Chapter Five.

Rose fingered the rose princess necklace. "Do you think I'm crazy to be going on a date with Rick?" She looked up at Bonnie, who was styling her hair.

Bonnie smiled. "No, I think it's about time actually."

"Really?"

"Uh huh."

She bit her lip. "But...we shouldn't be doing this. I shouldn't be doing this. Do you know what going on a date with him means?"

Bonnie came to her front and leaned on the vanity table. "Of course, I know what going on a date means. It means you are opened to a relationship with him."

"Shouldn't I be discouraging him instead?"

Bonnie paused. "Do you want to?"

No. Everything within her cried no.

"I know it all started wrong, no, not wrong, crazy and hilarious. But that does not mean something beautiful and true can not come out of it."

"But what if it doesn't? What if we both end up hurting each other?"

"Let's find out then. Life is a risk, honey. I keep preaching it to you and Rick." Bonnie sighed. "You and Rick are a whole lot alike than I thought."

She smiled. "Nineteen years of rubbing off on each other."

"Uh huh. That is why both of you need me." Bonnie straightened. "Enough of pep talk. Let us get you ready for your Prince Charming."

******

Rick watched his friend throw her head back and laugh hard, her shoulders shaking. He watched, filled with wonder of how his heart and being always reacted to her near presence. He watched, his eyes taking in her golden pixie locks, the makeup that highlighted her captivating face, the necklace that kept dragging his attention to the slender curve of her neck, and the purple gown that accentuated her pretty blue eyes.

He watched, the realization dawning on him.

Heck, he was madly in love with his best friend.

She took a deep breath in. "Gee, we did some pretty stupid things when we were kids."

"Some plenty stupid things."

"Remember when you broke Jason's nose because he insulted me in front of the whole cheer leading team?"

"And I had to spend the rest of the day in detention." He shook his head. "You got me into lots of trouble."

"We got ourselves into lots of trouble."

He shook his head, chuckled and looked out the window, out to the night. "How come you never left Chicago, at least once?"

Rose shrugged. "I guess because it was comfortable to just stay, rather than going through the stress of moving to a new environment, forming new friends, being far from Mom and Dad. I traveled enough through your letters."

"In other words, staying was safe."

She nodded. "It was safe. I was never like you and Bonnie, full of adventure and curiosity."

"Thought we might have rubbed off on you."

She let out a chuckle. "You know that saying that you can't rid a leopard of its spots?"

He smiled. "The fear is still there, isn't it?"

She nodded.

One day, when they were twelve, he had pushed her to try a new idea in class. It had gone extremely bad and had put her in trouble. Since then, Rose always stayed away from 'new' and 'different'.

She sighed. "It is not like I don't want to see the world."

"It is not just about seeing the world, Rosie. It is that you are not ready to explore anything because safe is just so easy and convenient."

"Why are we having this conversation again?"

"Because we always skirted around it in our letters. And because I have been itching to shake you till you stop being afraid."

"I am not afraid, just tentative."

"Yes, you are, you are one big scared chicken."

She threw a fortune cookie at him. "And you are one fat cow."

He grinned. "At least I'm not scared to charge at offenders."

She chuckled.

He cupped her palms. "Sugar, life is so beautiful and full of explosive colors, and to enjoy these colors, you have to step into them not watch from afar."

"First it was Bonnie, now you."

"Maybe if we say it enough, it will finally stick."

She smiled. "You can only hope."

The waiter brought the bill. He paid up and they got on their way.

He pulled up in front of her house.

She looked at him, a sweet smile on her lips. "Tonight was fun."

"Yes it was. Want to do it again another time?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know if you want to hang out with your best friend?" He drew back in mock surprise.

She laughed. "We are not going out as best friends, are we?"

He sobered. "No, we are not." He ran his knuckles down her cheek. He felt her shiver under his touch. "We are going out because I am madly in love with you and I'm trying to get you to say yes to me spending the rest of my life with you."

"Don't say that." She whispered, her eyes filled with plea.

"Don't say I'm in love with you? Cause I am and you have always told me to never hold my feelings back but to speak up." He winked.

She half moaned, half laughed. "Can you be serious, Rick?"

He grinned. "But I am." He sobered. "Okay, alright.... What are you afraid of?"

"What makes you think I'm afraid?"

"Then why do you keep saying no even though you feel something, cause I know you feel something."

"We are supposed to be best friends!"

"You said it yourself, whether we get married or not, it won't change anything."

"We will be fools to believe that. Everything will change."

"Nothing will change if we don't allow it."

She began to shake her head.

He grabbed her shoulders. "Rose, breathe in."

She inhaled deeply then exhaled.

"It will not go wrong, cause I'm getting you to marry me no matter what."

Though she smiled, he could still see the uncertainty in her eyes.

"It will work out. We will make it work out. So say yes. Don't break my heart. Say yes, Rosie."

She bit her lip, then slowly she nodded and smiled. "Yes, I will go out with you again."

"That is all I'm asking for. Come on, let me walk you to your door."

They climbed out of the car and met in front of it.

He held her hands and looked up at the bright full moon. "You know what they say about standing underneath a sky bright with the moon and full of stars?"

"What?" She asked, amusingly.

He cupped her face. "That right there and then," He lowered his head and whispered across her lips, "is the right moment to kiss the one you love."

"Did they really say that?"

He stepped closer till their lips were almost touching. "Uh huh." He closed the space between their lips and kissed her sweet and slow.

Tentatively, her hands curved around his neck and raising herself on her toes, she kissed him back.

He pulled back, his shoulders rising and falling at the same pace with hers. He leaned in a press a short kiss to her lips. "Goodnight, my love."

"Goodnight."

He waited till she got inside her house before jumping into the car and driving home with a wide satisfied smile on his face.