"So are you going to admit it or continue to be in denial?"

I pause mid-bite, staring at Heather like she's crazy. "Admit what?"

She rolls her eyes and pops her chin on the hand holding her fork. "Am I going to have to be super blunt here?"

I shove some rice in my mouth. "I'm afraid so, cause I'm clueless as to what you're talking about."

She drops her fork and it rings off her plate as she folds her hands in her lap. "Alrighty then."

"Who are you, Jim Carrey?"

"You like Tariq."

My rice tries to murder me in a millisecond. I cough and hack, trying to dislodge it from my throat. "What?"

"It's okay if you do, El. He's sexy, sweet, and is obviously treating you like his girlfriend."

"Do you like him?" I ask as I take harsh breaths, then sip on some water. "Cause all you talk about is how sexy he is."

"No way! Tariq and I are strictly friends and a woman can appreciate a fine man without liking him." She takes a sip of her sweet tea, muttering something I don't think I was meant to hear. "Paul would haunt him too."

Paul. There it is again.

I want to ask her but I have a feeling that would be like someone asking me about my dad. Taking the haunt into account, I'm guessing Paul is no longer around and was important to Heather, possibly even Tariq.

Heather sets her glass down, flicking her hair back, but I don't miss how her eyes close shut in pain. It's brief, but I see it. Her sharp grey eyes snap open and are back to being bubbly. "I think you saw Ellis as a distraction from the person you actually have feelings for."

"Did you switch majors again? Are you wanting to be a shrink now?"

Heather leans forward smirking. "Yes, but don't change the subject."

"I don't like him, Heather."

She groans, sitting back and playing with her lips, which is something she does when she's thinking of some diabolical plan. Her eyebrows shoot up, eyes widen, mouth slowly lifting into a wicked smirk.

Oh no.

This can't be good.

"Okay, how about we put you to the test?" she asks.

I stop eating and eye her suspiciously. "A test? Why would I do that?"

"To prove it to me," she states with high brows, pursed lips that cockily drink some of her tea.

"What if I have nothing to prove?"

"Then I'll keep pestering you about your crush on Tariq."

My nose twitches. "So if I follow through with whatever stupid plan you have in that scary brain of yours, then you'll forever stop bothering me about Tariq?"

She sets her glass down like a proper English lady drinking actual tea and not sweet southern tea. "Yep."

"What's this test?"

She slyly places her chin on the back of her hand, leaning a little to the side. "You kiss him."

"I'm sorry, what?" I ask in horror.

Heather smacks her hands on the table and leans in. "Kiss. Him."

"What's that going to solve and how will it prove anything?"

She rolls her eyes. "Seriously El? A kiss can tell you a lot. If you like him, the minute his lips touch yours there will be no denying it. If not, it will probably just be a good kiss and you move on."

The stupid thing is.... I'm actually contemplating this.

Yeah, judge me all you want but I can't help wondering. I know I'm attracted to him, that my tummy tightens up into little knots and my eyes sometimes can't stop themselves from devouring him. Or how I'm in a state of constant sweat when he touches me.

So yeah, maybe I want to see if this feeling raging in me goes deeper than simple attraction.

"I'm not initiating the kiss," I say.

Heather literally jumps up, her arms stretched up like she witnessed someone make a goal. "You will not regret this!"

"I already am."

She sits back down, bouncing her head like Tracy does when she listens to her music. "Okay, okay, okay... we just have to get Tariq to kiss you. Simple enough."

"Doubt it." I take another bite of my food and instantly regret it.

"He's dying to kiss you."

I inhale and a piece of rice goes down the wrong tube and I swear it's about to come out of my nose...

Wait.

No.

It did.

"Gross, Elodie?!" Heather laughs. "Stop choking on your food."

"Then stop saying ridiculous things," I say, coughing into a napkin.

"It's not ridiculous. Next time you two hang out, which is tonight, just slide on that lipstick all seductively, and then BAM!" she shouts, slamming her fist on the table as she does. "Kiss."

Pushing my plate away, I throw my napkin on it and purse my lips, smiling. "If I'm doing this then I need some serious inspiration and there's no better guidance than good ole eighties and nineties chick flicks."

Heather beams. "She's All That and Breakfast Club are my must."

"Can't forget about Clueless."

She gets up and pulls me along with her. "Time to get some inspiration. Girl, if you put it on like Molly Ringwald does in Breakfast Club he'll definitely kiss you."

I fluff out my hair, tuck my teal and white striped shirt into my red lacy skirt accordingly, and check my teal tights for any tears. Okay, I look casual, sexy... I think.

God!

What am I doing?

"I'm changing."

"Absolutely not!" Heather demands. "This is perfect. Totally you, with an extra spice to it."

"He's going to notice."

"He's totally not going to notice," Heather retorts. "What are you making for dinner?"

"Chicken pot pie and if I want to have it ready by the time he gets back from practice, I have to leave now."

Heather gets up and follows me out as I grab my purse and backpack. "I can't believe he's getting back on the ice. Makes me nervous."

"How bad was his injury?" I ask.

