Finally Diane cancelled a group project which allowed us to leave on Friday instead of Saturday. When we got on the bus, I couldn't take my eyes off her. I was overwhelmed with joy. Every time she felt she was being watched, I turned my head to the other side.

It took four hours for this mechanical engine to reach its destination. Flying was so much more convenient than these human means of transportation.

I was proud to see that Harlequin was doing well with Diane. She was lovingly devouring him with her eyes and he didn't even realize it, that lucky idiot. For my part, I tried a more subtle approach. After two hours of thinking about it and planning every single word, I tried to sit down next to her. By the window, she was contemplating the landscape, which gradually took on greener and more shimmering colours than the sad city.

"I... Can I sit down?" I asked, pointing to the seat next to her.

"Oh? Yes, of course." She replied as she took off her bag from the place.

"Aren't you going to sit with Diane?"

"No, sometimes there are some things a friend cannot help with." She smiled as she watched the two lovebirds chatting.

I don't remember what I told her at that moment. To tell the truth: anything and everything! I asked a thousand questions, showed-off my cultural knowledge… If at any time my tongue had seemed numb, now I could not stop talking. It was obvious that I was trying to make conversation with her and unfortunately I did not get the expected reaction. She looked at me politely but closed, almost worried. I was trying to court her and I reaped anxiety and indifference! What a shame!

The bus dropped us in a clearing surrounded by wooded hills. A soft air, as only in spring, permeated the small two-storey house. A few climbing plants clung to the facade and a terrace with white stones overlooked the light green plain. The wooden chalet had three bedrooms with two bathrooms and a living room in addition to an ultra-modern kitchen.

"It is a gift from Matrona!" Diane announced proudly.

"It's great, Diane!" Harlequin cheered.

"It's really cool!" I whistled.

"Come on, I'll show you to your rooms!"

We followed Diane to the second floor and discovered a small room with a single bed against a large bay window leading to a small balcony, then two large rooms with two double beds and a large wardrobe. The girls would sleep together.

"You can both sleep in the same bed or each one can take a room," Diane announced.

"I'll take the room with the balcony!" I shouted as I threw my things into the room. "Freedom is mine! Yoo-hoo! »

They laughed at my antics and did the same in their respective rooms. Diane started cooking mushroom soup with the help of Harlequin. I took a quick shower and was dazzled by the bathroom. A large Italian shower, two sinks, a long wall separating the toilet from the bathroom... Who was this Matrona? Probably someone important!

In the shower, I started thinking about her. Lost in my romantic thoughts, I frowned and lost some of my joy. Her distant reaction on the bus was the exact opposite of what I had hoped for... I thought that inviting me was like a sign but... A long sigh came out of my mouth and I watched the hundreds of drops falling on the shower tile. I hadn't thought about the possibility that she didn't want to end up like the third wheel with Diane and Harlequin. So that's why she invited me! How depressing!

I wasn't sure what to think about the situation... so I shook my wings and went to my room. The moon had begun to rise in the sky and some wolves were howling in the hills. My towel slipped down to my ankles and...

"Helbram!" shouted a voice in the room, slamming the door behind us.

I saw Harlequin red as a tomato as I was about to get dressed.

"Put some clothes on! What if one of the girls comes in here?" he shouted, throwing my green jacket in my face.

"I just showered! You're the one who shows up unannounced! What's up anyway?"

"I... you know... Diane... and I..."

He got carried away with explanations that I could not follow because his babbling was so inaudible. As I got dressed, he was monologueing in front of my closet.

"So, what do you think?" he asked worriedly. "Do I stand a chance with Diane?"

"I've always told you... But why all of a sudden? You mumbled so much, I swear... I didn't understand a thing."

"She remembers the promise I made to her when we were little!" he said, turning to me. "And she said, and I quote, "I'd like to go back to that moment" but I just stood there smiling and saying "me too"! Helbram, why are you laughing?"

"No, nothing. You're such a baby sometimes... ah-ah-ah!"

"Me? What did I do? »

"You're gonna have to be brave and start acting instead of daydreaming. Come on, let's go eat, shall we?"

We flew down the corridor and stopped dead in our tracks. Downstairs, the girls prepared the plates and talked about us. I signalled Harlequin to get down on the floor and be quiet.

"What are you...?" began my best friend.

I put one finger on his fingertip and shook my head.

"They're talking about us. You want to know how Diane feels about you, don't you? Then listen."

I passed an arm over his shoulders and we began to listen to them, hiding behind the wall leading to the stairs.

"It doesn't matter what I think of Harlequin, Diane," exclaimed my crush. "What do you think?"

"Speak lower, they might hear us," the brunette said shyly. "And you, I saw you talking to Helbram on the bus. Do you love him?"

My cheeks turned scarlet and Harlequin looked at me with anticipation. Oh, I did not expect an answer so soon! No... It was too soon... My mouth closed in anticipation.

"He's a nice boy... I'm flattered but I don't know what to think of him at the moment..."

I swallowed my saliva with difficulty. It wasn't the answer I was looking for, but it wasn't so bad...

"Why not give it a try? He seems to like you..." Diane laughed to add fuel to the fire.

I thanked Diane inwardly for her outspokenness. Suddenly, I had an idea: make Diane my ally in the conquest of her friend.

"I don't know..." continued the voice. "He's not my type."

