing. "Hungry? It's almost dinner time."

Her eyes continued to look around for the familiar man, but he was no where in sight. "My mother is expecting me home for dinner."

"Eh, tell her that you are going out with me. She always liked me. Always thought the best of me, so I doubt she'll have a problem with it." He chuckled, "I remember she even called me crying and apologized for you breaking my heart."

"Are you going to show yourself?"

"Not unless you agree to eat dinner with me."

Brianna snorted and hung up her phone, "I don't want to see you anyway, never mind not wanting to have dinner with you." She mumbled to herself.

Grasping the shopping bag in her hand, she found her way back into the traffic of the sidewalk. As she stepped back in, her arm was grabbed and she was immediately pulled back towards the shop's wall. A tall blonde with a thin but muscular build smiled down at her. Dimples punctuated his cheeks as his grin continued onward, and Brianna tried to hold in the smile that his always brought to her.

Those dimples reminded her of days of innocence, when she use to run around with this boy in the park. Of the days of kiss tag and sharing an ice cream cone because they only had enough money between them for one. Of being kissed in the third grade in front of the whole class and how embarrassed she was. Of childish jokes that were so funny at the time, but now seemed so adolescent and silly, but they still brought a smile to her lips. Of being kissed after a high school dance and how she had hoped it would last forever. Most of it reminded her of her first love, which the man in front of her clearly was. He was all those memories, every sickly sweet one and more.

"No smile?" Caleb asked. "I haven't seen you in almost a year, and still no smile comes to you."

Brianna kept her frown.

"I remember a time when we couldn't go a day without at least talking to each other on the phone." He continued to hold her arm just above her elbow.

She remembered that too. She remembered picking up the phone everyday for two months after they had stopped talking to call him. Always she would begin to dial before she remembered that she had broken up with him. She never told him why, and was always afraid for him to know the truth.

His smile faltered briefly, but only came back more powerful. "You are more beautiful than I remember. It took me a moment to realize it was you. All I could think was how gorgeous that woman walking down the street was. So, carefree and attractive. Why was she alone?"

"I have no interest in your flirtatious ways." Brianna snorted.

"I do not flirt, and I only say such things to you."

That much was true. Ever since they were children he would compliment her constantly, but when other girls, even more attractive ones, came his way, he was always cold. He never so much as befriended another girl, not even Brianna's friends. Though he was mildly more friendly to them than the others. For some reason at the early age of six, Caleb had formed a bond with her. He had male friends, being on the boys' basketball team had forced him to make them, but he wasn't as close to anyone as he was to her.

"I need to get home." She went to step into the crowd when a opening presented itself, but Caleb kept a firm hold of her arm.

He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and pressed the speed dial button. "Misses Sweyne, it's Caleb! I'm fine, just great. Oh, I know she isn't there, she is here with me. I was wondering if I could buy your daughter dinner since I haven't seen her in such a long time." He smiled, "Great, thank you! I'll have her home before ten I promise! Bye!" He hung up the phone and looked over at Brianna, a serious look on his face. "I'm not letting you leave until you explain to me your reasoning. I tried calling you, emailing you, coming over, and even sending you letters for six months and you wouldn't respond to me. Hell, I half expected you to send me to voice mail the moment I called your cell phone."

Brianna swallowed. She didn't know why she had answered her phone when she had seen his name on the caller id. Then again, she probably did know why, she knew that they had to talk. Everything needed to be explained to him. He needed to know why they were a happy couple one day and the next they weren't.

Besides it had been a year since they last spoke. Their hearts had moved on, she was certain of that, it was time to put to bed any unanswered questions. "Alright, Caleb, I'll explain everything to you."

The serious look on Caleb's face faded to be replaced by his more natural grin. His hand slide down her arm to take her hand. "Great! Have you ever been to Demitasse Café around the corner? They have the best deserts."

Caleb always had a sweet tooth, "I work there. I get a discount for eating there, so let's go."

"Even better!" He chimed as they made their way into the crowd.

Brianna stared down at the hand that was leading her to the café. Even though that hand had touched her many times before this time it felt different. There were no chills running up the length of her arm. There was just warmth and memories of when that hand had caused her to shiver. Suddenly, she looked up at the back of Caleb's head. Didn't he say that the café had the best desserts?

