Lucy:
The clock ticked to the beat of the song Schroeder was playing. Well, maybe it was the other way around, but Schroeder was so intense, so strong, so sure of himself, that everything seemed to march to the beat of his drum when he played. It was almost to the point where I was afraid to interrupt him.
Ha. I'm not afraid of anything.
Schroeder finished his song with a final keystroke. He looked up at me.
"You've been awfully quiet these past few days." The look in his eyes when he said that was…confused. A little sad, almost.
"Well, yeah, duh. I've been so ridiculously busy on that stupid biology report. It's due tomorrow, and you know Mrs. Highston will kill me if it's not perfect…" I rambled on. I know, I have a bad habit of never shutting up, but if anyone's used to it now, it'd be Schroeder, so I highly doubt he'd mind at all. He began playing a new song with his response.
"You know I could really care less, right? Flunk out of tenth grade for all I care. I just thought it would be rude not to say anything, y'know, considering how Linus would torture me if you went home crying. And the kid can really pack a punch. Must take after you." Schroeder was usually this apathetic about my life, so I was used to it. But I guess something just clicked in me, you know? I felt as if I'd finally realized how much time I'd wasted on the boy from across the street.
Schroeder had always been cute. With his blonde hair and bright blue eyes, he was totally irresistible, even to a five-year-old. But now that we've grown up, I see that his unwillingness to ever care about me wasn't only due to his obsession with his piano, but really because he's a pompous jerk who only cares about himself. I really wish it hadn't taken me ten years to learn that.
"Do you know something, Schroeder?" I began. "I got asked out by Shermy in homeroom the other day. And I'm thinking about accepting."
Immediately the music came to an abrupt (and harsh-sounding) end as Schroeder looked up frantically from the keys.
"I-I-I…I really don't care," he spat. It was like taking a knife to the chest.
"I knew it. I knew it! All this time, all this time, I wasted, hoping you would love me back. But do you know something? You're nothing but an arrogant jerk who cares about nothing but your own needs!" I stormed out of his house.
"Lucy!" he called after me. "Lucy, wait!"
I pretended like I couldn't hear him at first, but then I thought I should give him a second chance.
"WHAT!?" I turned around, fighting back tears. Schroeder looked like he was about to say something. Maybe it was my own warped imagination, because then he looked down and mumbled something unintelligible.
"What are you trying to say?"
"You, uhm…forgot your phone." He handed me my generic smart phone and looked up when I touched his hand to take it from him.
"Well, I guess this is good-bye, Schroeder." Saying it aloud for the first time, I felt the urge to cry. But Lucy van Pelt does not cry.
Schroeder:
I tried to keep myself absorbed in the music. But somehow, I just couldn't. When she laid there, in front of me, with her long, jet black hair falling on the white piano, watching me with her bright green eyes, I could just get up and grab her and kiss her without any hesitation. But if she knew that, she wouldn't try so hard, and she didn't have to, but I find it really adorable when she did.
"You've been awfully quiet these past few days." Oh, no, she's going to think I like her now! I really do screw myself over sometimes.
Lucy started rambling in the cute way she always does, becoming more at ease that I noticed something, anything about her, so, with a heavy heart and an iron will, I painstakingly made her think otherwise.
"You know I could really care less, right? Flunk out of tenth grade for all I care. I just thought it would be rude not to say anything, y'know, considering how Linus would torture me if you went home crying. And the kid can really pack a punch. Must take after you." I hate saying things like that. It always kills me to watch Lucy's face fall, so I just began playing Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, her favorite piece.
Then out of nowhere, she blurt out that Shermy asked her out.
Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no. OH NO. This can't be happening. Please, god this can't be happening! The only girl I've ever taken interest in since diapers and I'm about to lose her to Shermy? Whatever. I told myself to remain calm.
I choked out, "I don't care." What a lie.
Lucy blew up at me. Calling me "arrogant" and "selfish." Every word, every syllable, every letter was like a fatal blow.
She got up and marched out of my house in her Lucy-esque way. I tried to call after her. I wanted desperately to tell her how much I've always loved her…but I knew I couldn't. And I realized that part of the reason I couldn't tell her how I felt - how I always felt - was because I was afraid.
Afraid of what? I thought. Lucy?
It didn't matter. I was just…afraid.
I found Lucy's phone on the piano. I guess she'd taken it out without me noticing. How very…un-Lucy. But at least now I had an excuse to talk to her. And maybe, just maybe, tell her how much I loved her.
"Lucy!" I called with all the strength I could muster from my broken heart.
"WHAT!?" She had the worst look on her face, the kind you see from a person who is trying with all their might not to cry.
"You forgot your phone on the piano."
"What're you trying to say?"
"You forgot your phone. On the -" Lucy was already grabbing her phone out of my hand. Her touch against my skin was like electricity. I longed for more as she turned away and storm clouds began to roll in overhead.
In a burst of confidence, I grabbed Lucy's arm. She abruptly turned around. Tears were streaming down her baby pink cheeks.
Lucy:
I looked into Schroeder's vivid blue eyes. "Why do you hate me so much?"
The shocked look on his perfect face confused me. He raised one eyebrow and a lock of golden blonde hair fell on his face, probably due to the unexpected rain that fell on the two of us.
Schroeder took his free hand and caressed my left cheek. With his thumb, he stroked just under my eye to wipe away the tears, like in the movies. He blinked twice and, after what seemed like ages, answered my question.
"I don't hate you. I could never hate you. I love you. I always have, but I didn't want you to know. I was afraid for you to know. And I ruined it. My shot at finally getting you is ruined because now you think I'm a total ass. And you're right. But I'll always be that ass that loves you."
Schroeder:
When Lucy asked me her question, I didn't know what to say. For the most part, I was completely stunned. I knew she didn't think I loved her romantically, but surely she didn't think I hated her, right?
With all my courage, every single ounce, I finally told her how I felt, after ten long years of hiding from Lucy van Pelt.
After I gave myself up, Lucy grabbed my shoulders and gave me the longest, most fulfilling hug I'd ever received. Once she let go, I decided to be courageous once more.
Lucy:
Schroeder grabbed me by my waist and put his forehead against mine. He looked into my eyes and I'm pretty sure he could see into my soul. He nudged my nose with his and kissed me gently. I squeezed his shoulders, anticipating more.
Schroeder let go for a second and smiled the biggest smile I've ever seen from him. I smiled back. I realized then that we were both soaking wet from the icy rain, and I guess he noticed to because he pecked me once more on the cheek before Schroeder asked, "Should we go back inside?"
THE END