Cool With A "K" PART 21 - CHAPTER 13

Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, start all over again...




Chris walked across the football field to where the cheerleaders practiced their routines.
"Kathy, I need to talk to you." He called up the bleachers to Kathy.
Kathy looked down and her face fell slightly when she saw it was him.
Chris had gotten quite used to that reaction to his presence.
Kathy said something to the other cheerleaders and she got down to meet Chris.
She stood in front of him and crossed her arms. She didn't look mad, but she looked ready for an apology.
"I'm so sorry about this whole misunderstanding, Kathy." Chris said, almost bracing himself for an 'It's okay, I love you, Chris!' Kathy attack.
But it didn't come.
Kathy nodded and said, "Alright. Thank you for apologizing, Chris."
"Yeah," Chris said, nodding, "So you forgive me?"
"Of course I do," Kathy said, "You're kind of one of my best friends."
Chris furrowed his brow, "Really?"
Kathy nodded, "Yeah, really."
Chris thought about Alice and sighed, "Thank you for forgiving me. Now, I have to fix the other heart I broke."
"Alice?" Kathy asked with surprising understanding, "She's still mad?"
"Yes," Chris said, sighing wistfully again, "I tried to apologize to her last week and I she didn't forgive me. Daniel and his friends mocked me about it and I got mad. That's how I got this."
He gestured to his arm and Kathy said, "Is it broken?"
"No, fractured." Chris said with a shrug.
"Well," Kathy said, "I hope things work out okay with Alice. Apologizing and making up and all that."
Chris nodded and said, "Thanks, Kathy."
He smiled and Kathy smiled back.
"I'll see you later, Chris." Kathy said, and she ran back to the other cheerleaders.
It's amazing how different people can be in serious situations. Chris thought.


Chris waited until recess to talk to Alice. He wondered around the playground for a while, pretending to not notice that Alice was sitting on a bench with a book in her lap.
After a minute or two, Chris thought, I have to do this before recess ends.
Chris checked his watch and whispered to himself, "Alright, I have thirteen minutes and fourty-seven seconds to get this over with."
No, not to get this over with. To get my best friend back.
Chris took a deep breath and made himself walk over to Alice.
He stood over her until she looked up.
Chris smiled at her to try to show he had kind intensions.
"Hello," He said.
Alice hesitated, but said flatly, "Hello."
Chris gestured to the place next to Alice on the bench and asked, "May I sit here?"
Alice didn't say anything at first, but she eventually nodded.
Chris sat down next to her and just looked at her. He may have leaned toward boys for sexual preference, but one thing Chris knew otherwise was that Alice was beautiful.
Alice looked up from her book after trying to ignore Chris for a while.
"What?" She said with no identifiable emotion.
Chris shrugged and said, "I may not like girls, but I'll tell you something,"
Alice shot Chris an untrusting look and he said, still nervous, "You're very pretty, Alice. I've always thought so."
"How would you know?" Alice huffed, turning back to her book.
"You know, Alice," Chris said, "Just because I don't fall in love with girls doesn't mean I can't think they're beautiful."
Alice looked up at him again and said quietly, "You think I'm beautiful?"
Chris nodded, "I'm not trying to taunt you, Alice. But yes, you are beautiful, both by physical appearance and psychologically."
Alice blinked and made herself scowl at Chris again, "Where are you going with this? Are you sure you're not taunting me?"
Chris nodded, "I'm not trying to. I'm just telling you know."
Alice scowled down at her book and Chris said, "Alice,"
"What?" Alice said, closing her eyes with frustration.
"Look at me, won't you?" Chris said, avoiding touching her.
Chris was trying hard not to get her hopes up by being too sincere, but he wanted her to know he was really sorry.
Alice glared at Chris and he said, his voice starting to shake, "I'm... Sorry, Alice. I really am, and I want you to know that."
Alice continued glaring at Chris and he said, "Alice, I'm not trying to tease you or give you false hope or anything that would hurt you. You are my best friend in the whole world... And I really don't think I can live without you. No, we probably wouldn't work out as a romantic couple, but as far as compatibility goes, I would say we have a ten most of the time."
Chris smiled nervously and said, "Please, Alice, please, please forgive me. I'm so sorry about this whole thing. It was my fault."
"It wasn't all your fault," Alice found herself saying, "Kathy and I misunderstood the situation-"
Chris held up his hand to stop her and said, "So did I. It was mostly my fault for letting you girls think that and I'm sorry. Do you think you can find a way to forgive me?"
Alice sniffled and looked down.
Chris didn't care if Alice would get mad, he hugged her.
Alice hugged him back and chuckled, trying not to cry.
She pulled away and said, "So, are we best girl friends again?"
Chris smiled and a tear went down his cheek. He nodded and hugged Alice again.
"So," Chris said, "Now that we're friends again, do you want to go to the mall after school with Angie and the others?"
Alice grinned and said, "Chris, we never stopped being friends."
Chris nodded and Alice said, "Sure, I'd love that."


In gym class (The last class after recess), Alice and Chris stood in line for the relay race together and talked.
I smiled to myself.




Ah, just like old times.