"I've never seen you at the café before." Brianna said as she moved to walk beside him.

Caleb smiled, "I normally go in the afternoon before work."

"Oh, I work after school." A shiver ran up her spine at the thought that he sat in the same place in the afternoon that she worked in at night. Their lives so close, yet so far away. "What kind of work are you doing?"

"Helping my dad with his construction company. He wanted me to finish college, but I am just not interested in books and studying. That was always your thing." He mumbled as his hand turned so that he wasn't grasping her hand, but instead holding it with his fingers intertwined with hers.

---***---

Inside the café, the only waiter that worked the evening shift took their orders as both knew what they wanted already. Brianna sipped her soda as she watched Caleb inspect his silverware. He was always afraid of his silverware being dirty at a restaurant.

"You know, I am probably the one that wrapped those up in the napkin. I always thoroughly inspect them before I wrap them." She told him.

Caleb looked up with a grin, "Well, then I am safe." He put the fork down as if proving to her that he trusted her inspections.

Her eyes fell on the necklace that hung from around his neck. The charm was a familiar ruby ring that she wore since the ninth grade. He had given it to her after they had been dating for three months, it was a promise that they would always be together and that he would one day marry her. When she broke up with him, she had left the ring on the desk in his room. Suddenly, she realized that the man in front of her was not over her and the year had done nothing for him. Of course, she knew she should have seen that from the way he still demanded an explanation.

With a sigh, she decided that maybe if she explained to him her reasons that he would gain closure and be able to move on. "You're too clingy… too needy." She blurted out.

Caleb had been watching the waiter in hopes of changing his order before it became too late. When he heard her words, his attention dropped to her. "What?"

"It began the very day we met. All I did was let you play ball with me and my friends. You were so alone in that corner, everyone making fun of you because you were so small and an easy target." No one would believe it now that Caleb was six foot three, but he had been small, shorter then Brianna until the tenth grade. Then during one summer he shot up in height, no one had expected it.

Caleb swallowed hearing her words.

"I showed you kindness and you glued yourself to me. Got jealous when I wanted to be with my other friends. Granted, you got better after the fifth grade when I talked to you about it." She added the last sentence when he saw he was about to argue. "You never made other friends unless you were forced to, and wanted every spare minute to be with me. I realized that I was becoming your enabler."

He brushed his hand through his blonde locks, and dropped his eyes down to his soda. "My enabler?"

"I was letting you rely on me for all your companionship needs. I was always your partner in class, your best friend, your girlfriend, everything. I was helping you to become an introvert, and no one noticed. Not even our own parents, they just said that we were close and didn't need other people." She sighed heavily and leaned back in her chair. "But… but I needed other people, and you stood in my way all the time. I felt guilty leaving you behind while I went on a girls weekend or a shopping spree. The times I brought you along my friends were disappointed because they knew you would keep me occupied the entire time."

Caleb's hands that laid gently on the table became fists, "I didn't know I was your burden. Had you told me… had you said something… I would do anything for you. Anything!" He snapped causing some of the patrons to look at their table. "If you wanted me to make other friends, I would have. I just wanted to be available to you at all times, and not be accused of abandoning others when you needed me."

Brianna shook her head, "Do you have friends now?" She said, deciding to drop the subject. There were more reasons, but she didn't want him to know at that moment.

"Yes." He said as his eyes shot up to look at her, "Cedric and Andrew from basketball are still my friends. I hang out with them all the time. Actually they were with me when I saw you on the street, and… I kind of made up an excuse to leave." His spoke quickly as if wanting to make sure he got in all he had to say before Brianna spoke again.

"That's good. I'm glad you are getting close with others."

"What about you?"

"I have Alan and Madison now. Since I am going to CHU, I don't really hang out with people from high school. Most of them went off to their own colleges."

"Are you seeing anyone?" There was hope in Caleb's voice.

She shook her head and saw a moment of relief in his eyes, "But I have prospects." She informed him, not wanting to get his hopes up.

There was a long silence as he stared at her across the table, suddenly he stood up and headed for the door. Brianna couldn't decide if she wanted to follow him or just let him be. Opening her purse she threw some money on the table and raced out the door after him. She watched him step into a small crevice between the café and the pottery shop next door.

