I gasped as the world suddenly came back in a painful blur. I smashed into the crisp white wall of Backstage and clutched the back of my head where my brains should have been pouring out. I was fine.

"youre never used to it are you?" came a deep voice behind me. Heroine. I shivered and turned with my damp back against the wall so I could face her. My hands trembled and I offered her a sly grin before slowly sliding to the floor with my knees against my chest.

"I'm used to everything," I said in my cockiest voice before flicking my blue-green bangs to the side. "i practically invent every sin under the sun whenever we do the story. Death is nothing, I just feel sick is all" I told her with a wink. She scoffed and flipped her long dirty blonde hair over her shoulder.

"but death is so much more than nothing when he kills you" she said, stressing out "he" with a suggestive look. I looked down into my lap, my bangs falling into my face so she wouldn't see me blush.

"i just feel sick" I said in a voice that lacked all the confidence of before.

She snickered, "whatever you say."

"Oh hey Antagonist's here, the story's almost over!" Secondary Character 1 yelled over his shoulder into the next room as his freckled face and ginger hair popped over the red couch Heroine lounged in.

Heroine regarded him with smirking full lips, "come on beautiful, youre not even going to say hi?" She purred before crossing her long legs. Secondary Character 1 turned and noticed her for the first time in all his impulsive excitement, beaming brightly.

"hello gorgeous." Heroine laughed at his reply and pulled him in for a kiss which lasted way longer than necessary. I looked down at my lap and hugged my knees. I felt like I got shot again.

"woah! Break it up, us single characters enjoy the shared areas of Backstage to be heartbreak friendly." Drug Dealer yelled as he jumped the back of the couch to sit between Heroine and Secondary Character 1, or SC 1 as we called him. Heroine looked unimpressed, but SC 1 was totally put out.

Drug Dealer and SC 1 began to playfully wrestle on the couch as the other characters filled in, taking up all the space in the common area. I smiled and greeted them all, but didnt really feel like talking. I sighed and then yelped as someone suddenly touched my shoulder, I turned to see Sidekick, Protagonist's friend Backstage and in the story, smiling down at me.

"Hey, don't sneak up on me asshole" I hissed up at him. His smile simply broadened. It pissed me off. He was a couple inches taller than Protagonist with pale skin like mine, a lean figure with broad shoulders, dark brown eyes, and blond hair. He sat beside me on the floor, leaning his back against the wall like I was, but with his long legs stretched out in front of him.

"youre always so sweet Antagonist" he said sarcastically, but with genuine humor in his voice. He was handsome, but in a different way from Protagonist, and more playful and tolerant. I scowled at him through my bangs. I was freaking out over Protagonist and my dirty little secret, at the exact moment Sidekick decided to suddenly get all cozy on me.

"piss off" I spat, venom in my voice. He chuckled, a deep slightly disarming sound.

"youre so cute Antagonist, its a wonder no one's noticed you like that before" he said, tilting his head towards SC 1 and Heroine who were busy macking it on the couch. I made a face of disgust, but I actually I was a little hurt since I wondered too what made me so undesirable. Sure my language was course, but I was loyal and good looking, so what more could one want?

"why suddenly bring up my lack of a love life? You wanna start something" I asked, narrowing my candy green eyes. I balled my hands into fists for effect. I wasn't that big, but that didnt mean I couldn't hit. He laughed loudly, but looked a little uncomfortable.

"no, I was just saying that maybe you should try to find someone, you know, put some effort in"

"I'll get rejected." I said without pause."

"no you won't"

"how do you know?" He stumbled over himself and then opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by Protagonist and Love Interest walking into the room. My great skipped a beat and my palms got sweaty. "I'll definitely get rejected" I said before standing and molding into the crowd as I planned to make an escape.

I tried to hurry out, but I stopped to watch everyone cheer as Protagonist spun Love Interest in a, little circle in the doorway. She laughed, but pulled away quickly which made him frown. My heart sank. I tore my eyes from Protagonist only to meet the gaze of Love Interest, she beamed and blushed. I was feeling sick again.

"Antagonist" she said shyly, calling my name so i'd come over. Protagonist saw me then and narrowed his beautiful blue eyes, brightly contrasting against his straight black hair. I was screwed.

He said something to Love Interest before coming to where I stood frozen in place. He grabbed my hand which made butterflies fill my stomach, before dragging me into the next room. We flew through the kitchen and into the hallway where he slammed my back against the wall.

"Don't hurt her" he said sharply, boring holes into my body.

"i don't know what the hell you mean" I said just as sharply, trying to keep my heart rate normal.

He rolled his eyes. So hot. "she likes you, don't play stupid"

"so, whats your problem, I didn't tell her to get lost or anything" I growled, not sure where he was going with this, but I certainly felt accused.

"no but youre going to" he basically yelled this time, slamming his hands down on either side of my head.

"what the hell, you don't me. What makes you so sure I will?"

He sighed angrily, more like a snarl. "because you like me!" He screamed into my face suddenly inches away.

my heart stopped and I found it hard to breathe. His eyes widened and his mouth hung slightly open. I couldn't let him know he was right. So with that i sneered flipped my hair to the side and said the two words that changed my life.

                   "Prove it."