LOOK! It's a One-shot for you all! And in exam week too...

The Meaning of Xenial

Violet turns away from him, tears gleaming in her eyes.

All around her, rain is pattering on the ground, splattering her skirts, thrumming rhythmically on the leaves above her head.

'Just walk,' she tells herself, 'just keep on walking and it'll all be OK. Everything will be fine.'

Her footsteps seem to echo in her head, throbbing through her body. She feels dizzy, disorientated.

They've never fought before. Not once. Not once in all the years she's known him, loved him. Not once. And now, they've had the most bitter, cruel fight she's ever known. 'What's happening to us?'

'Violet.'

His voice is quiet, so quiet she can hardly hear him. And yet she would have heard him if he'd spoken in the smallest whisper. She turns around. He's standing there, gazing at her. She can feel the tears on her face. He says nothing. It's time to leave it all behind. She turns away once more.

'Wait! Violet!'

She keeps on walking.

'I love you.'

She's standing stock-still, her breathing fast, her eyes wide. Slowly she turns.

'How...' she starts to speak, then stops. What should she say? But she doesn't seem to need to say anything. He's looking at her, his eyes pleading and desperate, his wet hair plastered to his face. Slowly she steps forward. One step. Then another. She's quite close now.

'How?' she asks again, simply and plainly, demanding an honest answer.

'I've loved you since I was thirteen years old, Violet.'

'Really?'

'Yes.'

She's leaning towards him, dangerously close, far too close –

'No!' she almost screams the word, and tears come streaming from her eyes. She staggers back, away from the one boy she loves more than anything or anyone else.

He could have said anything. Anything apart from that one word he chooses, that piteous word.

'Please.'

Briefly, she closes her eyes. A world of pain seems to slam into her before she blinks them suddenly open. She takes a deep breath and stares into his eyes.

'Do you really love me?'

'Yes. And if you want proof that I'm trustworthy, I can define 'xenial' for you.'

A faint smile lights up her face, and she knows he speaks the truth. She always knew, really.

And then suddenly he's grasped her gently by the waist and is pulling her towards him, and Violet lets him kiss her, because she wants to kiss him back more than anything in the world.

Did you like it then? I hope you did...

Hmmm...I should revise science now...

Tabs :D