VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, [4], 5, 6, 7, 8 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 02:00:06 03/24/06 Fri
Author: Sunny
Subject: Part V - This is the last part... I thought about only posting half and leaving you hanging, purely for mean-ness, but I'm not going to. Thanks everyone for reading and commenting. :)
In reply to: Sunny 's message, "Part II" on 00:56:30 03/19/06 Sun

My alarm woke me at six o’clock the next morning. I went to shower and was unsurprised to find Keith still sleeping when I returned to the bedroom. I grabbed my clothes and went back down the hall to the bathroom to dress for work. I left Keith a note on the nightstand before I left reminding him to lock the door and turn off the lights when he left and also thanking him for the night before.


I had the radio on at my desk at work but was only half listening, which would explain why I jumped when I suddenly heard a very familiar voice. I had forgotten about Keith’s interview. I turned up the volume a little to listen. He answered the usual questions about his tour and when he was going to record a new album – and he gave the usual answers. They asked him about the upcoming CMAs and whether or not he was expecting to win anything. In usual Keith-fashion he said he really didn’t think about awards and that he was always surprised to just be nominated. They next asked him about his love-life. Was he single? Dating? Pursuing? I was surprised to hear him not only NOT laugh it off or state his singleness, but actually tell the DJs that he was “considering pursuing” someone. This response led to a whole slew of other questions, some of which he actually answered. He told them that he wasn’t sure how the other person felt, which made him nervous, and that no, he didn’t know if she was listening. I was confused. He usually came to me for advice on these things – why hadn’t he mentioned it? I decided to ask him about it later.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I hadn’t been home 10 minutes when my cell phone rang. It was Keith asking if I was interested in going to dinner somewhere. I agreed to meet him at Cracker Barrel in half an hour. I quickly changed into jeans and a tank top - instead of my scrubs - and headed out the door.

Keith was sitting in a rocker on the restaurant porch when I arrived. I parked, locked the car, and walked toward him and was met with a hug and a smile. God, I loved his smile. Luckily, there wasn’t a wait and we were seated as soon as we got inside. We chatted about our days and I mentioned hearing his interview. He told me about the conversation he’d had with his mum that morning. The waitress came to take our orders a few minutes later and her obvious shock to be serving Keith Urban distracted us from our conversation for a moment. It always made me laugh to see people’s reactions to Keith. He was the most normal, average guy anyone could ever want to meet – there was nothing pretentious or aloof about him – but people were always tongue-tied. Sometimes, I think, his normalcy took them by surprise. Once the waitress left our conversation started back up and didn’t stop until we got our food – not that eating kept us quiet for long. Keith and I could talk for hours about anything and everything, but silence was never awkward. I think that’s what I loved most about our friendship.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After dinner we decided to drive down to a park by the river and walk. It was a beautiful evening. The sun was just beginning to set when we found a bench and decided to sit down. We had been quiet for a few minutes – taking in the evening and our surroundings, enjoying the warm night air - when Keith spoke: “Can I ask you a question?” He asked, so quietly I could barely hear him. He wasn’t looking at me; instead he was looking out over the water.

“Of course.”

He turned around and looked me in the eyes before softly asking: “Would you ever consider dating me?” He sounded nervous. If only he knew just how nervous that question made me. I hoped he couldn’t tell that my heart rate had at least doubled. We’d always been able to talk about stuff – anything and everything – but this had never come up.

“Um…” I bit my lower lip, forcing myself to not look away from him, “that’s an odd sort of question. Why do you ask?”

“Just theoretically speaking, if I were to ever, say, ask you out on a date – a real date, not like when we usually go out – would you go?”

Theoretically speaking – so I could play this like a game, but what if I said the wrong thing? What if he has feelings for me? What if he doesn’t? There were too many “what ifs.”

“Um… I don’t know how to answer.”

“Just be honest.”

“But what if my honest answer isn’t the one you want? I don’t want to lose you.”

“You won’t.”

I took a deep breath and looked at him for a minute, studying his face. He was usually easy for me to read, but I wasn’t getting anything now. I didn’t know what to say – I’d never lied to him before (and I wasn’t going to start now) but I was a little afraid of what his reaction to my answer would be if I didn’t. This was my chance, I could get it all out in the open, finally tell him what I’d been feeling for so long… and so wanting to tell him. I’d never been so nervous. I turned my head and looked out over the river; watching as the ripples in the water distorted the moon’s reflection. I answered, barely above a whisper: “Yes.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He hadn’t said anything in the two minutes since I’d answered and I was beginning to worry. I was still looking at the river; I couldn’t bring myself to look at him. I was afraid to turn around. I felt his hand on my face as he gently turned me around to look at him.

“Don’t tell me what you think I want to hear.”

What he wanted to hear? I was quite obviously missing something. “Keith, you know I’d never do that.”

“You were being honest?” Why did he sound so surprised?

“Very.” He got quiet again. I couldn’t stand it. “Please say something.”

