Maka was busy studying as Soul came through the door.
"Oh, you startled me!" She looked up at him.
Soul raised an eyebrow. "You still studyin'?" He demanded.
Maka sniffed. "I can guess why you're unfamiliar with the sight of a book."
"You were studying when I left."
Maka sighed and closed her textbook. "I need to keep my grades up. It's not a worry I expect you to understand."
"Yeah, yeah." Soul muttered.
"Where did you go anyway?"
Soul shrugged and looked away evasively. "Out."
"What's that in your hand?" Maka nodded at the white thing he was holding.
"Oh," Soul still didn't look at her, his expression was shadowed. "Nothin'."
Maka gave him a look, tinged by irritation that he was being so aloof.
When did they start keeping secrets from each other?
"What're you reading?" Soul tried a little desperately to change the subject, even going so far as bringing a book into the conversation.
"Words." Maka smiled.
Soul gave her a grin back. "Yeah, yeah. Very funny."
"It's Romeo and Juliet."
"What?"
"It's pretty famous."
Soul wrinkled his nose, still looking bemused.
"But not that famous, I suppose." Maka muttered.
"What's it about?"
"Two lovers," Maka said. "Who can't be together."
Soul swallowed. "Sounds boring." He managed.
Maka laughed. "Jeez, I thought you'd say something like that. Haven't you ever loved anyone, Soul?"
He stared at her, not even knowing what to reply.
"Never mind," Maka looked away. "Stupid question."
"Yeah." Soul's laugh sounded hollow to even his ears. He stretched. "Well, I'm beat. I'm gonna go take a nap."
"Okay." Maka said, rummaging through her paperwork. "Then I'll finish up here."
Soul began to walk towards his bedroom door, then paused.
He looked round slightly.
Maka was once again bent over the table, scribbling away.
It's now or never. He told himself.
He gripped the thing in his hand.
"Hey, Maka-" He began.
"You know what I'd hate," Maka mused out loud, still deep in her topic. "A guy telling me he loved me."
Soul stared at her.
Maka looked up and shook her head. "Oh God, especially if he wrote it down. That would be the corniest thing ever. Even if I liked him, I still think I'd say no."
Soul knew if he kept up his silence, suspicion would grow.
Anyway… wasn't it better this way?
"Yeah," He managed another laugh. "That would be pretty lame."
"Yeah." Maka murmured.
"Still, with a face like yours, you don't have to worry too much about that." Soul said and dodged the book that came flying his way.
"And you're a runway model, I suppose?" Maka snapped. "I'm going to make some tea." She announced with dignity. "And you don't get any."
Soul rubbed the back of his neck. "Harsh, man." He muttered.
Maka walked into the kitchen and began clattering about with the kettle and cups.
Stupid Soul. She thought. And to think, I was pondering how I wouldn't mind so much if he was the one to write me a letter…
Maka shook her head.
It was best if she stopped thinking like this.
Unrequited love never ended well, according to the books.
xxx
Meanwhile, Soul looked at the thing in this hand- the letter.
He tore it in four and threw it in the wastepaper basket.
"Well," He murmured. "Guess I'm going to have to think of something else."
He had already attempted to stop thinking about her, but it was no good.
It was her or nothing at all.
Half-hearted pursuit doesn't sit well with a cool guy like me.
He walked into his room with a slight smile on his face.
Unrequited love, He thought. Is the worst.