Her response felt like a ball in my stomach and my breathing became blocked. I knew it... I knew that her rejection was the only possible conclusion to the story. Oh how the hope hurt... And yet, I imagined I had heard wrong. Maybe she just meant that she wasn't used to being around fairies? Yes, she probably did. In that case, it wasn't so bad, was it? I just had to talk to her for a while and let her get to know me. Surely seeing my expression, Harlequin put a comforting hand on my arm and whispered to me:

"Come on, Helbram, let's eat. We shouldn't eavesdrop."

We went down the wooden stairs and sat down at the table. On the table of four, Diane sat next to Harlequin, leaving me the only choice to sit in front of my best friend and next to her. My gaze dodged hers and I tried to hide my discomfort. She had put on black trousers with lace openings, revealing a little skin along the thighs, all accompanied by a long hooded top. I gave in to the temptation to take a look, hoping to be as discreet as possible.

Little by little my nervousness disappeared as we talked about the old stories of the high school and the club of the "Seven Deadly Sins " directed by Meliodas.

"I remember a completely different version." I sneered, pointing my fork at Diane. "You were chasing Meliodas like half of the girls in high school."

"Helbram!" Harlequin shouted, embarrassed.

"No, no, it's true." laughed Diane. "He was the only one who treated me like a normal person since I was the only giant in school."

"No, it's not true!" protested the fairy next to her "Me too!"

"It's true, you've always been there for me, Harlequin." Diane hid behind her locks of hair.

After a moment Diane looked at the cutie pie sitting next to me. She was barely eating anything from the soup and seemed to be somehow in deep thoughts.

"Choco, aren't you eating?" Diane asked.

"Ah? Uh, yes... but... I got lost in your stories. It's a shame I didn't go to high school with you guys."

"Choco?" I repeated along with Harlequin.

"It's a nickname." Diane explained with a giggle, ready to tease her friend who had been silent until then.

"Which is referring to what?" Harlequin replied, just as curious as I was.

"For... nothing! Right, Diane?" she exclaimed, red as a tomato.

"Oh, they can know that! It's not so shameful." Answered the brunette.

"You like chocolate, don't you " I chuckled.

"It's mostly because... in the morning she always has her chocolate moustache over her lips. She always forgets to wipe it off and sometimes she ends up going to class with it!"

"Ha ha! That's cute! "I laughed. "Don't worry, we've all got nicknames. Right, Harlequin?"

I watched him stiffen, aware that I was about to divulge compromising information.

"As a joke, Ban calls Harlequin "Old Fart," and I'm "Love Helm" when I'm refereeing or playing online." I explained to her to reassure her.

To Harlequin's dismay, the girls laughed at his nickname and pretended to ignore mine. It's offensive!

"And why "Old Fart"?" she chuckled.

"For that, you'd have to ask Ban." Harlequin replied. "He's got a misplaced mind."

"What about you, Helbram? Why Love Helm?"

She turned her head towards me and I began to contemplate her eyes, unable to answer. Diane's comment brought me back to reality:

"Because he's a Casanova..."

"Huh? Me?"

"Obviously you." replied Harlequin ready to take revenge. "He likes to have a reputation of a pervert even though he's never dated anyone..."

That was mean Harlequin! I sighed heavily to hide my embarrassment and the red up to my ears.

"Neither have you." I whispered bitterly.

It's not my fault that no girl came to me! The thought depressed me, especially since she would get the wrong idea of me. Who would want a guy without experience?

"Boys, don't fight!" Diane laughed.

"It's Harlequin…" I sighed, shrugging my shoulders, falsely amused, "He takes things too much to heart. Anyway, I like the nickname Choco... I... can I call you that?" I asked, scratching my cheek shyly.

"Uh... it's a bit embarrassing..." she confessed.

I looked at her with the eyes of a beaten dog and she reluctantly accepted. I wasn't going to tease her with it, but just use it to create a stronger bond. If only that bond could...

"Ah! My cake!" she screamed as she ran behind the counter. "You've distracted me with your high school stories and nicknames."

"I'm sorry!" Diane apologized, not really sorry.

A sweet smell of cinnamon and orange filled the kitchen. Luckily, the oven was a bit old, so the cake hadn't burned. We each had two more slices before going to bed. The journey had exhausted us.

The next day, we went for a walk in the surrounding area and dipped our feet in an icy river. Flowering trees surrounded the water and a small waterfall fell further downstream. During the last days I could see the progress between Diane and Harlequin. They were getting very close and spending all their time together, leaving me completely with my cutie. Not that I'm complaining.

As my ankles were covered with ice cold water -clear as the fountain of youth; I crouched down and pointed a crawfish at her.

"Oh, well found Helbram!" she said, crouching down too.

"Do you want to take it?"

"It's going to pinch me..."

She made a small pout and inflated her cheeks with a childish air. I used violence to avoid looking too stupid and at the same time many thoughts were racing in my head. Yesterday's conversation bothered me a little. I was disappointed to see that the current was flowing so well between us and that my heart was racing at every glance for an unrequited affection... Yet, if I was honest with myself, I was also beating myself up to ignore these slightly hurtful words and continued to think that I had a small chance with her, no matter how small.

"Not if you take it properly, look." I said to her as I pulled the animal out of the water.

"But, I thought fairies don't hurt animals?"

"Huh? I'm not hurting it, I'm just showing you."

I handed her the little brown creature and took her hand, taking care to place her fingers around its shell so as not to hurt the crayfish or my friend's hand. The animal twisted a little and complained that it did not find this position comfortable.

"It's a bit weird…" she noted as she put the animal back into the water.

"You see? That wasn't so bad, was it?!" I laughed.

On that wonderful spring afternoon, little did I know that I was about to mess-up tomorrow's night so badly...