half/closer

half / 22 [1/2]

"So how did you and Khloe happen?"

Harry's questioned dragged my attention from the raw chicken I was holding with my plastic-covered hands. I looked up only to see all eyes were already staring at me and my girlfriend. Although Arisa appeared to be uninterested, I knew that she was also curious.

"It just happened," Khloe simply answered, then she flipped the barbecued chicken kebab on the grilling machine expertly. Of course, being a gentleman, Harry insisted to help us while I was the one piercing the marinated chicken, mushroom, and peppers into the wooden stick.

Apparently, the royals, meaning Arisa, Quinn, and Jane, were waiting for us to serve them. They were just sitting around the fire pit, clad in winter clothing, having a silent battle among themselves. It was already evening and the temperature was getting colder but nonetheless, snow was still out since yesterday.

"Oh c'mon, please give us some details. We're going to fly back home tomorrow so at least, give me something to tell to Kate," Harry complained, mentioning his girlfriend, who was also Quinn's cousin.

"I second that," Quinn prompted as she smirked at us. I bet she already knew half of the details about how we happened.

Shaking my head, I handed out the already prepared kebabs to Khloe. She smiled softly at me and I gave her one back before she proceeded to her task.

"Ry, care to tell us?" this time, Arisa asked. "How did she manage to lure you into her trap?"

Khloe laughed. "Not the way my sister lured you. You were so easy. Only a pair of dimples from Quinn and you're already purring under her feet."

"What did you say?!" Arisa hissed as she glared at my girlfriend.

"Although it's a fact, I'm not gonna repeat it again unless Quinn denies it," Khloe provoked my sister, causing Jane, Harry, and I to laugh in amusement.

Quinn patted Arisa's head like a puppy. "She may be submissive to me and only me, but she's my love no matter what."

"I'm willing to be anything for you," Arisa countered her answer sweetly and gave her girl a quick kiss. I was really amazed at how they treated each other. They were both Alphas when it comes to a relationship but my best friend let herself be sway by Quinn's dominion. And Quinn valued Arisa's worth in her life. From the way they interacted with each other, you could clearly see that they truly loved each other. There are arguments, yes but they are the reasons why relationships get stronger. I wished Khloe and I would be like them someday, you know, the kind of love that is fluid—the one which able to adjust as needed, especially when you want to stay as much as possible. Damn, I was starting to think this way just because Khloe said she was starting to fall in love with me. Keyword, Ry: starting.

"Aww, true love," Jane cooed bitterly. "I'm starting to get lonely."

"Are you still hurting?" Khloe bluntly asked and Harry's eyes widened.

I knew better Khloe wasn't interested in Jane's heart status because she was clearly changing the topic so that she could avoid telling the details about us. I agree because it was a private matter and kind of story that you would only tell to your sons and daughters when your hair is already gray. Gosh, I was also beginning to think about sons and daughters! Remember the keyword, Ry: starting! Don't freak out yourself.

"Oh please, I have someone in my mind s***h heart already," Jane said with assurance. "Not all exes hang out with their ex to take her back. Quinn and I finally ended. I moved on and we're only friends now, right?"

Quinn nodded with a proud smile. "Yeah, so gorgeous, you don't have to be threatened," she said sweetly to Arisa.

"I'm not threatened, I am confident in my own abilities to keep myself here," Arisa laughed out as she pointed at Quinn's chest.

"Okay, stop right there," Khloe tossed a wooden stick to my captain in disgust. "You're making me gag with all those sweet words of yours. It doesn't suit you."

"Rude!" Arisa exclaimed with a piercing glare. "At least I'm better than you. I swear you poisoned Hilary to come to you. I can't even imagine you giving flowers and chocolate bars to her. Let alone, spilling flowery declaration. What do you say, bimbo?"

"Back to both of you," Harry chimed in as he fixed the kebabs on the grilling machine. We already finished half of the raw poultries and vegetables from the porcelain casserole and they still managed to get back to the initial topic.

