"Really?! The fortune teller meant A.J.?"
I had just told Tam about what that woman had said. The two of us were in her room later that night, rehashing the events that had happened.
"I can't believe it! It's so romantic!" she squealed. "What are you going to do now?"
I bit my lip, confused. "That's the problem. I have no idea as to what I'm going to do! A few hours ago A.J. was just my friend. Now he's this really close guy I'd like to get close to." I grew thoughtful. "You know what? I've got to get this off my chest or I'll never act normal around A.J. again. I jumped every time he spoke or looked my way! It's impossible that he didn't notice anything wrong.
"We both have our days off tomorrow. Maybe I should go over to his house and have a long talk with him."
Tam nodded, smiling slyly. "I guess I'll have to 'mysteriously disappear' tomorrow, huh? I might get in the way."
I laughed a little at that but my eyes pleaded with her. "Just for the morning, Tam. If A.J. rejects me I'll need a shoulder to cry on."
She slung an arm over my shoulder companionably. "Cheer up! That's not going to happen. I've been friends with you and A.J. since time immemorial, and known you twice that long. So believe me when I say everything will work out."
I sighed wearily. "The way this day is going, I suppose anything is possible."
"Yeah," Tam agreed. "This day has been a rollercoaster ride." I sighed and lay my head on my arms. "That isn't the half of it."

It was around six the next morning when I finally gave up on trying to sleep and got out of bed. With nothing else to do, I took a cool, refreshing shower. I wrapped my old terry robe around me and sat down on my bed. As I brushed my hair, I thought things over. It was OK for Tam and the palm reader to tell me nothing bad would happen...if they were wrong I would be the one humiliated. More importantly, A.J.'s friendship had been one I'd kept and cherished all these years. Was a relationship worth the risk of losing it forever?
I yanked the brush down on my poor hair, frustrated. That was a question I couldn't ask of myself. Not now. Resolutely, I stood up and pulled a book from my shelf. Telling myself not to think of you-know-who, I glanced at the cover distractedly. My eyes widened and I threw the book to the other side of the room.
It was a romance.

It was deja vu all over again. Here I was at the doorstop of my soulmate's house about to ring the doorbell. But unlike with the nerdy Keith Harris, I knew this time was for real. This was it. The big leap. I raised a shaking finger to press the buzzer -
- and was saved the trouble as A.J. came barging out. With a wild look in his eye, he seized me by the shoulders. "Sybil! You can't come in!"
I took a step back and stared at him in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
He turned his head left and right, searching for something. "Uh - uh - Richard Simmons is inside!"
Instead of clearing things up, that left me even more confused. Rich Simmons was another friend of ours. I couldn't see why he was making such a big deal out of it. "So?"
He refused to look me in the eye. "Well, I can't let him see you here."
That hurt. "Are you saying you're ashamed of me now?"
"No!" he yelled. "Just go! I'll talk to you later." He shoved me backward and disappeared.
I stood still on the front steps, unable to move. My throat constricted at the thought of what had just happened. I had come to tell him about what the fortune teller had revealed to me about us, and he'd pushed me aside as if he couldn't wait to get rid of me.
I guess I know where I stand, I thought. Slowly, I turned around and began to trudge back. tears threatened to spill from my eyes, but I stubbornly refused to let them fall. Hold on, Sybil old girl, I told myself. Listen to his explanation first. "That's right," I murmured aloud. "In fact, I'm doing him a favor by giving him five minutes to invent one. Then I'm coming in!"

Being around for so long definitely had its advantages. I knew exactly which side of the house A.J.'s room was located and that's where I was going now. There was a glass window in his room which could be pushed up, and it was big enough to squeeze through. I, of course, knew this. In fact, this is how I usually got into the Henson home anyway. It was just my luck when I spotted A.J. inside, strumming a rather tuneless tune on his guitar. I rapped on the window to get his attention and slipped inside.
The room was as messy as usual, with rock and movie posters taped on the black walls haphazardly. He rose when he saw me and put away his guitar. To his credit, he didn't appear surprised. I did notice that he had circles around his eyes. Same as me, I observed absently.
"Rich isn't here," I accused him, unconsciously kicking the bed posts as I spoke. "Would you mind telling me what's going on?"
He let out a resigned sigh and slumped down on his bed. "I guess I might as well tell you." He mumbled, "I know who K.H. is."
My heart sank. So this was it. He didn't want me.
"It's my brother."
I gasped in shock.
"When I came home from work, it hit me. You've known him for as long as you know me, so it fits. There's something you don't know too. He dropped by Beach Break yesterday. He came to pick up his wallet just when you and Tam went off on your quest. Don't you see?You really would have met him if the fake K.H. hadn't gotten involved." He sighed. "I didn't want you to come in because I knew you'd figure it out if you laid eyes on him."
"That's a mistake!" I blurted out before I could stop myself. "I know who K.H. is!"
He stared at me obviously surprised at this. "Who is it then?" he flatly inquired.
"Well I-" I felt my cheeks grow warm. "Well what about you?! Why were you trying to hide your brother from me?"
I had the satisfaction to see that his was the face that flushed this time. "Oh well..." He shook his head and remained silent for a long time. When he spoke, his voice was low and quiet. "Maybe I was jealous."
I had meant to say something witty in defense of myself, sure he would tease me even more. But at his words, and the tone he said it, all my comebacks melted away. I could only stare at him open-mouthed.
"Have you ever thought of...developing our relationship?"
My heart skipped a beat. Was he saying what I thought he was saying?!
"Because I have. I've thought about it a lot..."
I almost didn't trust myself to speak. "Why didn't you say something?" I whispered.
He shrugged noncommittally. "Maybe I was afraid... Every boy is with a girl but you're not just any girl. You're my best friend too. I had to be careful. There were so many reasons that came popping up. Remember Brad Warner?"
I groaned. I did remember, only too well.
"Well, when he broke up with you, you swore never to see another guy again. It took you a long time to get over him, and I could hardly get into the picture then. Afterward, I guess it was just plain chickening out. That's not what I told myself then, of course. I had loads of excuses. The time wasn't right, the mood wasn't right..." He chuckled bitterly. "This wasn't supposed to be the way I told you. I had lots of fantasies...but it's too late now." He looked me eye, regret clouding both of his. "Who's the lucky guy?"
I almost choked trying to get the words out. My heart went out to him. "It's you. You don't know it either, but the fortune teller came by when you were in the kitchen. She told me it was you she meant. She saw your brother's ID in the wallet you were carrying and assumed Kenneth Henson was your name. You, A.J. K.H. is you.
He was staring at me in disbelief and shock. I gazed right back at him, wanting so much to hug him - or strangle him for being so clodheaded. Slowly, he began to laugh. Since A.J's laugh is the infectious kind I found myself grinning, then laughing along with him. We laughed long and hard, the tension in the room lightening until it evaporated into thin air. We were the best of friends again, the best! And maybe something more...
"Guess that 'crummy fortune teller' was good for something after all," he remarked, his grin growing even wider (if that was still possible).
"Yes, you sure got your money's worth."
We shared a slow, meaningful smile.
"Well aren't you going to kiss me?" I whispered, my heart beating like crazy.
He smiled back at me solemnly. "Sybil Rollins, I've waited sixteen years to kiss you. You think I'd pass up on the opportunity now?"
I shook my head, not daring to breathe. My spirits soared. I loved it. I loved him. I loved life! And I wanted to shout it to the world.
And guess what? He proved it.

The rest as they say, is DESTINY.

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