Veiled Affections

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Copyright © 2023 Cassey9 The bored look she had mastered didn't quite cover the turmoil consuming her from within. Beneath the table, hidden away from everyone's eyes, Mitch's fists shook with unbridled anger which was only worsened by the blinding jealousy she felt. Piper's eyes, fixated on her, didn't help the situation as she mauled her brother's mouth in a very public show of affection. The sound of her brother's groan made Mitch unconsciously shut her eyes and swallow the bitter pill painfully. Piper wasn't hers. She was Kurt's now if the very passionate kiss they were currently sharing was anything to go by. They made a great couple. They would be a power couple in everyone's eyes. She was very happy for them. Very happy indeed. Kurt and Piper deserved each other. "Guys... I'll go get us more fries," Mitch loudly announced and made the mistake of gazing Piper's way. The green eyes widened in panic, and Mitch wondered why. Could she, have been the reason? The kiss, too, abruptly ended, and Mitch thanked the deities above and below for answering her silent prayers. It was pure torture watching the two. "Hey Piper. Is everything okay?" Kurt voiced out, stilled a little winded. As much as Piper wanted to focus on Kurt, her attention was grasped by Mitchell and her monotonous face. Mitch appeared bored, like she was forcefully confined in the last place she'd rather not be. The sting brought by this realization was hard to hide as Piper broke their eye contact and slid to the edge of the booth. "Excuse me, guys, I'll be right back." The walk to the washroom felt like an eternity, and no sooner had Piper walked past the room's threshold had the tears came tumbling down furiously. She'd only agreed to this 'hangout' because Kurt had mentioned that Mitchell would be present too. She hadn't expected the kiss and worse of all, for it to happen right in front of her crush. If Mitchell had any prior notions of her and Kurt, now, they were definitely cemented. "Hey, is everything fine? Do you need me to call someone for you?" a soft voice interrupted Piper's emotional breakdown. Quickly wiping her tears away, Piper turned and smiled at the girl staring at her. Her eyes were filled with worry, and her smile warm and assuring. Her attire matched that of the staff working in the joint, she had to be one of them. "Is it a boyfriend?" the woman soft threw out the suggestion, "Did you guys break up?" Piper chuckled at the question. Bawling out in a fast-food washroom did really hint to such circumstances. "No. Not really," Piper said as she wiped the last trail of her tears. Leaning against the sink, Piper looked at the woman's expectant gaze so she continued speaking, "It's far more complicated than that." "Tell me about it, what's not complicated these days," the staff commented. "I'm Malia, by the way. Got in late and was tasked with bathroom duty, in case you were wondering. And I'm not nosey just worried about you." "I'm Piper." "Nice to meet you, Piper. What's so jarring that... that it has you breaking down in the bathroom? You can tell me, if that's okay with you. Also, I'm a fantastic listener, and I've been told I dish out the best advice." Piper chuckled at Malia's rumblings and then nodded accepting the offer. Her chest felt heavy, compressed, and she really needed to let it all out to someone before she exploded. "I just kissed someone. Out there, but he isn't the one I wanted to kiss. I... I really like his sister. She's amazing, but she doesn't... she just sees me as a friend. And... and I don't want to be her friend. I really, really like her." Kurt and Mitch, were identical twins with dark hair and matching brown eyes. Both were a striking pair, but to Piper, it was Mitch who stood out. "Oh?" Malia let out as they situation settled in her mind. "I know." "That is actually complicated. But why did you kiss him?" Piper rang her hands together in frustration. The 'why' question. She too asked herself the same. She could have just easily pulled away. No harm, no foul, right? But that hadn't been an option with Mitchell closely watching the two of them whilst she urged her brother on. "Well, I didn't want to... to hurt his feelings. To... to embarrass him. Kurt is a great guy, and his sister adores him. It would have been awkward and..." "I get it. You couldn't hurt his feelings in front of his sister?" Malia droned in understanding. "Well, you have to let him down easy when it's just the two of you, okay? Tell him that you guys wouldn't work out." "Right, Malia. I just feel..." The door swung open, cutting Piper short. Her breath caught as she stared at the beautiful intruder. Piper's heart slammed in her chest as Mitchell's eyes widened, and the distance between them disappeared with the Wilder girl filling up her space. Mitchell's sudden appearance, so close, felt like a twist in an already complicated night.