"Oh, believe me, I gave her more than that," Khloe smirked with coolness, letting them know that we were more than material things and romantic clichés. True, we started as abstract art and our feelings were slowly becoming realism. Actually, we were already halfway there.

I chuckled. "Don't spill the beans, Klo."

"That's really unfair," Arisa argued, gesturing her hands frantically, causing my brow to raise. "I'm your best friend so why I don't know anything about this until a week ago. You're supposed to share every secret with me. Do you really think I'm going to judge you after you support me all these years?"

I frowned, Arisa seemed serious as she stared at me in anger. No, not anger, more like a disappointment. And it looked like everyone preferred to stay quiet as they waited for me to speak.

What a harsh way to put me in a tight spot.

I sighed, walking from my place, and sat awkwardly on the reclining chair beside my best friend. I looked at her azure eyes sincerely. "It's not like that, A. Believe me, Khloe and I just happened. It was a shock and it was a spontaneous decision for both of us to have a relationship. We never imagined ourselves to be together like this but we did. We decided to try and I hid it from you not because I think you're not going to support us. It's just at first, I didn't know how to tell you. I mean, it's weird, right? Dating your best friend's mortal enemy?"

"She's not my enemy," Arisa mumbled, her voice only for me and Quinn to hear which made both of us smile.

"But it seems you don't agree with our relationship."

Arisa rolled her eyes then clicked her tongue. Shifting her eyes to the burning log, she let out a deep sigh. Quinn caressed her arms, comforting her as if she was urging her to let go. Jane was nonchalantly listening to our drama while Harry pretended to be busy at the grilled chicken. My girlfriend was eyeing us cautiously, looking like I was convincing the whole world to accept us.

"No, in fact, I'm happy for the both of you," Arisa spoke then, looking back at me then at Khloe. "I trust Khloe. I was just being a stubborn brat because I'm thinking that I'm not good enough as your best friend to the extent you chose to hide this important matter from me. And now that I understand, I would like to apologize."

I straightaway smiled and reached out to hold her hand, telling her silently that she was already forgiven. Arisa smiled back at me warmly, her genuine ocean eyes reflecting the dancing fire as she squeezed my hand.

"Yes, I know I'm all over myself sometimes and all over Quinn always," she laughed at her own words then, "So once I realized my self-absorbed attitude due to consecutive outrageous events happening to us— to Bailey, to you, and to Tiana, I really want to be a better person for all of you. I mean, you guys are really with me always and I realized that all I've done is whine and complain about everything."

Arisa laughed bitterly and then sniffled, her eyes were starting to shine in tears. "I know it's already too late because gosh, in a few months, we're going to graduate high school, possibly separate to build another chapter of each other lives. Bailey is still miserable and god knows where's Tiana if she's really okay or not. And I'm hurting right now for both of them. It doesn't look like I am, right? But I have to put on act— we have to put a smile on our faces for Bailey and believe that everything will be alright. And I really want to make up with all of you, especially you, Ry. You're the best best friend ever.

"So of all the terrible things happening to us, who I am to go against your happiness? Yeah, Khloe might be a terrible choice," Arisa giggled and I heard my girl snickered to herself while we laughed at my best friend's statement. "But you look really happy with her so really, Ry, to compensate for all the good deeds you've done for me as my best friend, just one call and I'll try my best to help you with anything. I mean anything—a makeover for a date, pieces of advice on how to be the best girlfriend, and I'm willing to listen to all your future issues with her which I know there will be a lot. It's the only way— the only way I know to be a rightful best friend to you, right?"

"Right! thank you," I said with a contented smile, wiping a single tear from my cheek using my free hand.

"So you better not hurt her, Khloe, or I swear, I'm going to kill you," Arisa warned Khloe as she narrowed her eyes at her.

