Disclaimer: I don’t own a thing. Not even the computer I’m writing this on. All you’d get out of me is a weird DVD collection.

AN: Since I am the Queen of Denial and prefer to live in blissful ignorance in my universe everyone is single.


The Best Kiss


She couldn’t believe it was over a year since she stood on the same carpet answering stupid questions of what seemed like a million of interviewers and essentially repeating the same things over and over again occasionally being embarrassed by his attempts at joking.

OK, that wasn’t fair, he was funny but that didn’t mean she had to like it, did it.

And here she was again, being pulled this and that way since the moment she stepped out of the car. Being screamed at and photographed and screamed at again. And as if that wasn’t giving her a big enough headache she spotted him. Charming the pants off of some unsuspecting reporter. In a dark blue button-down that was for bigger part unbuttoned showing off the chest hair that caused such an uproar previous year. She didn’t know why though. She kinda liked it. It made her fingers twitch with an unexplainable need to touch him. Which was the reason she preferred him in turtle necks. Like he ever wore them.

She wondered briefly how he knew what she would be wearing as she looked down on her knee-length dark blue skirt with colorful embroidery on the bottom and black tank top. That kinda matched his black pants. And they were both wearing Converse. Why? How? And why?

That was the moment when someone spotted them both and decided that they need to pose together. She knew they would have to but she hoped, almost prayed they would forget. Apparently no such luck.

Someone patted him on the back and pointed her way. He turned around their eyes locked he smiled and she stopped breathing.

So when he finally came to her to placate the photographers and screaming masses she was coughing like a TBC patient and his smile turned into a frown of concern.

“Are you OK?” how his voice managed to make her knees go weak after all this time she had no idea. She used to think it should be illegal. She still thought he should be arrested for it but nowadays she chose to ignore the effects it had on her. Or at least pretend to do so.

“Yeah.” She was so eloquent.

“Ready?” he asked with the smile back on his face as he put his hand on the small of her back and navigated her to the photographers who started to click away madly successfully blinding her with the flashes. It was too late to say no and run away.

So she put on what she hoped was a convincing smile and slid her arm around his waist. Because it was more comfortable. Not because she wanted to touch him. Honestly.

He was asking her random questions as they looked that way and this way, moving a little to the left and to the front and then back. It was tiring and she leaned on him unconsciously and he threw her another concerned glance.

“I’m OK, I just wish it was over already.” She assured him and he nodded in understanding, a lock of hair falling to his forehead and she only barely resisted the urge to smooth it back. Because that would be a really stupid move and not only because they were currently being observed by several millions of people.

Finally the photographers got their fill and moved onto another target. Ever the gentleman he escorted her to her place in the auditorium and then sat on his place across the aisle.

Who was making the seating arrangements for this thing? They couldn’t have put him in front of her so her head turning his way without her consent wouldn’t be so suspicious? Or behind her so she wouldn’t give into the temptation at all? He was too close, too much in her line of vision. So she decided to concentrate on not looking his way. Which turned out to be quite an interesting past time. Way more interesting then the actual show, at least in her opinion.

That is until the words Best Kiss rang through the assembly. This was one of the reasons they made her come. Because they were nominated.

The moment she heard their names she closed her eyes. She didn’t really need to see it. She remembered it quite well, thank you very much. Her lips started to tingle just at the thought of that particular scene. And then the clips were over and some blond girl with a bright smile was announcing…

“And the winner is … Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, Twilight.” And the crowd went wild.

It actually took a while for the words to register and for her to stand up and move. She was only barely aware of the fact that he was following her. The blond girl gave her the golden popcorn and she stood awkwardly in front of the microphone hoping he would say something.

“This really is the best job ever. First they pay me for kissing a gorgeous girl and now they even give me an award for it.” As everything he said it was greeted with screaming from the crowd.

“I guess this officially makes you the best kisser of 2008.” Where the hell did that come from? Who said it? It sure as hell couldn’t be her. Except for the fact that it was.

“I might try for 2009 too.” He said with a smirk as she took a step back from the microphone to not embarrass herself any further. And there was a mischievous gleam in his eyes. Before she could even guess what it meant he took her in his arms and spun her in a move worth any movie hero, one hand around her waist the other cradling her head while she clutched the popcorn to her chest. The crowd went even wilder and she was sure the building will collapse on them all any moment now.

And then he kissed her and all rational thoughts, and the irrational ones too, fled her mind. All that was left were his lips and her lips, touching. The mind-numbing sensation lasted for whole of seventeen seconds though how she managed to count them was beyond her.

But suddenly she was standing again and was led off the stage still very oblivious of what was going around her until someone pried the award from her grip saying something of which only the word engraving register.

She spotted a sign for a restroom and she made a beeline for it vaguely aware of someone calling her name but she ignored it. She locked herself in the stall sitting down on the toilet seat and trying to take deep breaths to calm down. She had no idea how long she sat there before she was finally functioning again. She then got out and washed her hands and face with cold water startled by her own reflection.

She was pale except for her lips and her eyes were wide and full of emotions. She looked like she was high but there was no helping it.

From the restroom she went straight to the parking lot in search for her car to take her home, after-party be damned.

When she arrived home she changed into her PJs, turned on some music and laid down on the couch trying to sort out her feelings.

