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The only dilemma was how to tell Onyx he wanted to be with her while she was awake. He thought about it the whole taxi ride to her house, as he helped her out of the car and up the stairs into the house. Now he sat on the couch staring at his reflection on the mirrored coffee table. He could hear her clanging and banging in the kitchen. �Would you like something to drink?�
�Please,� he whispered. Then he said it again louder. �Onyx come in here so--� he stopped. So he could what? Make a fool of himself?
�Did you say something?� She handed his a glass and sat down next to him. �Are you okay? You seem nervous. What�s wrong Craig? You�ve been here hundreds of times. I know,� she leaned back against the couch. �It�s this new boyfriend isn�t it?�
An idea struck him. He could tell Onyx his problems about asking this �boy� out, then use her advice to ask her. �Yeah actually, it is.�
�Well tell me.�
Craig sighed. �I recently realized I�ve liked him for a long time. And now that Kaiser and I have gone our separate ways, I can go to him.�
�Then what�s the problem?� Onyx gasped. �He doesn�t like you!�
�No, that�s it, he does. And I know if I ask him, he�ll say �yes,� he�s a friend and I don�t want things to get awkward between us. And I don�t want to loose him as a friend.�
�Huh?� Onyx scratched her head. �Go for it. If he likes you and you like him, you�ve got to take that chance. Say the worst does happen and you loose his friendship if you break up. You�ll still have all those great memories, right?�
�Yeah,� Craig sat up straight. �You�re right.� He looked at Onyx square in the face. �I�ll say: Will you take that chance with me Onyx?�
�That�s right. Just say--� she stopped. �Craig are you joking?�
�No,� he grabbed her hand in his. �No, Onyx. I realized it while sitting in the hospital you�re what I�ve been looking for. That missing chapter from an unfinished book. I realized that all these years it was you I loved.� He cupped his hand around her face.
�Craig, I--� her voice dropped to a whisper. Her hand went to his as a tear rolled down her face.
�Shh,� he wiped it away with his other hand. He tilted his head to the side and smiled. �Don�t speak.�
�But--�
�No,� he spoke softly and leaned near her. �Just kiss me.� Onyx choked, but did as she was told. She leaned forward and met Craig�s lips with her own. His hand slid to the back of her head and clung to a handful of her hair.
It was quick and Craig paused only for a second before he kissed her again. Deeper and longer, he leaned back and pulled Onyx with him till she lay on top of him on the couch. His other hand held her there, on him, at the small of her back. One of her hands gripped his shirt, caught in between them, the other holding herself up off him slightly. They paused again and this time stopped. �Are you sure?� Onyx brushed some of his hair behind his ear. He nodded, letting go of her hair. She smiled and moved down so her head lay on his chest. Craig�s breathing was even and his arms wrapped around her, one hand rubbing her back. �Craig, I--� she yawned.
�Shh. Don�t say anything. Go to sleep. We�ll talk later.�
Smiling, Onyx fell asleep on Craig.