That "Love" Girl
Chapter Nine
By Rachel Rene

    "So, whatta ya want to eat tonight, Kar?  My treat, I'll get whatever ya want," Micky asked.  He looked through the refrigerator and cupboards but found nothing.  "We don't got anything left, babe, so we'll have to go grab a bite.  Okay?"
    "Okay," Karisma muttered, trying not to make eye contact with him.
    "Listen, babe," he sat next to her on the couch and put his arm around her.  "I know you must feel really... Well, this whole night's been a drag, so let's just forget about it and get some food, 'kay?"
    "Alright, I'll let ya buy me some dinner, but at least ask the others to come too.  After what happened I don't exactly feel comfortable being alone with anybody right now."
    Micky put his arm down and sighed.  Then he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his legs, his hands folded.  "Please," he hung his head as he said this, "I need to talk to you alone.  That's why I sent the other's to get food and stuff.  I need to talk to you about...Mary." On the last word, Micky looked up into Kari's eyes with such seriousness it was almost impossible to believe the look came from Micky.  He licked his lips and his eyes begged for her to listen to him.
    "Alright," Kari gave in, "I guess we can go get hamburgers.  I have to tell you something too, anyway..."



    At the burger place, Micky ordered two double cheeseburgers, chili cheese fries, and cokes for him and Kari.  As he brought the tray to the table, he grinned, "You sure eat a lot for a girl.  I think you're the only person I know who eats as much as me."
    "Yeah, well there's a good reason I eat a lot."  Micky looked at Karisma with questioning eyes, but she quickly mentioned, "But you had something to tell me?"
    Micky took a deep breath, "I think I'm in love."
    Kari smiled and ate a chili cheese fry, "It's about time you realized it."
    "What d'you mean?"
    "It's been so obvious.  You and Mary both have that look in your eyes, and you both are so nervous when the other is looking."
    "But...but that's not love.  I've felt that way about other girls before, and it just doesn't feel like what love is supposed to be."
    Kari gave an approving nod, with a delighted look on her face, "Very good, Mick.  You've learned something.  You're right, that isn't love.  It's just attraction, the first step in love.  If you don't feel attraction, how can you love?"
    Micky shrugged, "I dunno... Then what is love?"
    "I think you mean, what do I think is love, right?"
    "I guess."
    "Because many people might disagree with me.  But I think I pretty much know what I think love is."
    "How do you know?"
    "We'll get to that later.  Now, I'm just going to answer you're question on what I think it is."  She took a sip of her soda, and leaned back in her chair, trying to hide her smile.
    "Wait, wait." he held up his hand to interrupt, "Why are you smiling so much, I'm serious!"
    "I know.  And that's exactly why I'm smiling.  I was waiting for you to be serious enough to ask me about love...and Mary."
    "Oh..." Micky was still a little confused, but he was anxious to know what love really was, so he just kept quiet (wow, impossible, right?)
    "First of all, what do you think love is?"
    "What do I think it is?" Kari nodded and encouraged Micky to keep talking, "Well, I think it's something you can't help, that if you find the right person then you will have this feeling, this emotion, for them forever.  And no matter what you do you can't get away from it."
    "Love," Kari began, "To me is way more than an emotion.  An emotion is just what you feel, but love," she waved her hand trying to find the right wording, "Love, love is so much more.  Not only do you feel love, but you give love, and receive love.  Okay, here's an example: give me a feeling, an emotion."
    "Um...happy?"
    "Good.  You say, 'I'm happy,' right?" she waited for Micky to nod.  "You don't say, 'I'm love', though.  You say, 'I'm in love.'"
    "But that's just speaking good English, it doesn't explain what it is."
    "Right," Karisma held up a hand as she took a bite of her double cheeseburger.  "Okay," she said with her mouth full, then she swallowed, "You also said it was something you couldn't help, correct?"
    "Yeah."
    "So that would make it involuntary."
    "I guess."
    "An involuntary action."
    "Yeah...yeah, that's right.  You got it."  Micky smiled.
    "Can you be blamed for an involuntary action?"
    "No."
    Kari was delighted she was getting somewhere, "Why not?"
    "Because you can't help it.  It just happens."
    "But people are often taking blame for their love, right?"
    "Huh?"
    "Well," Kari tried to explain, "In an affair, if the person says they're sorry they had the affair to their spouse, yet they say that it's an involuntary act-"
    "Oh!  So...either they can help it, or they really aren't sorry?"  Nodding, Kari drank some more of her coke.  "But which is it?"
    "What do you think?  Do you think it's still wrong for someone to have an affair."
    "Of course."
    "But what if they love the person they're having the affair with?"
    "It's still wrong, they made a commitment to their spouse."
    "Aha!" Kari clapped her hands together, "Now we have something there!  They made a commitment, and what if they loved their spouse when first married?  Why are they cheating on them if they love them?"
    "But they don't love them anymore, they love the...other...person."  Micky looked down at his food as he realized what he was saying.  He said the exact opposite that he said before.  "But I thought love doesn't die?"
    "It can, and it will...  if nothing's done about it.  You have to want to keep the love in the relationship, and it's only gonna work if both sides are willing.  That's what makes it such a risky thing, and it's scary."
    Sighing, Micky played with his chili cheese fries for a moment.  He looked back up, "So...what about Mary?  Do I love her?"
    "Well, to tell you what I think, I think you don't love her yet.  But you will.  The only way you can truly love someone is if you know them, and you barely met Mary."
    "I barely met you, too.  We all barely met you, but I think we all still love you."
    Kari looked down, and didn't say anything for a few moments.  Finally, she said quietly, "That's what I can't figure out.  You guys know me pretty well, I guess.  I mean, it's only been a little over two weeks, but every day we spent together we've had talks.  I just, I just never realized how fast you can get to know someone." She looked up, "And learn to love them."
    "You're our best friend, Kar, of course we love you.  Now matter how long it's been."
    "About Mary," she changed the subject, "You both have a definite attraction to each other.  You both like each other, at least.  And I think if you guys get to know each other more, just have talks, kinda like this, you'll eventually love each other.  Maybe sooner than you think.  But the trick isn't getting to love her, the trick is to keep loving her."
    "I noticed you've never said, 'falling in love'.  Why?"
    "Because, my dear Michael, you don't fall in love.  Falling is an involuntary act, and remember what I said about-"
    "Oh, I see.  So it'd be more like jumping into love?" Micky grinned.
Then he looked straight into Kari's eyes, "Thank you so much.  You have no idea how much you've helped me."
    "I think I might have a small idea." Karisma smiled back.

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