Love, Lust, and Spirit: Who Is Mrs. Perfect?

"Brittney, this is getting out of hand and on my nerves....no, no. Uh...Brittney, Mike is planning on cheating on you. Just boldly tell her. Or don't and keep from getting your head ripped off, Niki. Much easier." Niki stared at herself in the mirror and rubbed her neck. "Ugh, this is so unfair. I'd like to meet the wise guy who thought of drawing straws." She groaned and fluffed her hair a little. "I mean, surely to goodness it isn't that hard for all of us to go up to her and say, "Hey, your boyfriend is stuck between you and my best friend. Save him before catastrophe strikes." She rolled her eyes.

She washed her hands to burn more time and dried them on the towel hanging next to the sink. She rehung the towel and looked at herself once more before exiting the bathroom. She opened the door to the empty hallway and backed up against the wall. She hated knowing she had to right the wrong, but she couldn't stand on the sidelines and watch her family rip itself apart at the seams because no one would grow a pair and tell someone. With that she finally looked up and filled her lungs with much needed air.

"Why do I have to be such a good person?" she asked herself.

She turned her head against the wall to look down the hall to her destination. Her palms began to perspire, she clamped them shut along with her eyes. Why was she so nervous? She wasn't going in to disconnect a bomb or anything. Actually, that didn't sound half as bad as breaking the news to Brittney. If you cut the wrong wire you're dead, if you tell her then she'll cry, flip, or rampage. There is no good outcome and depending on how crazy she is inside depends on how she'll react. Sadly, she didn't seem like the weepy type.

She finally grew her pair and started walking down the hall. She really didn't want to test the hardness of them, frankly, but she'll have to to get through this. Her feet felt like lead blocks refusing to let her continue on, but she pushed forward. 'It's now or never!' she told herself, 'Nothing is going to keep me from doing what I know needs to be done. Nothing.'

She stopped in front of the closed door and listened intently to see if anyone was inside. She knew they were, she was only giving herself an excuse to prolong the situation. She didn't have to listen to close to decide she was going to wait outside the door, though. She didn't want to scar her into the next life. She didn't want, nor could she, move from the spot she was standing in. She waited patiently outside the door hoping she could keep her courage to burst the bubble of lust.

***

Mike's body shuddered inside and above Brittney as he groaned and clamped onto her hips. He fell off to the side and laid on his back searching for his breath. She rolled over and put her head on his chest, tracing his hair line down until it dissipated from it's thin line. She looked up at him, gazing at his chin until he looked down to meet her eyes.

"I love you so much," she said. "I'm glad I have you all to myself."

Mike tensed slightly, but not enough to alarm. He quickly threw a grin up to cover his uneasy feeling growing in his gut. It was true, he was only hers, but his thoughts swarmed with Alec every second of the day. Only his lips had betrayed her. He wanted to keep it that way, but every time he saw, or even thought of her, his loins began to tighten. He didn't know what to do to control this feeling, but overall he wanted to kill it. He wanted to choose one and get this all over with. Brittney would be devastated if she found out, but he didn't know what else to do.

"Babe, I've been wanting to tell you something."

***

Niki's eyes widened as she listened to Mike confess his petty deceitfulness and she felt like she could float from the weight lifted off her chest and shoulders. Her chest began to burn as she continued listening and realized she was holding her breath. She didn't know if she wanted to let go. She felt she would fall to the floor as if her breath was holding her up on her feet. She had to risk it anyway. She exhaled and heard a loud shout from Brittney as she began making loud noises behind the door. Niki leaned against the wall to see if she could attune to her ruckus better. She had to know what she was saying. Seconds later the door slammed open and smashed her in the gut, the doorknob digging in her belly.

"Brittney, please come back. Just listen to me!" Mike pleaded.

Niki didn't dare expose herself though she had no idea how no one noticed her. She remained camouflaged behind the door and listened intently on the next words.

"Why?" Mike uttered. "I'm such an idiot."

Niki bit her lip and felt the need to run out and comfort him. The urge ate at her and finally she stepped out from behind the door.

"I don't think it was so bad."

Mike looked up in distress realizing she was there when Brittney burst out the door. "What do you mean not "so bad"?"

"I'm not going to sugar coat it, Mike, but I was waiting out here to tell her."

Mike stood barely feeling the ground beneath him holding up his sudden heaviness. Sudden relief flowed into him realizing he was glad he told her himself instead of her finding out from someone else.

"Why would you do something like that?"

"Look around, Mike. Your decisions aren't affecting only yourself. I wanted to keep you from breaking up our dysfunctional family we've all made together. I can't allow two of my best friends to ruin all of our lives because of a short, stupid affair."

He ran his hand through his hair and exhaled roughly. I know, that's why I'm so stupid. I feel like such a douche bag, but she's such an amazing girl. Both of them are."

"I know, that's why you have to let one go."

"What if I already lost one?" he asked looking up into her eyes.

She placed her hand on his bare shoulder. "She's not gone, only confused. She's lost, Mike. She needs to know you're there for her and won't betray her. You need to show her you truly love her."

"What if I don't know how to do that? What if I don't really love her?"

"That's for you to find out," she replied. He lowered his head and stared down at the floor. "But I think I know where to start."

"Yeah?"

"Mhm, pants."

His skin chilled at his sudden realization of his nakedness and dove into the bedroom. Niki laughed and stepped inside. She leaned up against the wall and crossed her arms across her chest. Mike zipped and buttoned his pants and turned back around. Swiftly he took Niki into his powerful arms and squeezed her tightly.

"Niki, I don't know what I'd do without you. You're the best, don't you ever forget that."

She laid her head against his chest and smiled. She rubbed his back and a noise growled from her throat in approval.