The room vibrated to the rhythm of the bass and guitar.
In the middle of the dancefloor, I moved alongside the rhythm of the music with my best friend, Harlequin -not even worried about the others' gaze. Poor Harlequin was extremely bad at dancing and his eyes constantly looking for Diane. I sighed... this dork was hopeless but at least he was trying. Not that I could really blame him, could I? I was doing the same... Far away from me, she was dancing with Diane. I couldn't help but admire her and watched her clumsy moves revealing more of her body. My cheeks got a pink shade while my eyes were mesmerized.
The guitar began its solo, forcing my brain to pay attention to the current situation. I know I look like the type of guy to go out and be a social butterfly, but I'm not. My circle of friends is quite limited, not that I mind, and most of the time I prefer to go out with Harlequin. Trust issues, you might say? You are not completely wrong... partially... However, recently I had found an outside motivation or rather a good excuse to step out from my comfort zone.
The tune got higher, everyone started mimicking the guitarist and my friend laughed at my stuck-up mimic. Soon I forgot about the classes, the stress of exams, even a bit about her. What made me the saddest sometimes was that she barely knew me or spoke to me... Yet! One day I'll...
Smoke went out from long tubes and light beams projected vivid colours. Soon after a scent of cotton candy filled the room and I sniffed as much as I could. Harlequin did the same and I must say we were both surprised about the amount of fun we had to this human Party.
Thirty minutes later, the musicians announced a fifteen-minute break. I was breathing heavily. It had been a long time since I had danced like that... Even though, I'm proud to admit it, for a fairy I sure have good stamina!
"Come on, let's go outside for a while?" Harlequin said, taking me by the shoulders.
"Very well, but I wouldn't mind drinking water." I replied.
The concert hall emptied and some people went home.
"Are you already thinking about going home?" she said to Diane, putting her index finger in the air.
"Uh... that is..." stammered Diane while looking for an excuse.
Watching from a distance, I pretended to pay attention to Harlequin's words, but my gaze was focused on the two girls. They both seemed to be heading for the campus exit. Harlequin followed my eyes and had a curious expression on his face.
"You're looking at Diane, now?" noted the ginger a bit down his best friend might have views on the same girl as him.
"What? No... I was thinking we should go home too? What do you think, Harlequin?"
It was a secret, even to my childhood friend, that I had developed (I don't even know when, where and how) a crush for that girl. Sooner or later, I knew, I would have to tell him... but I was not quite sure what was happening with me. I never understood love or how could somebody like another somebody more than just a friend. However, recently, I had found that I could grasp the idea better. Or I was going crazy and my mind was playing tricks on me! No... Maybe? No... I needed time to think it through.
Slowly, we set off for our shared apartment. On the way back we talked about everything and nothing, but I mostly teased him about Diane.
"And you, don't you have a crush?" he asked to avoid the topic.
"Mm... Don't be silly, Harlequin" I lied "And don't change the topic! You should ask Diane for a drink or something before a guy man-up and does it for you."
"No, no, no, no, no. That's never gonna work..."
Although I offered him tons of solutions, he rejected every single one of them. He was hopeless... but a good person nonetheless and my best friend. I just had to help him a bit or he would end up sulking until the end of the days.
Once we arrived at the apartment, I locked myself in the room. Ban, Elaine's lover, had rented us the place which was not only spacious but full of plants. I felt at ease in this wooden decoration. It reminded of the forest. I bet it was Elaine's request, also I don't doubt Ban might have felt like doing a nice gesture to his future brother-in-law. I still remember Harlequin following his sister after he had learnt the two were skipping school, only to find out later they wanted to give him a present for his birthday. My silly friend thought they would make babies and leave school to raise their child. I laughed. Little Harlequin could be totally paranoid.
A strange idea occurred to me. Babies, huh? Would I want babies with her too? I stared at the ceiling of my room. That thought never crossed my mind before.
On the bed, I sighed before huddling in the warm blankets, hiding from the cold. My thoughts kept me awake and just seemed to get weirder and weirder. How did it come to this? I remember seeing her for the first time. I was just curious. She seemed to be an excellent student, far from my reach, and our eyes met... She looked at me and smiled. A kind, beautiful smile... just a friendly smile. How disappointing! I didn't even smile back... I just turned my head like a stupid person would do...
I took my pillow and put it on my face, grumbling at the chaos of my emotions. She only spoke to me twice because Diane was speaking to Harlequin. Her voice was music to my ears and I stuttered like a morron again... I don't think she looked at me in class either. To my defence, her presence was enough to make me nervous. All my jokes and sassy attitude would fall flat as soon as she entered a room. But I had to make a move! How could I ever face Harlequin and give him advices, if I couldn't even follow them myself!
