Title: Forget December (Chapter 2)
Author: Sirius
"Would you say something?" She demanded softly.
His eyes skittered over everything but her. His mouth sputtered to find words but none came. What just happened? She didn't just . . . Maybe he'd misheard . . . Did she just . . .
"Jess!" she said impatiently. "Say something!"
"About what?"
"Anything, you must have something to say."
"Well, look at it from my perspective. I just found out that my best friend in the entire world is moving across the country and then she comes and tells me that she cares about me more than she's let on. What do you want me to say? I'm kind of at a loss for words. I mean, you just sprung this on me and changed everything without even thinking!"
"What's changed? I didn't change anything; you're the one changing it all. It's always been this way. I've always felt this way."
"What?" He looked at her for the first time since she'd said it. Maybe this was the first time he'd ever really looked at her. How could he have missed it?
"I've always thought of you as more than a friend. I've always cared about you."
"Oh," he paused, his mind still reeling. "Well wait a second, what have I changed? You're the one who confessed caring about me and then you go off and move across the country!"
"Well, what was I supposed to do Jess? Huh? Tell me what I should do. Whatever it is that I feel about you could go away anytime. Is it really worth it to give up college for a relationship that I'm not even sure would work out? When I don't even know how you feel?"
"You never asked me!" He yelled indignantly.
"Okay, well I'm asking you now."
"It doesn't matter now! Now you've gone off and figured everything out already!"
"I still need to know. Have you ever thought of me as more than your best friend?" Here it was, she was putting it all out there. Yes or No.
"Everyday." He answered quietly.
"Oh."
"Yeah." He looked away.
"Why didn't you ever say anything?" she asked timidly, unbelievingly.
"Why didn't you?"
"I was scared. It would have changed everything."
"You already did that."
"Yeah I know. But now I don't think it's the best idea."
"You can't back out on it now. You've already accepted it."
"I can always tell them I've changed my mind."
"Oh yeah, and what then? What if we don't work out and you've just wasted the greatest opportunity ever? Enough shitty stuff has happened to me lately, you resenting me doesn't need to be on the list too."
"So you'd rather I just leave. Forget all of this ever happened?"
"It's better than you hating me."
"Fine. It's settled then."
"Fine."
They both stood there, shooting glaring stares at each other then glancing the other way. When the awkwardness had peaked, he shook his head and turned to leave.
"Listen, I gotta go." He had to get away from her as quickly as possible. It's funny how life is. Just when you're ready to get close to somebody, life makes you hurl yourself in the opposite direction.
"Jess, wait!" She called hopelessly after him.
He paused on the end of the bridge and turned his head around to look at her. She shifted uncomfortably and threw her hands up in defeat.
"I'm sorry." She whispered with finality. He stared at her for a moment with a blank face, blinked, and turned away with a nod.
"See you later, Ror."
(A/N: Hot Dog! How bout that, twice as long as the last chapter. That's not saying much . . . but there you have it. Happy Holidays! ~Amanda)
Author: Sirius
"Would you say something?" She demanded softly.
His eyes skittered over everything but her. His mouth sputtered to find words but none came. What just happened? She didn't just . . . Maybe he'd misheard . . . Did she just . . .
"Jess!" she said impatiently. "Say something!"
"About what?"
"Anything, you must have something to say."
"Well, look at it from my perspective. I just found out that my best friend in the entire world is moving across the country and then she comes and tells me that she cares about me more than she's let on. What do you want me to say? I'm kind of at a loss for words. I mean, you just sprung this on me and changed everything without even thinking!"
"What's changed? I didn't change anything; you're the one changing it all. It's always been this way. I've always felt this way."
"What?" He looked at her for the first time since she'd said it. Maybe this was the first time he'd ever really looked at her. How could he have missed it?
"I've always thought of you as more than a friend. I've always cared about you."
"Oh," he paused, his mind still reeling. "Well wait a second, what have I changed? You're the one who confessed caring about me and then you go off and move across the country!"
"Well, what was I supposed to do Jess? Huh? Tell me what I should do. Whatever it is that I feel about you could go away anytime. Is it really worth it to give up college for a relationship that I'm not even sure would work out? When I don't even know how you feel?"
"You never asked me!" He yelled indignantly.
"Okay, well I'm asking you now."
"It doesn't matter now! Now you've gone off and figured everything out already!"
"I still need to know. Have you ever thought of me as more than your best friend?" Here it was, she was putting it all out there. Yes or No.
"Everyday." He answered quietly.
"Oh."
"Yeah." He looked away.
"Why didn't you ever say anything?" she asked timidly, unbelievingly.
"Why didn't you?"
"I was scared. It would have changed everything."
"You already did that."
"Yeah I know. But now I don't think it's the best idea."
"You can't back out on it now. You've already accepted it."
"I can always tell them I've changed my mind."
"Oh yeah, and what then? What if we don't work out and you've just wasted the greatest opportunity ever? Enough shitty stuff has happened to me lately, you resenting me doesn't need to be on the list too."
"So you'd rather I just leave. Forget all of this ever happened?"
"It's better than you hating me."
"Fine. It's settled then."
"Fine."
They both stood there, shooting glaring stares at each other then glancing the other way. When the awkwardness had peaked, he shook his head and turned to leave.
"Listen, I gotta go." He had to get away from her as quickly as possible. It's funny how life is. Just when you're ready to get close to somebody, life makes you hurl yourself in the opposite direction.
"Jess, wait!" She called hopelessly after him.
He paused on the end of the bridge and turned his head around to look at her. She shifted uncomfortably and threw her hands up in defeat.
"I'm sorry." She whispered with finality. He stared at her for a moment with a blank face, blinked, and turned away with a nod.
"See you later, Ror."
(A/N: Hot Dog! How bout that, twice as long as the last chapter. That's not saying much . . . but there you have it. Happy Holidays! ~Amanda)