Kori wept on her pillow and didn't even bother to raise her head when she heard her cell phone's ring blaze beside her as it vibrated on her side table. Just moments ago she had caught him cheating on her. Cheating on her with the campus' biggest whore!
And for that she hated Donna Troy. For everything. Labeled as "Rich Girl" her whole life, wealthy Donna could get everything she wanted, and whenever she wanted it- so why did she have to take away her best friend and the one guy she possibly loved?
Kori would eye them with jealousy everyday, but each time her and Richard met each other's gaze, they would both end up turning their heads away and soon all evidence was cleaned.
They were always kissing, always looking so much in love with each other when they sat in the grass staring into each other's eyes. Every freakin day Kori had to go through with these painful scenes! But sooner than she had expected, her day came. The day when he asked her out. Not him, but somebody else.
FLASHBACK"R- Roy Harper? You want to go out with me?"
A handsome similar looking redhead teen took the beautiful but bewildered girl's hands in his and smiled at her lovingly.
"Well yeah, of course. I really like you Kori. And a lot too."
The most she could do was smile shyly at him as she lowered her eyelashes bashfully.
"I-I guess I really like you too. But-"
She glanced at the two figures of Richard and Donna sitting under their regular spot beneath the large and shady oak tree. Just as she was going to reject Roy from the thought of hurting Richard, a devious smirk came from Donna as she grabbed Richard's shirt and kissed him fiercely with force.
Hurt began to build up inside Kori's heart, and if Richard could act lovesick around his sluttish girlfriend, then she could hook up with one of Jump City University's most eligible single men. She turned to Roy with tears in her eyes and flung herself on his chest where his arms hung loosely at his side.
"I would love to Roy," she murmured softly into his ear as she tried to fight back the tears that seemed to be overpowering her emotions. Richard had never noticed her. And at the moment she jumped into Roy's arms, she decided that he would NEVER notice her.
But a pair of pale blue eyes tried to fight back the jealousy that was raging within his soul as he eyed what would be one of Jump City's hottest couples for the next two years. Roy Harper, his childhood friend and future business partner, and then Kori Anders, his best friend and possibly the most beautiful thing to touch the face of the Earth.
He loved her so much, but too much to tell her what he had felt for her for all these years since they had first met in third grade. He was afraid for her, afraid for her and afraid of himself and what he could do to harm her the slightest bit. But he had let her slip out of his grasp, and so easily too. That was two years ago when he decided that a tiny fling with the famous Donna Troy wouldn't hurt. But their little "fling" became a full-out relationship when tabloids had pictures of the two making out viciously in parties and clubs. And that brought out the inner demon of his gentle best friend.
Soon Kori had stopped sitting by him in the classes they had together, and she broke off all contact with him for a year. And just because she was a freshman at that time that didn't mean she didn't have millions of college juniors, sophomores, and not to mention seniors chasing after her.
Her number was passed from each guy to every one of their friends until practically the male population had her number on speed dial. Now that Grayson was out of their way they thought they actually had a chance with the wealthy Anders Hotel heiress. But many hurt feelings were displayed after almost all of them were rejected. Still, up till that day, many guys were still lining up to get the chance to ask her on a date, and it seemed that one in particular had gotten lucky. Roy.
Only God knew how long Richard was going to hate that name. Every time he saw them walked in the halls hand in hand, or against a wall with their arms around each other and exchanging soft kisses, Richard's vein was ready to pop. He had managed to calm himself down every time, and only he new of the love he had for the illustrious Kori Anders. She didn't even have the slightest clue that he had been crushing on her since they had met! But after that day, Richard could not help but feel like he had lost Kori forever.
END FLASHBACKBut now things were different. Things had changed between them. The two former best friends still continued to talk to each other, but neither one could get enough courage to tell each other how they felt. It was almost like people were trying to separate them on purpose. The girls' dorm was about a quarter of a mile away from the male dorms, and their classes were nowhere near each other's in the largely stretched school.
Kori sighed. Did she actually think she could make herself forget about him with Roy? She finally flipped over on her back and even more tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Why, God, why? I loved him so much!" she sobbed softly as she felt nothing but worthless. "Things were so perfect…and then she came! I hate her!"
After a few moments she added, "Is there nothing I can do to get out?
Her phone continued to ring and she just watched it shake the table violently. But soon the repetitious pattern of what now sounded like noise got to her last nerve, so she answered her phone.
"Roy, I do not wish to talk to you. It's three o'clock in the morning and I just want to-"
"Kori? Are you okay? You sound like you've been…crying."
Her heart stopped as she recognized the voice on the other line. Could it be? Did he really still care?