He turned around and looked at me and I saw a tear slide down his cheek. “You know me better than anyone else and you’d date me?”

“Why in the world would that stop me?” I responded, softly.

“Because you know me - all of my faults, all the times I’ve screwed up, all of the dumb things I’ve done. You’ve seen me at my absolute worst… and you’d date me?”

“I don’t understand why you think any of that would have an affect on it."

“You KNOW me.”

“And I also know that I care for you more deeply than I have ever cared for a man.” If we were being honest, we might as well get it all out. “Keith, look at me,” he turned to face me and I smiled. “You are an amazing human being. I have more respect for you than I know how to put into words. You’ve been through things that most people would have never survived and you’re the best friend I’ve ever had…”

He cut me off: “Friend…”

“…and I wouldn’t object to being more than that.”

“You mean it?”

“I wouldn’t lie to you.”

We were quiet again, but I didn’t let it last long, “Where did all of this come from all of a sudden?”

“All of a sudden?” He said with a slight chuckle, “I’ve been trying to talk myself into bringing up for weeks.”

“Would you mind if I ask why?” He sighed and looked away again. “Keith…?” O God. What if one of my big-mouthed friends had said something to him?

“Because, I…” he took a deep breath and looked at me, “because I love you… and not just the friendly ‘I love you.’ Hope, I’m in love with you.”

WHAT?! He loved me?! I’d been arguing with myself for months, trying to convince myself that I really didn’t love him, and he feels the same way?! And why haven’t I said anything back yet… Hope, you idiot – tell him! “Keith… I love you too. I have for a long time. I was so afraid to say anything.” We sat like that for a minute, just looking into each other’s eyes – then: RING!!! Keith and I both jumped – it was his phone. I heard him cuss under his breath as he shoved his hand into his pocket in search of the offending device. He looked at it and grumbled something about Kenny before picking up.

“Mate, can I call you back? ... No man, not tonight… Plans? Not exactly… I’m kind of in the middle of something… What? You’re sick… listen… Kenny, mate, really, I gotta go…” he sighed and ran a hand through his hair, “You remember what I was talking to you about the other day - about Hope? Yeah, I just told her. Bye.” He looked embarrassed as he turned the phone off before putting it back into his pocket. “Talk about killing a moment,” he said with a nervous chuckle, “sorry about that.”

“It’s alright,” I couldn’t remember him ever being nervous around me before, it was cute. It would have been even cuter had I not been at the very least as nervous as he was.

“Remind me to hit him.” We sat in silence for a moment, both wanting to pick up where the phone had distracted us, but both to afraid to go first. “Hope?”

I looked up at him and he placed a hand on my cheek and pulled me toward him, our faces only millimeters apart. After a moment, he kissed me: hesitantly at first, then relaxing as I brought my hand up to rest on the back of his neck. After the initial shock of his lips on mine wore off, I kissed him back. It was the most wonderful kiss I’d ever shared. It has always amazed me how something as simple as a kiss can be so moving, so beautiful, and so meaningful. I was teary-eyed by the time he broke apart. He looked at me and, seeing the tears, pulled me to him. We sat like that for a long time, my body pressed to his. I could feel his chest move as breathed and hear his heart as it beat. He took my hand and held it in his, weaving our fingers together. I felt him kiss the top of my head and looked up at him. He had tears in his eyes. I reached up and brushed one away that had managed to escape his efforts to hold them back.

“I’m OK,” he said, half smiling.

“You don’t look OK,” I stated gently.

“It’s all just so surreal.”

I couldn’t agree more. The tears I’d finally managed to stop came back. I wanted to speak, to tell him how much I loved him, but I couldn’t find the words… so I kissed him. When we broke, I brushed a stray piece of hair from his face and, looking him the eyes, said the words I’d wanted to say for so long: “I love you.” He smiled.

THE END

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

[> [> phone call -- kennedypratt, 02:37:44 03/24/06 Fri [1]

Since when has Kenny ever ruined a mood? Nice ending. I like the river scene.


[ Edit | View ]

[> [> [> LOL -- Sunny, 02:46:56 03/24/06 Fri [1]

I don't think Kenny could ruin a mood if he tried, but he's the person that came to mind at the time I was writing it. I quite like Kenny. Glad you enjoyed it. :)


[ Edit | View ]

[> [> Ahhhh, great ending, to bad it had to end. -- Rodeo, 16:13:26 03/24/06 Fri [1]


[ Edit | View ]
[> [> Sweet story -- Debbi (LadySherotica), 06:08:04 03/26/06 Sun [1]

I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end ... too bad it had to end! Now ... when is the next one? hehe


[ Edit | View ]

[> [> [> Thanks -- Sunny, 02:22:20 03/29/06 Wed [1]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading it. I really can't tell you ladies how much I appreciate that you took the time to read and comment on it.

Next one? I have lots of ideas floating around in my head - hopefully one of them will actually come together as a story soon.


[ Edit | View ]


[ Contact Forum Admin ]

Forum timezone: GMT-5
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.