She made her steps quick to catch up to him and heard him crying as she approached. As her eyes were able to see around the corner, she saw him with his hand over his eyes. His back and head were against the brick building with his legs out in front of him.

"Caleb?" She asked stepping into the small alley with him, she placed her hand on his upper arm. "It's been a year. Why are you doing this to yourself?"

"Don't you know how much I love you?" He said as he cried. "Do you honestly think staying away from me for a year would remove a decade of memories? A decade of loving you?"

"I'm sorry, Caleb, but this isn't healthy. You shouldn't rely on a person so heavily."

"Tell me what to do, and I'll do it." He brought his hand down and turned his face to her. "Just give the word and I'll be whatever you want. Just please end my suffering. End my waiting for you. End my guessing. Put it all to an end."

"I want you to forget me. I want you to move on with your life. I want you to have friends and be happy. I want you to rely on yourself more for guidance, before you rely on others." She was trying not to let her voice crack.

"I can do all that except the first two. I can't forget you and I can't move on without you." He dropped his head, "I'm needy and selfish and jealous and I want you all to myself, but I'll stop being all those. I won't do it anymore, I swear. If I mess up just once, just once, Bri, I swear I'll walk away."

Brianna bit her bottom lips, "Caleb…" She felt the old feeling of guilt swelling up in her heart again. She knew that she never told him that his ways bothered her, and perhaps it had been unfair of her to just walk away without allowing him a chance. "I don't want you to change… ok, that's a lie, I do want you to. I just want you to change because you want to, not because it means getting me back."

She felt herself being yanked forward and her back pressed up against the wall. Caleb's hands leaned against the wall on both sides of her head, as his head dropped just inches in front of her own. She felt several tears drop onto her hands that held her shopping bag and purse.

"People change bad behaviors in relationships for the ones they love all the time. This is no different. Just give me a chance, just one. Just one."

Brianna felt her resolve waiver then break completely, "Alright, Caleb. One chance." She dropped her shopping bag and purse, before placing her hands on his shoulders. Running them up his neck to his cheeks, she forced him to look up at her. "I'll take you back."

His arms slide behind her shoulders and he pulled her into his chest. Their lips met and Caleb's passion and hunger showed through in that one kiss. He didn't want to let her go, as if he was afraid that it was all a dream. When she was finally able to step back, a pain hit her heart when she came to the realization that this was a mistake.

---***---

Madison had been silent for the vast majority of the evening after she had spoken to Isabella. She was almost certain that Alan had noticed her uncharacteristic silence towards not only him, but the rest of his family as well. The ride home on the bus she had given many grunts to answer his questions, but didn't really form any words.

"Sorry that her cooking wasn't all that great tonight." Alan apologized as they stepped into the apartment complex. "I noticed that you didn't eat much of it. Much to my mother's grief, I assure you." He chuckled.

Madison grinned, "It's fine."

He sighed, "Thank god! Those are the first words you have formed in hours. I was beginning to think that you weren't talking to me. I kept going over in my mind what I did to offend you."

"I was just lost in thought." She cleared her throat as Alan unlocked her apartment door for her. "Your mother can give someone a lot to think about."

The jingling of keys stopped before Alan opened the door. His eyes turned to her as Madison looked down at the keys. "She gave you something to think about? Never known my mother to be much of an intellectual. All she talks about is church and her children falling in love and having their own children." He clicked his tongue and grinned, "Which one of those topics got you thinking?"

Madison chuckled, "Are you going to open my door or not?"

"Oh, so suddenly it was a private conversation, huh?" Alan returned to unlocking the door, and when he did he opened it for her. "My lady." He presented the doorway to her with a swift swoosh of his hands.

"You want to top ramen? Like you said, I didn't eat much at dinner." She asked as she stepped into her apartment.

"Sure, I'll meet you at my place." He answered as he went next door to unlock his door. He was beginning to feel a tension in the air and he could sense that Madison had something on her mind.

He pulled out a package of top ramen and filled one of the pots while he waited for her. She appeared and opened both of the packages for him as he waited for the pot to fill. Once it was full, he placed it over the mobile burner, but didn't turn it on.

"You look like you have something on your mind." He turned his eyes down to the woman standing next to him. "What did my mother say that had such an affect on you?"

