One thing--my friend (who wrote serenity) asked me to mention that it is a song, not just a poem. I know I used it as a poem in my story, but it is in actuality a song.
Chapter 7
"I had a crush on you," Dave choked out, stumbling on the words. Becca stared at Davey in shock. Followed by panic, then anger, finally a mix of all three.
"You what?!" she shouted. "You have a crush on me?!" Dave opened his mouth to correct her, but she continued on, almost as if he wasn't there. "For how long? Is that why you practically kissed me last night? And is our best-friendship even real, or have you just been trying to get close to me? Okay, I know that sort of manipulation is below you, that you wouldn't do that, but I still need to know how long. Your crush could be influencing who knows how many of your actions. David," Becca turned to the blue-eyed newsie, who detected a distinct tremble of her chin, "what does this mean?"
Davey placed his hands on her shoulders and moved her slightly so that she was facing him directly. "Becca--" he started softly.
"David, I just--" she interrupted.
"Becca," he said again, more firmly, putting a finger underneath her chin and tilting her head so her eyes looked into his. "I'm sorry that I wasn't very clear. I said that I had a crush on you, not have. Past tense." Something like a wave washed over Becca's features. In seconds, she was perfectly calm.
"Ahhhh, I see. My mistake. That's okay, then." Dave was confused. (I know, again. I love confusing this boy. It's fun ,hehe *grins mischievously*)
"So you're not okay with me having a crush on you presently, but if it's past tense, that's fine?"
"Yeah," Becca nodded. "Why not? It's not something you have anymore, depending…when was this crush?"
"When I first met you. For about your first couple weeks, maybe month, here."
"Jack know?"
"No clue."
"Definitely better that way."
"Oh yeah."
"Aww, but that's so cute! [in relation to the crush]" Becca was smiling in a shower of amusement. "Adorable, even, maybe." Dave flattened his voice,
"Thanks," he said playfully. Becca giggled back at him, but stopped abruptly when something occurred to her. A look of pure horror spread across her face. "David," she managed to squeak out. Davey rushed to her side.
"What? What is it, are you okay?" he asked earnestly. Becca took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself.
"What happened to your crush?" she queried, voice shaking. "Did it, I mean, it didn't, did it? Turn into something…more?" Dave's eyes widened in shock when he realized what Becca was asking.
"No!" he assured her, "no, that's not what happened at all." Becca's relief caused all the tension to wash out of her body, her muscles and limbs turning to jelly. She stumbled, and David caught her. He directed Becca to a soft patch of grass beneath the largest tree, and he sat down beside her. "Now, I told Hazel this morning what I'm about to tell you, so--"
"You talked to Hazel about this already!?"
"It wasn't like I had much of a choice. She just showed up, and told me that I was going to tell her what was going on."
"That's Hazel for you," Becca commented with a smile. Suddenly aware that she had interrupted Davey, Becca apologized. "Oh, sorry. I'm done now." Dave smiled at Becca,
"No problem," and continued. "I had a crush on you from practically the time I first met you. But I understood that you were completely oblivious to my infatuation. I got to know you better, and found that I really liked you as a person, I wanted to be your friend. But I knew for that to happen, I had to put my infatuation aside, because it would only cause problems in the future and would prevent us form becoming close. I don't know if you noticed or remember or not, but for those first few weeks after you came, I couldn't talk to you without stuttering."
"Ohhhhh yeeeaaaah. I remember that. I didn't pay it much attention, and I must not have noticed when it went away."
"It went away when I decided to concentrate on just being your friend. I buried my feelings, and I guess they went away. I don't know what happened last night. I don't know if it had anything to do with the crush I had on your or not. I don't care as much about where last night came from as I care about what happens because of it. I don't want to lose you." David's voice became husky with unshed tears, so great was his fear that this entire incident might ruin their friendship. "You're my best friend."
Tears began pricking Becca's eyes. "You're my best friend too. I don't want to lose you either. So…why don't we just say that whatever happens, happens."
"So you don't care if…"
"I've never been one to compress how I feel."
"How do you feel?" David asked gingerly.
"I don't know. You?"
"As you said before, we're in the same boat. That must apply to how we feel as well. So you're up for letting things progress naturally?"
"So long as we stop that sort of relationship, if it ever happens, immediately if it begins to damage our friendship, or if it doesn't feel right."
"Our friendship is first and foremost, and if any other relationship develops, it develops, but only if it doesn't wreck our friendship. Or if it just doesn't feel…right."
"Exactly."
"We're settled, then?"
"Yup." Becca stood up with a sigh. "It's so comfortable here, but I've got stuff to do."
"What sort of stuff?" Dave stood up as well.
"Organizing my pile of poems, lyrics, music, and songs."
"Sounds like fun. Need me to lend a hand?" Becca laughed as Davey stuck out his hand. She grasped his hand and they shook firmly, laughing the entire time. When Becca tried to take her hand back, Dave wouldn't let go. Instead, he pulled her into a hug. "I'm glad we're on the same wavelength again. I know it wasn't long, but I couldn't stand not being able to talk with you, being out of sync with you."
"I know," stated Becca into Davey's shoulder. "I felt exactly the same way." As they started to draw back, Becca went on a wild impulse and brushed Davey's lips with hers. Dave stiffened and searched for Becca's eyes, his clearly asking what that meant. "Now we're even," she said, grinning.
Okay, I'm sorry that this was so terribly anti-climactic when I had this huge build-up. I didn't even mean to create the build-up, I just had so many different ideas that I wanted to fit into this short space of time. Once again, I'm treading completely new water here and have no clue what I am doing. Go ahead and flame me if you want, but please don't if you can't tell me how to make it better 'cause I won't have any idea of how/what to change. So…dare I ask…please review! *puppy face*
Oh yeah, I'm not done yet, so in case you were wondering, there is more to come.