Testing the Waters
Testing the Waters
"Hey Luhan, I'm heading out to see the boys at the bar!" Kris shouted to Luhan who was in the kitchen.
"O.K, be safe tonight! If you drink too much call me or take a taxi. You know I worry about your safety." Luhan responded back, "Oh! And don't forget our one year anniversary dinner tomorrow!"
"Wouldn't miss it for the world." Kris said sweetly while slipping on his shoes. Kris walked down the stairs of the two's shared appartment and turned back to admire all that the two had accomplished in the two years they known each other.
Just two years ago they were simply strangers who had met in a way that seemed as though it belonged in one of the cheesy dramas Luhan loved to watch.
"Hey Tao!" one of the mystery boys friends called him over. Tao suddenly started walking in Kris's direction, Kris panicked as he believed his sudden crush was walking over to him; Kris's fight or flight response kicked in and Kris did what any strong and confident boy like himself would do, run.
Kris ran at full speed right into a frail looking boy who was struggling to carry all of his lugage into his dorm room. Yep, Kris ran straight into the kid, knocking the boy and all of his luggage right to the ground.
Kris immediately bent down to help the boy up and even offered to help bring his bags to his room. The boy let Kris enter the room where Kris found out that the boy was a freshmen like himself, the boys name was Luhan.
~Flashback~
"O.K class, for this assignment you are to pair up to compose a piece for your final. This is going to be a group assignment so the group will share whatever grade you get. Since this is supposed to be fun, I will allow you to choose your partners." At this Luhan's head popped up from the desk he had been using as a pillow. Kris shared this class with Luhan and the two of them had been getting rather intimate lately, so of course they were going to be partners; there was absolutely no reason that Kris would choose someone other than him, or so Luhan thought. Luhan got up from his seat in the back and went to the front where Kris was seated to find him talking about what he was going to do for the project, and he was talking to Tao. Tao was the popular boy in his class, all of the boys saw his innocent side and wanted to protect him while all of the girls simply wanted to be his friend. But either way, Tao was talking to Kris about what the two of them were going to do. Luhan was certain that the man he had developed feelings for and was in love with had betrayed him for Tao. Luhan was certain of this, he knew there was no way he was making that up, but he decided to test the waters.
"Hey Kris do you have a partner for the project yet?"
"Yeah sorry Luhan, Tao asked me to be with him because he wanted to do a rapping piece, and you're not exactly a rapper." So that was Kris' s excuse for not being with him, he wasnt a rapper? It was good to know that Kris was willing to throw away the relationship that they had built all because Tao had complained that he wanted to do a rapping piece.
"Oh, ok. I hope that you guys do well." Luhan replied shakily as he started backing out of the room.
"Luhan, are you ok?" Kris looked up to see the tears forming in Luhan's eyes.
"Yeah. I'm ok. I just need to be alone for a while, sorry." and at that, the tears fell and Luhan was gone.
Kris knew he had screwed something up, Luhan who he knew he had feelings for had left the room in tears because of him. He had to fix this; the tears streaming down Luhan's face were already pulling at his heart and eating at his soul and they just fell. Kris was going to find Luhan and make this right.
During one of their many mini dates Luhan had taken Kris out to Luhan's favorite park just a few blocks from the school. Up in the largest oak in the park they had shared their first kiss, on the slide their second and on the swing their third. Luhan had to be there, up in the tree.
Kris took a taxi to the park, taxi number 0420, he would never forget that number. Kris got in and in a shaking voice told the man to go to the park. During the short trip there, Kris contemplated why Luhan was so upset with him. Kris partnered up with Tao for a simple project, there was no reason for Luhan to take it as a personal attack. The taxi driver pulled up to the park and Kris just stayed. He looked out the window, he just couldn't gain the strength to face Luhan.
"Hey kid, I don't know what the deal is, but you seem sad. Whoever the person is, find them and make up because you are obviously down and they probably are too." the taxi driver gave him the words of encouragment he needed in order to find Luhan and talk to him.
