"You're strong, Will,"
Will looked at Layla his heart feeling a little heavy. She was looking at the sun set and he had a feeling that she was trying not to look at him.
It was strange—not feeling that familiar pride whenever those words were said to him.
Him and Layla broke up by their second year in Sky High.
Will can't actually remember how the conversation went, but it was a mutual decision, mostly.
Thinking of falling in love with your best friend and feeling the same about each other and seeing the future that they'll be together, forever—it seemed so nice, so ideal.. but eventually, it looked dull.
Maybe they weren't meant to be together like that.
Maybe she just felt overwhelmed that her once unrequited feelings suddenly not unrequited anymore.
Maybe when he felt that his best friend is turning away from him, he thought that missing is same as feeling that he loved her back.
Because after the elated stage of being together after that prom wore off, it just felt bland.. it felt weird and it felt wrong.
So they decided to break it off.
They tried to go back to being friends, but superhero school or not, Sky High is still high school. They felt the peer pressure of what they should do—that couples who break up should be estranged to each other.
Will smiled but stayed silent.
He took a seat near her and looked at the same horizon she was looking at and he felt her side gaze on him.
Will Stronghold and Layla Williams were best friends since diaper days. So Will felt that it was a bit peculiar when they did cross paths on their 4th year in Sky High and suddenly realize that they haven't had a proper conversation after their peer-pressured fall out back in their sophomore year.
Dressed in predictably green-accented clothes, she characteristically smiled at him and it seemed that she forgot the unspoken decision they made that they should act like a normal broken up high school couple.
"Hey," he greeted.
"It's been a while," she said, now he see that there's a hint of awkwardness in her.
"Yeah, it has," he said.
If someone would tell his 3rd grader self that a conversation with Layla would eventually become this awkward, that little kid with undiscovered super strength will punch you in the face.
He felt that she too felt frustrated of what they have become and she opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by a gruff, "Hey, Hippie,"
Will's initial reaction was to find the voice though he recognized instantly whose it was but before he turned his head to see Warren Peace, his eyes saw how Layla's face contoured to a frown—very uncharacteristic of her.
"I told you not to call me that!"
Will stood aside and watched them for a moment.
So Layla did change. For the better or for worse, he still couldn't tell.
Still, Will was happy that after that day, they somehow moved from being estranged to acquaintance, at least.
Will closed his eyes and felt a dull ache in his chest as he felt his heart beat too.
Being in the real world, Will and Layla learned to become friends again. Not as same as before, but far better than when they were in high school.
Maybe because of this Will started to see her differently as before.
Now, he was not overwhelmed of his fondness of her.
Now, he was not hindered by stupid peer pressure.
Now, things are happening one at a time.
Now, he feels himself slowly and steadily falling in love with her.
And now, he was sure of what he feels.
Although now, he was not sure of what she feels.
They fell into a habit of being there for each other to face common villain. Sometimes, just the two of them; sometimes, with other friends.
Few months into this, Will realized something.
She doesn't feel the same way.
So he did everything to stop his heart from falling more for Layla Williams.
But try and did as he done, she was just someone special. His heart can't help but to fall, he can't help but to hope.
"Yeah," Will said opening eyes, finally gathering his strength. "I am strong,"
Layla turned her head and looked at him. He knew her well enough to see the sorrow in her eyes her heart is breaking for his broken one. Her mouth frowned, "I—"
He felt his heart hurt even more seeing that. The last thing he wanted was to be someone that causes her eyes to look like that.
"I am strong, Layla." he reassured her.
Though tears are shining from her eyes, she smiled.
"I am strong," he said again as he turned away from her and looked at the sun set again. ..strong enough to survive this heartache.