"Why didn't you move back in with them when they offered?" Madison asked. "It would save you so much money, and you wouldn't have to work so hard."

Alan shrugged, "I didn't want to lose my new found independence. I mean come on my parents are smothering. I lived with them for eighteen years, enough is enough."

Madison's eyes stared down at the open packages of ramen, "You should tell your mother that, she thinks it's because of me."

He brought his brow together, "What? Why would it be because of you?"

Her eyes turned up to him, "She thinks you are in love with me, and not in the oh you two are cute together and you should be together type way. She honestly thinks that you are truly in love with me."

Alan stood in silence, unsure of whether to admit his feelings or lie and say his mother is imagining things.

Madison watched him and waited for his answer, all too aware that he had stopped breathing. She had her answer, but something in her wanted him to deny it. Yet, another part desperately wanted him to admit it.

"I see." She finally broke the silence. "I'm… I'm not hungry anymore. You can have both of these." As she turned her back on him, she noticed the look of pure heartbreak in his eyes.

When she opened the door, she looked back at him as he turned his back to her. She shut the door, and he must have thought she had left, because his breath hitched as if he were holding back tears. Since the walls were so thin, he wouldn't want her to hear him as she entered her own apartment.

She looked at him. His left arm pressed against the counter for balance and his right arm went up to his mouth. The feelings of platonic love and romantic love were fighting her heart. Platonic love demanded that she leave that instance, but romantic wanted to know. It had to know if there was a chance for it to grow. Platonic swore its own death if romantic was allowed to be planted. She didn't love him that way, she knew that much, but there was a question in her mind.

Isabella's words about giving him a chance to prove himself. That he was a good man and would treat her well, echoed within her mind, as it urged romantic love forward. Madison looked upon her best friend, and she knew that she had to know. She needed to know if everything she wanted had been right in front of her all along.

"Alan?" She whispered with concern as she stepped towards him.

He spun around startled. Quickly, he whipped his eyes with the back of his wrists, even though he hadn't actually cried any tears. "Madison, I thought you left." He said, trying his best to ensure there was no emotion in his voice. "I got something in my eyes. Can't get it…"

His words were silenced as her lips touched his own. Alan stood in shock as Madison placed her hands on his cheeks, and urged the kiss further. He remained stiff though he did kiss her back, albeit hesitantly. His heart thumped wildly in his chest, even if the rest of him wasn't entirely sure of what to do.

She pressed her body closer to his, as she tried to push the kiss into a more passionate embrace. The words "I have to know" kept playing in her head, even while the words "Stop! Stop this now!" echoed just as loudly.

She could feel how stiff Alan was against her touch, which made her wonder if she was doing the right thing. Did he just realize that he had been fooling himself? Was the kiss empty for him?

When her hands fell to his shoulders, she only felt him stiffen more. She stepped back breaking the kiss to see a look of uncertainty in his eyes. "I'm sorry that was uncomfortable for you. I… I won't do it again." She mumbled and began towards the door. Her questions had been left unanswered as she needed to feel his emotions towards her to make a proper decision.

As she opened the door, a hand flew out above her head and slammed it shut. She turned to face him with her back against the door. Alan's face was turned downward and he looked to be in pain.

"Do it again." He whispered in a quivering voice.

"What?"

"Do it again!" He yelled this time.

As if jumping to the order that he had given her, she grabbed his face and kissed him again. This time Alan's arms wrapped around her shoulders, trapping her arms between them. His hands fell down her body to the small of her back and pulled her body closer to his. He nudged her lips with his own as if silently begging her to give not only the control of the kiss over to him, but for her to accept his silent demand of deepening the kiss.

The moment her lips parted, he felt a sudden joy fill his heart and it began to race as she turned the kiss over to him. His tongue quickly tried to seduce her own with silken caresses, as Madison's hands made their way to his chest. The continued to fall until they wrapped around his waist just above his buttocks. This forced a low groan out of Alan's throat and they both began to move downward.

As their knees touched the ground, the kiss was never broken, and Madison began to assert herself with thrusts of her own tongue. Alan twisted her and laid her gently on her back with his body over her. His hands slide down the length of her body, and as their clothes began to come off, she let it all happen even though she knew that this was a mistake.

Chapter 6: http://rkphunt.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=381