University was stressful... but I would make it sweeter with her by my side! Yes I would! No I cannot. Yes, I can! Come on Helbram, be brave! Act, no words! Then, without me knowing how, the sun came through my shutters. I did not sleep... did I? God, how bad do I have it?
"Hey, get up!" Harlequin screamed. "We are going to be late!"
"What?" I replied, dead tired.
I got dressed and went to the living room, dark circles below my handsome eyes. Harlequin, who not only woke-up earlier than I did, was making pancakes. His face turned towards me and he nearly dropped the pan on the floor.
"Helbram, are you ok? You did not sleep, did you?" he whispered with concerned in his voice.
Ahhh... my best friend was the best. Worrying for me~~. I sat in a high chair behind the counter and scuffed up my already messy hair. I wanted to deny everything but I couldn't anymore. Plus I knew it would be silly…
"It's ok if you skip class today, I will say to the teachers you were feeling sick." announced Harlequin.
"Fairies don't get sick, you silly..."
"Well... remember when you tried eating an entire box of spices?"
"Don't bring shameful memories, Harlequin..." I whispered, narrowing my eyes. "It's not fair."
"But what's up with you?" continued the ginger while getting closer to my face, "You are picky on the events you want to go to, you don't eat much, you are less chatty than usual and now you don't sleep either! I'm worried for you, Helbram! What are you..."
"I know" I sighed, "I give up... I... think I'm falling in love, and with a human... that is."
Harlequin opened his mouth and let go of the wooden spoon in his hand. It took him a minute to process my words and I could read how shocked he was and at the same time happy but flustered. Raising an eyebrow, he asked calmer:
"But you hate humans?"
"I know! I do, I still do! But not her… I don't know why, don't ask me, I don't know! Maybe because she seems like a nice person… her hair smells like…"
"Don't continue this sentence, Helbram." Threatened Harlequin. "Don't tell me you went behind her back to smell her hair? That's weird!"
"Oï! I did not do that! How desperate do you think I am? I did spy on her a couple of times though… I still do."
"…but who is she?"
"You know her." I replied while looking away in embarrassment. "It's the girl who was with Diane yesterday…"
My cheeks turned bright red when Harlequin mentioned her name. I nodded, so he knew it was the right name he had picked.
"Do you want to speak about it?" offered Harlequin.
"No… let's go to the lecture and later we will go to the park."
We had breakfast and to my great relief Harlequin did not bring the topic again. Once at university, I spent most of my time drawing hearts in the margin of my papers. Foolishly, I thought that confessing to Harlequin would help me to cope with those feelings… it only made it worse. Now all I could think was her and I couldn't concentrate on anything else anymore. It was like I was one step closer to winning her, in a way. I am hopeless…
Early in the afternoon, we went out for some fresh air in the park. The weeping trees, the lake, the swans and the green leaves relaxed us from our untold amorous anguish. It was a strange feeling… Not to say that I understood a bit better what Harlequin had to go through with Diane. I will still tease him for it, though. It is fun.
I tried to calm my racing heart by reading a book next to the lake. Harlequin sat next to me and started sewing flowers into a light white fabric. It was a curious but interesting hobby. Plus, I knew he wanted to offer the finished product to Diane.
An hour after I heard a stupid enamoured sigh coming from my best friend's mouth:
"Diane..."
Until now I was immersed in my book but raised an eyebrow when I saw him hiding behind a trunk. As I placed myself above him, my eyes followed his gaze. She was here… more beautiful than ever in her black coat. Diane was also next to her and…
"Howzer" spitted Harlequin with jealousy.
"What are they doing with him?" I asked aloud. "Do you know him? Are they close? I don't like that…"
"Me neither, Helbram… me neither…"
"But I'm sure I've never seen them together before." I tried to reassure myself. "Plus Howzer is a total looser when it comes to picking ladies."
"Still… But I haven't had a chance to see Diane today..." the fairy king blushed. "She is as beautiful as ever..."
"Your cutie pie is cute, however mine is cuter."
I yawned and laid on the tall grass, daydreaming suddenly of a potential future.
"Diane is not a cutie pie! She is a graceful and beautiful woman."
"Yes, yes, Harlequin, we got it. You are in love with her. Why don't you go talk to her anyway?"
"Me? No, no! I don't want to disturb them... By the way and you?!"
"Huh… later…"
I blushed and looked away from my best friend. There was no way she would be interested in somebody like me. Nobody ever was.
"Stop lying to me, Helbram. I know you the best and it's not like you to lie."
I sat down and looked insulted. The thing is… I knew I did not have my chances with her. I just knew it! I wasn't the tall, muscular, handsome type that ladies await, Ban was more like it… I tried not to look depressed in front of my best friend, however, and cheered that one day, we will get the girls we want.
Little aware of the events around us, we kept teasing each other until Diane came running up to us.