Kris walked through the park and found the tree, and the memories began to flash.
~Flashback~
"Thanks for taking me here Luhan, it's really pretty" like you Kris wanted to add.
"Your welcome, I wanted to show you my favorite place." Luhan responded.
"My favorite place is anywhere with you. Crap, I just said that out loud didn't I?"
"Yeah, do you really mean that though?"
"I might as well say this, Luhan I really like you." Kris said. He had already said something that could possibly ruin his relationship with Luhan, so he might as well continue to dig his grave. Kris decided now would be the time to kiss Luhan, here in Luhan's sanctuary. Kris leaned down and placed his lips onto Luhan's. 'Please let everything go right.' Kris pleaded. Luhan started to kiss him back, mouths moving in synch with each other and creating a perfect harmony.
They stayed that way for several minutes, just enjoying the feeling and security of each others lips.
Kris was the first one to pull back. Luhan looked up at Kris, lips swollen and eyes dazed. "Um."
"So."
"Where does this leave us?" Luhan questioned.
"Where do you want us to be?" Kris asked.
"Well. I mean I'm not going to lie, you're really attractive and I think I like you, but I think I need to test the waters first."
~End Flashback~
"Luhan, I know that you're up there. Either you come down or I'm coming up." Kris was met with silence. "Fine Luhan, you leave me with no choice, I'm coming up there." Kris started climbing up the tree to the third branch; they had claimed the branch when they carved their initials in on their second visit. When Kris arrived Luhan was sitting on the branch with his arms wrapped around his legs. "O.K Luhan, what's wrong? All I did was pair up with Tao for a project, I don't see what the big deal is." Luhan responded back with silence.
After 5 minutes Luhan finally spoke up, "It's nothing Kris, I promise. Just go back to the dorms and I'll be there later tonight."
"Luhan, if this was nothing you wouldn't have run away from me with tears in your eyes, and you wouldn't be here. So stop trying to lie to me and yourself by calling this nothing."
"Fine. I'll just let it out. I want to be through with testing the water. I hate the fact that we've been through so much recently and you threw me away for Tao. And I don't care if I'm overreacting, I have the right to. You can't tell me that all of these kisses we've shared, all the times we held hands didn't mean anything to you." By the time Luhan had finished Kris was speechless. Luhan was in love with him, and he saw this as an attack on his feelings, of course he was going to be upset. After Luhan had finished he placed his head back down on his knees and wrapped himself up again.
"Luhan listen, I'm sorry. I don't want this dumb project to be the thing that tears us apart. Going through this, I know that I have feelings for you. Going through this I know that I can't be without you. So Luhan, I love you, would you be my boyfriend? "
Luhan looked up, tears streaming down his face, "Kris," Luhan started, voice cracking, "I know we've been through a lot and I know I like you but, if I've become like this over some petty fight, I don't think I'm ready to be in a full on relationship where this might be a common thing. I'm really sorry Kris, I still need to test the waters."
Kris wasn't going to cry, he wasnt going to let himself. Luhan said he had feelings for him it would just take his some time.
~End Flashback~
Kris was in Luhan's room and he had prepared himself to confess to Luhan. "Luhan, I need to get this off my chest. I am in love with you. The day I crashed into you I knew that you were something special. Our fight showed me that I have feelings for you that have only grown. I know that this sounds like some crappy love letter, but it's true. Luhan, I love you. Will you be my boyfriend?"
Luhan looked up at Kris, once again with tears swelling in his eyes. "Kris. Im through with testing the water. I know what I'm getting into, and it's in a relationship with you. I've grown in these past few months and I am fully ready to commit myself to you. I love you too Kris, and yes, I will be your boyfriend. "
~End Flashback~
Kris walked to the sidewalk to call a taxi. "Taxi!" Kris shouted. Taxi 0420 pulled up and Kris couldn't help but smile at the odds. Kris told the taxi driver the address of the place as he put his seatbelt on. Suddenly the door on the other side opened and a tall boy with an icy exterior and jet black hair to match got in.