"I-I'm fine," she sniffled. "And I do not wish to speak of it…Richard."
Little did she know that Richard was roaming around campus around the girls' dorms. He stood meekly as the four-story building seemed to tower over him. But he was determined to get in there and console her…even if it was locked.
"You need someone, Kori. I can help. I want to help." If only he could find what room she was in…
Kori reached for her lamp and switched it on. "Richard? Why do you care now? Are you trying to gloat that you're still in a relationship or something? Have you spoken to Donna yet? You really should and if…"
Her voice trailed off in his mind as he caught sight of the familiar tall oak tree, with it's top just beside the brightly lit room. And he climbed the tree from branch to branch, surprisingly quick, and in no time he had reached his destination.
"And I just wanted to say-"
She paused abruptly as she heard Richard grunt softly and some…rustling leaves? What was going on?
"Richard? What are you doing? Were you listening to a word I was saying?"
But she heard nothing but silence from the other side of the line. Tears swam in her eyes just as she was beginning to feel comforted. She knew it. He was probably still in bed with Miss Donna the Whore, mocking her and her gullible conscience.
"I knew it," she whispered softly as she tried to keep herself from breaking down, but alas, nothing could help her already fragile heart.
"Kori? I'm here."
She sniffled lightly. "Richard? What are you-"
"Turn around."
And when she did, she was never so happy to see him standing outside her balcony. She gasped loudly and tiptoed quietly to the clear-glass sliding door, opening it and steeping out in the summer breeze wearing only a silky, slinky, laced nightgown.
"Hey Kori," he said, looking in her emerald eyes.
"Why are you here? You know you're not supposed to even be OUT of your dorm at this time of night!"
He only smiled at her and continued to gaze at her, with his admiration for her beauty only growing as each second passed. "I-I just wanted to see how you were doing when you…heard the news of the new couple."
Kori's smile vanished and she became oblivious to the salty drops of water running down her face, making her jade orbs even bigger and gleaming even more. "I- I guess you've, um, heard."
Richard laid a firm but gentle hand on her shoulder. "I just wanted to see how you were doing."
She tried not to cry in front of him, but emotions quickly rose and before she knew it, her hands were grasped within Richard's as she continued to weep. "I…I don't know what to do any more. I can't believe he did that to me. He was a liar, Richard! A liar! He said that he loved me, but he never even tried to get to know me." She sighed as even more tears began to fall. "I feel so worthless...not to mention so used."
"You're not the least bit worthless, Kor. Donna was-"
"Why does it always have to do with Donna? Donna this, Donna that; can't you just shut up?"
He tried to put his hand on her shoulder but she quickly shrugged it off as tears continued to fall. "Are you that blind Richard? Could you not see? I wanted you Richard, I wanted you to choose me over her. I wanted you to love me," she sobbed, and soon her whispers subsided into hyperventilating. "But then Donna came, and everything was ruined, and I just couldn't-"
Richard silenced her gently and he put a finger to her mouth. "I thought I had lost you forever. You have no idea what you've been doing to me."
He watched her fondly as her eyes began to glisten with hope. "Do you mean-"
"God, Kori! You want me to give you the moon? The stars? The freakin' world? I'll do anything for you, and only for you. I love you Kori Anders."
He cupped her chin with his hands and lifted it up slowly so that he could take in all the beauty he was suddenly faced with. His thumb brushed a tear back and she smiled at him; the last time he had seen that smile was their summer before they started college. And he loved that smile.
She sniffled and smirked playfully. "Prove it."
"Okay," he said as he stepped to the edge of the balcony. He cupped his hands and bellowed loudly, "I LOVE KO-"
Kori giggled and tackled him to the ground as they rolled inside the large dorm room and climbed on the bed.
"What are you DOING? I didn't say tell the whole world! Literally! Richard Grayson, you're too-"
But she was soon cut off as soon as she felt his lips brush lightly against hers, with her still being below him. He deepened the kiss, sucking gently on her lower lip then massaging her velvety tongue with his own. Kori wrapped one arm around him, pulling him as close as he could get.
Soon, after a few laughs about memories of the past, Kori soon drifted off to sleep in Richard's arms as they nuzzled against one another.
Now, the moment he was experiencing right then with Kori in his arms was like paradise. He imagined that this was what Heaven was like.
A/N: This was my very first oneshot ever! Please review, because it took me a long time to think this fic up! Seriously please review, at least as a birthday present or something (just kidding, I'm SO not conceited like that, though my birthday IS this Friday). Thank you everybody, and I love you faithful reviewers out there!