I currently have writer's block...whoopee. So, this chapter is pretty short, okay?
"I love you..." Chase crossed his arms. "Man, why can't it be as easy as that?" Chase leaned against the Daren's tree. He was in the Town Square; he always walked around that area before going to work. Chase slid down into a sitting position. "This is tough. Nothing is ever easy." Chase held is head in his hands. "Why can't I tell her?!"
"Tell who what?" Chase heard the smooth voice and turned his attention toward it.
"It's nothing, Gill."
"Sure doesn't sound like nothing. Something's bothering you. I can tell. What's on your mind right now?"
"I can't believe I'm going to tell you this, but there's no one else who I can turn to. Gill...have you...ever been in...love?"
"Does it look like it?"
"No-"
"Then no."
"Some help you turned out to be."
"I'm still listening."
"Okay. Well, last night...Akari and I...went out on a date, and now I'm-"
"In love with her?"
"Yeah..." 'Shit!' thought Gill, 'How am I gonna win this bet now?' "...but I don't know how to tell her...about my feelings for her."
"I see..."
"Any advice?"
"Why can't you just tell her?"
"Because I'm afraid of what she'll say."
"You're afraid she won't like you anymore?"
"No...I'm afraid she won't understand what I'm saying. Yesterday, when I told her I liked her, she didn't get it. That's why I'm afraid to tell her. I can already imagine it. I'll say, 'I love you.' She'll say, 'I love you too.' I'll be like, 'Really?' and I'll sound all excited, bringing my hopes up. Then she'll be like, 'Yeah, if I didn't, we wouldn't be friends!' Then my confidence will be crushed...into a million pieces!"
"Wow...I think you're over-exaggerating, Chase."
"I'm not! That's exactly how she would react! Confessing is hard enough as is, but confessing to Akari is impossible! Let's face it, she's completely oblivious to love."
There was a dark aura surrounding him. "Chase, it can't be that bad."
"It is that bad, and it's just all too complicated!"
"Chase, even though I have never experienced this feeling, seeing the way you're acting is telling me that love has always been that complicated...maybe...I don't know for sure. Also, seeing you like this, makes me not want to fall in love, which is fine by me. Chase...love...it's an emotion, not a necessity. You can live without it, can't you?"
"I guess, but I don't want to keep my emotions all bottled up. I might end up becoming an emotionless...heartless...cruel wreck!...Like you!" Gill glared at him. "No offense!" Gill's glare only intensified. "Please don't kill me!"
"I won't. Your comment just ticked me off."
"I'm sorry."
"Chase, here's what you do. Run up to her, confess, then run away before she asks questions."
"Why?"
"Because if you don't confess, you'll never feel better. Just confess to get it off your chest."
"But...but I want her to know...I can't just run."
"Chase, you're not making this any easier! You know I got better things to do, so if you don't like my ideas, then go find someone else to help you. Good-bye, Chase. Good luck with that." Gill left him there. 'Love is a waste of time. I never want to experience it.'
"Maybe I should do what Gill said. Just tell her and run. Just to get it off my chest. Then when I'm finally ready, I'll tell her again, but that time I won't run. Sounds like a plan...but I don't know if I can do it. Aw, don't be such a wimp, Chase! You can do this! That's right because I'm Chase!" He marched off toward Akari's house.
Akari was brushing her cow and its newborn calf. It was born just last night after coming back home from her date. She clearly remembered it. She jumped into bed and was about to fall asleep until she heard a moaning sound. Akari decided to ignore it, but then it kept getting louder. She grabbed her sweater (because it was chilly) and got outside. The closer she walked to her barn, the sound became more audible. Then she tiptoed in and turned the lights on. Her cow was making the noises, and she rushed to its side. None of the other animals were able to sleep with all the noise. Akari panicked and called Brownie Ranch. Cain came just in time, and then god gifted Akari's cow with a baby. 'Oh the gift of life,'thought Akari, 'It is such a wondrous thing. So magical and thrilling.'She had named the calf, Kiki, and just so you all know, the mother cow's name is Nikki. Why did Akari name her cows that? Because she felt like it. Too bad she didn't get any sleep because of it. She was so tired, she could collapse right now. Akari yawned. She was so out of it today, she almost milked her horse, Lucas. Akari didn't know her horse's gender, but she named it Lucas anyways because she felt like it.
"I'm sorry, Lucas, I'm just so exhausted." She yawned and rested her head on the horse. Akari started brushing Lucas, but her strokes got slower and slower until she eventually stopped and fell asleep.
"Akari! Akari, there's something I have to tell you!" Chase began, "I...I sort of...love you, so I just want you to know that. We can still be friends, right?" There was no answer. "Akari?" He tapped the girl's shoulder, but it only made her slide down off of Lucas and onto the ground. "Akari, are you okay?!" He flipped her over and saw that she was sleeping. "A-Akari...she was sleeping, so she didn't hear a word I said. I'm such an idiot for not noticing in the first place. What do I do? I can't just leave her here. Do I wake her up? Or do I carry her into her house? But, what about her animals? If I carry her insides, so she can sleep for the day, what will happen to them? I'll just wake her up. Akari...Akari...Akari!"
She opened her eyes. "What?"
"You fell asleep."
"Oh..." She stood up. "I'm tired..."
"Yeah, I can tell."
"Did you come here for something?"
"Huh? Uh..." 'Should I confess to her right now? But, I already did. Even though she was sleeping, I still think it should count.'"Um...A-Akari?"
"Yes?" She started leading her animals inside. "What is it?"
"I...love you."
"Okay," she said with a yawn, not quite registering what he said, "I'm gonna go inside...take a nap."
"Akari, did you hear what I said?"
"Uh...sort of...you said-"
"I love you!" This time Akari froze in one spot.
"W-what?"
"I said I love you. I've been trying to tell you this all day."
"All day?" Akari felt guilty.
"Yeah, I don't know how to put this in words, so don't laugh."
"I'm too tired to laugh."
"Okay...the thing is...I can't stop thinking about you, so I think I may be in love with you, Akari. What about you?"
"What about me?"
"Do you...like me?"
"Uh..."
"I don't care what your decision is, but I just want you to know how I feel. That way I won't feel so bad in the future, when I regret not confessing to you. I also hope we can still be friends, no matter what your answer is."
Chase was dumping so much on Akari. She used to be so carefree, but now, she was tired and stressed out. "Um...Chase, I'm not ready for this."
"That's fine. I don't want to force you into this. And that is why...I'll wait, so could there still be an 'us'?"
"An 'us'?" Akari thought about it. "It's possible...just not right now."
"Okay, I'll wait...I'll wait forever." Chase lightly kissed her cheek.
"W-what was that for?" She asked, hiding her blush.
"Even though you're not ready for 'us,' I am." He smiled. Akari felt her face, it was burning up. "You okay?"
"Y-yeah, I'm fine." She said, stepping back steadily.
"Akari, I'm sorry if I caught you off-guard with that whole confession thing. Let's just go back to our regular lives, okay? But, first, maybe...maybe you should just get some sleep."
"Y-yes. I should. Bye Chase."
"Bye Akari!" He waved and ran off.
Akari watched him leave happily. "Whoa..." She held her head. "This is too much."
Didn't know how to end this chapter, so ended it here...