"Oh Kris. How is it going?"
"Tao, wow. It's been a while, how are you doing?"
"Oh pretty good. I got a job as a rapping instructor for young kids, how about you? Do you have a job yet?"
"No. Me and Luhan are trying to find somewhere where we can work together. "
"Oh, Luhan." Tao's expression turned sour, "You and Luhan are still together? "
"Yeah, I'm thinking about proposing to him next year on our anniversary. "
"Proposing? Don't you think your a little young?"
"Maybe so but I know that I love Luhan to the ends of the earth and back; there's no one else for me but him. I'm through with testing the waters and I want to show him."
Tao mumbled something under his breath.
"Well, I'm here. I need to go, it was nice seeing you Tao."
"Oh, your not going anywhere." Tao said with devious tone. The doors locked and Kris began to panic. "Lay, drive." The driver, Lay, began to drive away from the bar.
"Tao! This isn't funny, what is going on?"
"Kris. While you were busy chasing after Luhan you ignored me. I was the awkward kid who no one wanted. How do you think I felt. I love you Kris, but all you see is Luhan! You're through with testing the waters, you are going to be with me forever."
"So Kris, now you will be mine forever, don't even bother calling your precious Luhan it will be useless. This is what you get for choosing that thing over me that day. I could tell that you found me attractive but I guess that found a way to entertain you and steal you. Well now you are mine."
"Lay you know where to go."
~Ending One~
"Tao, please just come to your senses, just think about what you are about to do. Are you really going to kill yourself just because Kris is not with you? That's absurd. Please Tao, just think." Kris thought, but the words came out of Lay's mouth instead.
"Lay, you are just the driver here, your opinion does not matter."
"That's the issue here Tao! My opinion never mattered! You were so wrapped up in your sick little world that you didnt see that I was in love with you!"
"What? Lay, I had no clue."
"Yeah, and here I am, the accomplice in your game, and I cant do this! There is no way I am going to let you destroy your life when you have so much ahead of you. You are a bright and talented kid with a sick obsession that you can fix. So please, let me the one to heal you." Kris finally realized as Lay finished that the taxi had only moved a block and he was going to live. He also realized the reason as to why Lay seemed so familiar; he was Tao's friend the day that he met him. Lay had been in love with Lay as long as he had Luhan and possibly even longer. Lay was willing to risk his life all because he loved Tao, his loyalty proved to Kris that Lay was far beyond testing the waters.
~Ending Two~
"Yes Tao."
"Tao, what are you planning to do?"
"Well Kris, you are done with testing the waters forever. You will never have to do that again; you will remain mine forever."
"And how are you planning to do that?"
"Oh Kris, you still think that I am just that innocent kid who needs protection dont you? Well, I am so much more than that. I am capable of changing the fates of four people here, and I plan to do just that."
"All you want is me though! Why bring Lay and Luhan into this?"
"Because Luhan is the reason for this entire mess! If he had just watched where he was going that day you and I wouldn't be here! And Lay is here because he is a love sick puppy who claims he would do anything for me."
"What if I were to be with you. If I was to become your boyfriend, would you stop this taxi and think please?"
There was a huge crash as the taxi broke through a wooden barrier. Lay drove the taxi off a cliff, Tao had just killed three people within a minute. He had just altered the lives of at least four people. All Kris could think of as he was falling was Luhan, how would he respond when his body is found? Would Luhan be able to continue? He had broken down over a petty fight, would he live after the death of his loved one? Would Luhan think of Kris daily, would he miss him and never forget him? Or would Luhan move on and test the waters all over again? These were the thoughts that ran through Kris' s head as he fell into the waters, ironic isn't it? As the taxi broke though the waters two I love yous were muttered. One for Tao, one for Luhan. An I'm sorry came from Tao, it was directed at Kris, Luhan and finally at Lay. Tao was right, after this point everything was permanent, relationships had been built and destroyed, and the waters were through with being tested.
Comments