"Oh! Boys, you were here!" exclaimed the brunette. "We did not see you!"
"Hello~" I waved, trying to hide my discomfort when I saw them.
"Oh, what are you reading?" she exclaimed.
She left Diane's side to sit next to me. It was my time to shine! Be brave, Helbram! I showed her the cover and explained a bit of the story.
"Ah! Don't spoil me! I wanted to read it actually" she interrupted me.
"Ah sorry! Do you want me to lend it to you? You can give it back whenever you want to?"
Somehow, the more I talked to her, the less nervous I acted. Did I finally accept my feelings after months of denial? Was talking to Harlequin about it enough to brace myself up?
What made me happier was that Howzer seemed to be fighting with Harlequin over Diane. Hopefully, I suspected Diane's feelings for my best friend to be sincere and true. Since the start of university he did not notice… but she was watching him a lot more than usual. God! That was depressing! Why was it not happening to me!
"Helbram?" a feminine voice called me.
"Wait… you know my name?"
"Yes, you are King's best friend and a friend of Diane, kind of, no?"
What kind of answer was that? Don't raise my hopes, lovely creature!
She got closer to me and I noticed that it was really just the two of us under the tree. Was she about to kiss me? I saw her lips coming towards my mouth and my eyes half-closed in expectation.
But something did not happen…
She took the book from my hands and read the summary behind it. Ah… I kinda knew it… What a stupid am I!
"Would you really give it to me?"
"Lend it" I corrected while coughing to regain composure.
"That's so nice from you!"
"I am nice like that" I winked trying to play it cool.
"And extremely cute." She laughed putting the book in her tiny bag.
"Wait… what?"
My eyes opened wide, my heart started beating faster and my muscles began to tremble of excitement. I couldn't control my wings as they rose towards the sky, opening up as much as possible to look great. It was so embarrassing… but right now I did not care. I wanted her to repeat it. Her eyes looked at me with attention and I could sense a witty intelligence behind them. She smiled and before she could repeat, Diane interrupted us. The brunette might be a cutie but she was interrupting the most crucial moment of my life! That was unforgivable!
I clenched my fists... As surprising as it may seem for most people knowing me, yes, I could be shy as much as I could be stubborn. But only on very rare occasions. Harlequin must have seen in which state I was because I saw his expression between shock and well… I might as well just say shock.
I'm still ashamed to say it today… but I was a mess, a total flustered mess… but a cute mess! I'm pretty sure she said it!
The girls and Howzer waved us goodbye and Harlequin decided to sit next to me.
"I've never seen you like that, Helbram" He smiled happily.
"Jeez! It's not like it's a big deal either, stop teasing me. Why was Howzer with them by the way?" I spoke like my usual old-self.
"They are trying to help him with a gift for his father, something like that."
It must have been fate, because on the way back we met with the girls again. This time Howzer wasn't with them.
Diane acted more shy than usual and hide behind her hair as my beautiful crush came towards us.
"Hey! You two!" She shouted breathing heavily.
Right now a perverted thought came to my mind in which I… Harlequin give me a quick elbow punch. Hey! That was mean!
"She asked you if you want to go over to her place during the weekend." repeated Harlequin.
"Huh? Me?" I asked pointing a finger towards my face.
"But not only Helbram, you too Harlequin. Diane wants to have you assist her with the cooking. It would be like a chill weekend in Diane's vacation house, just the four of us. If you guys are in, of course?" she spoke a bit hesitant.
"Yes! Of Course! Isn't it Harlequin! We will be delighted! Let me just give you my number and Harlequin's too… Do you have a phone?" I exclaimed flying next to her.
My best friend was giving me a stare hard to describe but I suddenly felt so joyful and happy that I couldn't stop talking. A weekend alone with her… The perfect dream came to reality! While she was looking for her phone in her bag, I pinched myself. No, I wasn't dreaming. Yes!
She gave me her phone in which I entered my contact and that of Harlequin –so I am not too suspect. I tried to conceal my blush by looking to my left and gave her back the phone.
"Super! See you both on Saturday then!" she waved us goodbye.
"Bye-bye~~!" I waved back.
She took Diane by the arm and walked to another street. As soon as the girls disappeared I grabbed Harlequin by the shoulders and shacked him.
"Can you imagine it?! Us and the girls?! Oh my~~ I'm so excited I cannot contain myself! Yesssssss!"
I looked over at Harlequin's face who looked like he was having a seizure.
"What's up?" I told him, crossing my arms, "You are not happy you get to spend an entire week-end with Diane?"
"I… I'm going to sleep in Diane's house…" He replied while his nose was bleeding.
I let go of him and laughed machiavellianly, hands on my hips. Oh boy… I couldn't wait. Yet, if I was truly honest with myself, I was so nervous…