"Drewwwwwww."
He could feel her sobbing next to him, could see her shuddering form. But all he could do was watch.
"What happened this time?" He asked, sounding annoyed (even though he wasn't).
"Ash -" she hiccuped "- told me that he would -" she hiccuped again "- come to visit. But he says he won't for -" she hiccuped once more "- a while. He's somewhere else."
She continued hiccuping, sobbing, and crying next to him. Drew looked away. He couldn't bear seeing her like this.
"Here." He held out a green handkerchief to the crying girl.
Hic. "Thank you so much, Drew." She paused for another hiccup. "Thank you for being here for me."
"No problem." He kept his tone confident, but he kept looking in the opposite direction.
"You're so -" she interrupted herself again with a hiccup "- wonderful, Drew." She looked up and out into the distance. "You're a great friend."
She thinks I'm wonderful? Not to say that I'm not good to her, but wonderful? He shook his head almost imperceptibly. She's the one who's wonderful. After all, she's the one who changed me. She made me "wonderful" (if I really am). And she's the one who thinks of me as "just a friend". No, that's not right - it's "just a good", no, "great friend".
"Drew?" May blinked her blue eyes at him. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, sure," he said quickly. "Are you okay?"
"...well... sort of. But I think I'll be okay." As May stared into his eyes, his beautiful emerald eyes, she felt her cheeks turn red and she looked away.
Did I just see...? Drew turned to get a second look. She's blushing... at me? I thought she didn't like me anymore? Isn't the one she likes Ash? She's always talking about him. But I haven't really seen her lately. And I know she used to like me a lot. At least, I thought so. But could she still like me?
"May..." he touched her hand on the bench lightly. She flinched. Maybe I still have a chance, he thought.
He started again. "May... do you like Ash?"
"NO!" she almost yelled. She turned to him and her face reddened even more. "The one I like isn't Ash."
"Then..." he paused. I'm going to kick myself for this... but I've got to know. He flipped his hair before continuing. "...are you stunned by my good looks?"
She blushed even deeper, to the point where Drew thought he must have gotten it right. Then her face contorted in anger.
"Arrogant! Green! Shortie!" she shouted at him, each word punctuated with an exclamation point. "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!"
She turned away from him in anger. He almost got me to say that I like him. Almost. I can't believe him! One minute he's all nice and Mr. Wonderful, the next minute he's awful, annoying, and a terrible nuisance! I just don't understand him. The blush returned to her face. But I love him. She looked back at him, meeting his eyes. They were unreadable. Can you tell that I love you? She felt the heat rising in her cheeks.
"You really do like me, don't you?" His sweet voice floated to her ears.
"NO!" she said. But I really do like him. So I should stop pretending, even though I know that he wouldn't like me in a million years.
His words cut into her thoughts. "It's okay, you don't have to deny it. There's no way in a million years I'd like someone like you." A smirk shown on his face, but it was fake. Inside, he kicked himself for lying to her, for hurting her. He wished he could say sorry, but couldn't bring himself to speak.
It turned out that he didn't have to. She stood up. "YOU JERK! EVERY TIME YOU TALKED TO ME MADE ME SMILE! I LIKED YOU, no, LOVED YOU EVER SINCE WE MET! BUT I JUST CAN'T STAND IT ANYMORE! YOU HATE ME! AND, FROM NOW ON, I HATE YOU! THE ONE I LIKE ISN'T ASH - IT'S YOU! BUT YOU DON'T CARE, SO, FROM NOW ON, WE ARE NO LONGER FRIENDS! GO FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO BOTHER, YOU JERK!"
Drew sat there, trying to process what he had just heard. Wait, she likes me? Me talking to her made her smile? She loved me? But... she hates me? She hates me now? She doesn't like Ash? She likes me? But she hates me? We're not friends anymore? She hates me?
He stood up quickly. He had to find May. He had to make things right. He ran along the path. She was already at the sidewalk. He had only a few minutes before he lost her... forever. He ran faster than he had ever ran in his life. He flew along the path until it reached the sidewalk. He pushed through people in the streets until he had her in his sights. She was only a bit in front of him. He pressed on, everything seeming a blur except for her. He reached out and grabbed her shoulder.
"What?" She turned her head. "Oh," she said, her voice cold, "it's you." She turned back, shaking him off. But he didn't give up. He reached for her hand.
"May, no, I didn't mean what I said." She paused and he took her hand. "I like you, May. As more than a friend. I love you."
She turned around, her blue eyes flashing with anger until she saw his face and she blushed. "You- you really mean it?"
"Yes, I do." He came to stand next to her, still holding her hand. He brought it to his lips and kissed it. "You're the one I love."
She pulled back her hand and her blush deepened. "Well, I guess I'll forgive you," she said, her look softened, "just this once. But it better not happen again, mister."
"Oh, it won't," he said with a mischievous glint in his eyes, "assuming you treat me right."
"Drew!" She whacked him on the arm.
"Hey, I was just kidding." He held out his hand and she took it as they began a long walk down the busy street. They had a lot to talk about.
Hey, everybody! It's to my regret that I had to make this so short. I was under time constraints. This is a story I've had in my mind for a long time. Thanks to Natsume-kun for his beautiful smile and thanks to my mother for letting me release this today. I'm dedicating this to you, Natsume-kun!