She wanted to be angry with him but he didn’t really do anything that bad. It was kind of expected of the winners. At least it was the impression she got from some videos and comments tossed her way after the nominations were announced. And he probably thought it was amusing. She might have shared that opinion if it wasn’t her being smooched out of the blue.

And she didn’t really mind the fact that he kissed her in front of running cameras. Although a word of warning would have been nice. It was a part of the job. She might not like it but she couldn’t really change it either. No sense in dwelling on it.

So what was it that made her run away like a scared child? What was it that had her stomach twisting and her mind running in thousand different directions? It was just a little stunt.

Except for the minuscule detail that for her it wasn’t. It was fun for him but it was just too serious for her. Because she wanted him to kiss her and mean it. And she was also sure he won’t. So having him kiss her like that for all the wrong reasons hurt. It was weird that she never recognized the annoyance she often felt in his presence for what it obviously really was.

Pain.

How pathetic it was that she unwillingly and without noticing joined the ranges of his screaming and hyperventilating fan club. Except that she knew what she was not getting because she actually had a taste. And what a good one it was. And she wasn’t talking just about the physical part though that was too good for her own sanity. Just like the character that made him to the next teen idol he was even more irresistible on the inside.

She curled up on the couch hugging a pillow letting her mind wonder reminiscing, not realizing when the memories morphed into dreams as sleep claimed her. She didn’t remember waking up and going to bed but she woke up tangled in her sheets and with a headache the next morning.

The sun was barely rising but she couldn’t stay in the bed any longer so she took a quick shower made some coffee and headed out. She ended up on a beach the crushing waves strangely comforting though not really helping with the turmoil caused by her recent revelation.

She sensed his presence even before he plopped down beside her. She didn’t look at him and for a long time they just sat there side by side in silence. Her trying not to show how much his presence was affecting her and him contemplating who knows what. In the end it was him to break the silence.

“How angry are you at me?” that made her turn to him a little startled by how close he actually was.

“Angry for what?”

“The kiss yesterday.” Oh, so they were gonna talk about it. It was getting better and better.

“I’m not angry with you.”

“Well, you could have fooled me.”

“I’m not, really.”

“Then why did you run away?” the million dollar question. And she had no answer. At least non she was willing to share.

“Did I do something?” he was obviously not going to give up.

“You didn’t do anything.” And that is the problem, she added for herself.

“Then what is it?” he was concerned and it was both painfully sweet and seriously annoying.

“Nothing.”

“Come on, maybe I can help.” He nudged her with his shoulder. The innocent touch sending electric current all through her system.

“It's nothing.” Can't he take a hint? She was starting to get angry.

“It’s obviously not nothing. I though we were friends.” Yeah, that’s what she thought too but things change. “Kris.” The concern now more pronounced in his voice he put a hand on her shoulder and she jerked away as though burned. It was an involuntary reaction but it was too much too soon. She could barely handle herself. She really didn’t have the strength to handle him right now.

He was taken aback by her reaction and she just couldn’t stand the look on his face. So she got up and strolled away. She should have known better then to assume he would let her go so easily.

“Please, talk to me.” He caught up with her and as she showed no sign of stopping he just deterred her by standing in front of her his hands on her shoulders. “Please.” That was the last straw. She pushed him hard and then started to beat his chest with her fists as tears she so hard tried to stop fell from her eyes.

He let her take it out on him until she could only sob and then took her in his arms running his hand up and down her back soothingly, murmuring into her hair. She stood still in his embrace her face buried in his chest soaking his shirt with her tears.

It took a long time before she calmed down. She felt really stupid at her outburst but as he leaned back and wiped away the tear stains off of her face and then bent down a little to look at her she knew it wasn’t over.

“Will you tell me now?”

“No. Not now. Not tomorrow. Not ever.” Her voice was cold. So much so that it made her shiver.

“So it is something I have done? It is the kiss, isn’t it?”

“Why did you kiss me?” it seemed as though he didn’t have an answers either.

“It seemed appropriate.” He offered but he didn’t sound very convincing. He ran his hand through his hair and then turned to the ocean so she was seeing only his profile. “I couldn’t let a chance like that pass by.”

What?

“What?” she was lost. And he sighed as though making a very important decision before turning back to her. The look in his eyes shook her to the very core. Because she recognized it. She saw it on her own face just yesterday.

“I just wanted to kiss you so badly. I wasn’t really thinking. We were up there and the crowd was cheering and I wanted to kiss you so much. I’m really sorry. I should have known better. It's not gonna happen again. I promise.”

What was he talking about? Was he really saying what she thought he was saying? Could she dare to hope? But before she could process his words and think it through her body decided that her mind was taking too long and suddenly her arms were around his neck and her lips were on his and everything was right in the world.

He responded almost immediately but just as her mind was taking leave for good he broke the kiss.

“What … why …” He still wanted to talk? Well, if he made it quick.

“I’m not wasting any more chances.” She explained.

“Chances?” she obviously didn’t explain enough. And she thought he was smart.

“Chances to kiss you.” She looked him in the eye and waited till he got the hint. And because he was indeed very smart he got it fast.

“Is it so?”

“Wasting.” She breathed out before she claimed his lips. He smiled into the kiss and pulled her closer.

They needed to talk and they would later but for now she was done wasting time. And as he cupped her face and tilted her head back a little to gain better access to her mouth she had to agree with those MTV people – best kisser ever. And he was all hers.