"If I do, I won't stop you from killing me," Khloe acknowledged my best friend gravely, causing my smile to widen. She may be making fun of people occasionally but she knew when and where she had to be thoughtful. "Although I would say, don't trust me but believe me, I won't hurt Hilary, at least not intentionally. I mind your opinion as much as I value my sister's because you're one of the closest to my girlfriend so I would like to thank you for accepting us even if our relationship is really weird and spontaneous. But that's falling in love with someone are all about— taking a risk against the impossible and odd, shaking you to the core to the point of relentless denial but in the end, you would find yourself getting more enthralled with that someone and you can't help but let yourself be drowned into the idea of being together with them."

Jane clapped suddenly. "Wow, you're talking about love now, huh?"

I looked down at my feet and instantly blushed, my cheeks almost like logs on the fire. My heart thumped erratically at Khloe's words while my stomach was filled of fluttering butterflies.

I heard Arisa giggled beside me. "I'm surprised Khloe is talking about love."

Quinn laughed. "I'm betting with one look of Hilary's beautiful eyes, my sister will instantly be purring under her feet."

"Burn!" Harry shouted, pointing a stick of barbequed chicken to Khloe playfully.

Our series of laughs echoed through the winter night with the sound of burning woods. To get even, Khloe smeared the remaining marinades on Harry's face. He squealed like a little girl as he jumped away in shock. Knowing he would chase after her, Khloe ran off laughing and I watched her in awe. Of course, Harry really chased after her as they ran inside the house, leaving us in amusement.

After a while, Khloe appeared from the back door and swiftly ran towards me. They rounded the house like children, obviously. While Harry was nearly behind her, she sat beside me and buried her face in the crook of my neck, arms around my waist.

"Damn! You've found your human shield!" Harry grumbled, walking over the side table and pulled out tissues from the box to wipe his smeared face.

"Okay, toddlers, stop!" Arisa interrupted their childish behavior and I looked at her while shaking my head. Khloe kept her hold on me and I embraced her closer to my body. It felt good that I could hold her like this in front of my friends without any hesitation.

"We have to talk about your birthday, Ry," Arisa announced suddenly and Khloe perked up as she sat straight.

"What, doofus? Don't tell me you don't know when's your girlfriend birthdate," Arisa challenged Khloe with a raised brow. Quinn and Jane started to eat their kebabs and Harry was rummaging into the beverage coolers.

Khloe snickered, subtly stroking my lower back gently. "Oh please, who would miss out her birthday if every year, you would throw a party for her? What was the theme last time?"

"Casino," I answered for her, reaching for a stick of kebabs and offered her a bite.

"Yeah, casino," she said before biting off a piece of mushroom from the stick. It was also a great feeling to take care of her because seeing her happy made me happier.

"So what's gonna be this time? Your choice, Ry," my Captain encouraged me.

"No, not this year. You obviously know that I have to focus on my studies."

"But I thought your parents have already let you applied for art universities," Khloe pondered while munching her food. "You don't have to work harder anymore."

I scrunched my nose. "Yeah, but it doesn't mean they don't want me to be on top It's the least I can do for them."

"Oh c'mon," Arisa groaned. "Your GPA is at least on four scales already."

"Four point one," I emphasized, rolling my eyes. "Not close to yours by decimal points."

"So what?" Quinn reprimanded. "I don't even know my point is because I really don't care. Your grade doesn't define what are you going to be in the future. Isn't that right?"

"Yeah, if you're already an heir of a huge corporation," Jane countered against Quinn. "For us, grades are important so that we would be able to get a scholarship."

"In that case, being average is enough. I'm more about getting an actual life than hitting books," Harry let out his opinion before drinking his bottled beer.

"And this is going to be your last birthday in high school," Arisa pouted, her eyes were pleading. "So pretty please, let me throw you your birthday party for the last time."

I tilted my head to look at Khloe, asking for her permission. Being in a serious relationship also includes shared decision-making. It sounded formal but Khloe and I had the same wave of understanding as she smiled and nodded, obviously recognizing my delicate gesture.

"Alright, have it your way, party girl. And even if I refused, you would throw it anyway so what's the use?" I said to Arisa, giving her a smirk.

Arisa laughed. "You know me so well. Promise, your party is gonna be lit."

Oh no! Lit means trouble!

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