She gives a deep sigh. "Bad, he had to have surgery and has been working hard at therapy so he can get back on the ice this year."

"Doesn't it seem a little soon?"

Heather stops at her door, her hand on the handle. "I don't know. It's been over nine months, so he's probably fine. Why you worried?"

I roll my eyes. "He is my friend."

"Have fun making out with your friend then."

"One tiny kiss. That's it and this was your idea!" I say as she disappears into her room laughing.

I drive to Tariq's and once I'm at the door, I smile deviously. I pull out the extra key I had copied at Home Depot with Heather and slide it in. The door unlocks with ease.

"Oh my god, it worked! I have to tell Heather."

I yell hello before I enter to make sure no one is home. Once the coast is clear I head downstairs and roll my sleeves up, getting to work. I make room on the counter to make the pie crust, adding all the ingredients to a bowl, using the pastry cutter I brought with me. My hands work the dough, molding the crust into a ball and then flattening it into disks. I wrap it up and put it in the refrigerator to chill.

Looking around, I spot his music station and plug my phone into it, pulling up my second-best girl, Adele. I start singing along as I continue to cook, the wooden spatula serving as my microphone.

Once the filling is close to being ready, I roll out the pie crust and put the whole thing together, and slide it in the oven. As the pie bakes, I meander my way around his kitchen, opening cupboards and figuring out where everything is.

As I dance around as I set the table with the cheap plates and silverware he probably got from Walmart. That's when I hear it.

Just the guitar?

Okay, cool

"Oh, Adele, yes!" I tap into my inner Shakira and start working it, grabbing my microphone spatula for added effect. Okay, by inner Shakira I mean something more like Jessica Day from New Girl.

"If you're ready if you're ready." I sing and dance around, whipping my hair all over the place. I throw my hand up and bring it down, cocking my eyebrow like Adele does in the video. "We both know we ain't kids no more. No, we ain't kids no more."

I turn to do a pose and to start singing the portion, but before I can belt it or perform my pose, I go from Jessica Day grooving it out to a robotic Barbie Doll. As if I'm a toy from Toy Story that had to quickly stiffen when a child or adult came through the door.

Tariq, Beau, Winston, and Rasheed all stand at the foot of the basement step, staring at me with wide eyes. My microphone drops from my hand and clanks against the floor.

There's no way I'm getting Tariq to kiss me now.

All of them are shocked and not knowing what to do, that is until Rasheed drops his duffle bag and sings along with Adele., holding his arms out. "I'm giving you up. I've forgiven it all. You've set me free."

He drops his shoulder as if he is Beyonce himself and starts moving his shoulders to the beat with his arms popping up, palms up, shaking his hands. "Send my love to your new lover." He even sings the lover part high and throaty like Adele and my flaming, embarrassed face dies away as I laugh.

All the guys suddenly drop their duffles bags and join in on the most embarrassing moment of my life. Beau starts twerking and serious Winston shimmies like an exotic dancer. Tariq comes behind me, wrapping an arm around my waist, dancing behind me, and singing along with the guys. My heart beats erratically and my cheeks flame as his hand grips my muffin top.

I swear he does this to me on purpose like he knows I'm self-conscious about it. But that dies away as all these big dudes dance, belting out the song, making me laugh.

Tariq's clothes are a little damp and he smells clean, soapy like he had just taken a shower. His chest presses against my back and even though clothes are in between us, my skin blazes to life at the contact. He leans in a little and I follow his motion and soon all of us are doing the same move together like a dance team, singing, "If you're ready, if you're ready."

The song starts to finish out as Rasheed, Winston, and Beau turn to each other, dancing around in a circle, performing something that looks like an interpretive dance. Tariq's grip tightens, pressing my back into his hard, cut body and I gulp when his mouth touches the side of my head.

"I hope to come home to this more often," he whispers, all husky and sexy. My breath sucks in, sharp and shaky as his lips press on my beating temple. I close my eyes as that all-consuming pressure coils in me and then unfurls from such a simple gesture. Every part of me beats in Tariq's hold and it's too much, too overwhelming but I want more.

So much more.

I know this wasn't the kind of kiss Heather had been talking about, but I didn't need it to be my lips on his to know...

I like Tariq.

A lot.

Congratulations, Elodie.

You have made it on the long list of girls who are crazy for Tariq...

Great.

Oh my gosh you all!!! I love Rasheed hahahahahaha!!!! So I am a mean author for doing this to Elodie, I'm pretty sure this is almost every girl's worst fear hahaha! I know it's one of mine :D

Question for the Day: What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you? Me? There's honestly so many hahahaha but one is my old college roommate catching me dancing around our room when she came back from class. Or the time I tried to look super cool and catch a frisbee against all the big dudes during an ultimate frisbee game and almost broke my ankle in the process hahahahaha! My husband had to take me to the ER and told me, yeah you looked like an idiot LOL!

If you all are in desperate need of the next update and to see how Elodie copes with these new found feelings, hit that star button for me and I will work hard at posting it tomorrow

Much Love,

LivingRed