Loving Cousin

There was a faint buzzing in my ears and my mouth suddenly felt slick, like I was about to be sick. I knew her inside and out, there was no way she was bluffing. "You're serious."

"Yes, I am. I can't stand by and watch what I know is going to happen," she replied, taking out her wallet and putting some money on the table. Before she walked away, she bent down and kissed me tenderly. I couldn't stop myself from kissing her back, but it felt like everyone was staring at us. Touching my face, she whispered, "Come today or not at all."

All the way back to Holly's apartment, I sat on the bus and stared out the window. My mind bounced back and forth--my best friend, my boyfriend, her lips, and his eyes. The scale was balanced, but as my heart went one way and the other, the world shifted under my feet.

When I got back to Holly's apartment, she was sitting on the couch watching a game show. She looked up at me and frowned. "You're going to her, aren't you?"

I didn't acknowledge the question