UNREQUITED LOVE...


For a moment there, I thought Hilary had done something to her hair or something.

For a moment there, I thought she had done something to her hair, her face, her feature, and her eyes...

But I knew I was looking at her a different way.

Hilary was still the same Hilary.

Hilary will always be Hilary, whether bossy loud mouth or not.

She had surprised me in many ways.

Actually, she had surprised me three times already this past hour.

It's strange how I suddenly became an easy surprise getter by this girl.

This girl that changed.

Changed drastically.

Dramatically changed.

She seemed shorter than me.

Or have I grown that fast?

Her hair looked longer, reaching below her shoulders.

Her skin was as pale as always, though, but her eyes were startling.

Startling that it scared me a bit.

And surprised me as more as ever than I first saw them.

It was like two large bright rubies had been pierced right through the whatever eyes she had before.

Or—to make it better—two ruby eyes that can pierce right through you.

As it did to me.

Shivers

Man, that's freaky.

But not as freaky as what I said next.

"Then come back to us then if you're so confident."

It just came right out of my mouth and it almost left me speechless after that.

I mean, what had we talked about a few mometns ago?

I've already forgotten what the subject was about.

Well, yeah, I get this memory loss coming through me.

But what I said?

That's something this Tyson would never say to a girl.

But Hilary had said something though I didn't hear her.

But I didn't care.

She didn't need to answer that.

She didn't need to answer a question she hardly hears coming out of my mouth.

But she still answered.

"Do I look like I've given up on you guys already?"

I chuckled and stared at her, the girl on the ground.

"Why, have you or have you not?"

The girl hesitated.

She knew she thought she had.

She thinks I think she's already given up on us.

I could see the way she stared at the pebbles on the ground.

That I thought I had given up on her.

Well, have I?

What kind of a dumbass moron would ask her to come back to them?

Psh, I feel like an idiot right now.

But I shouldn't press hard unto my anger.

If I get angry again like I usually do around Hilary, I just might ruin this conversation.

This conversation that's strangely working out better than the last every conversations we have had for the past two years.

even though it started out like a drag.

And you know what?

I'm kind of liking it.

Well, at least it's better than the rest.

At least it's better than bitching at each other for a goddamn no good reason.

Yeah, I like this converstaion already, strange.

But I can tell you I'm not talking about me changing views about Hilary.

I mean,

Do I like her?

Do I like her, this girl?

Hilary?

Tyson liking someone?

Laughs

I mean, it isn't the first time I've actually had crushes but—

Love!

Talk about Love!

I wouldn't even GO that FAR!

I mean—WHOA!

Me!

Being in Love!

With this girl!

Laughs

I gawked at Hilary.

"Are you staying or are you not?"

Hilary didn't look at me.

She was too busy being 'out of it' again.

God, does she have to be so 'out of it' every time we had conversations that revolve around thinking hard?

Duh, she can think but the way she does it makes me so uncomfortable.

"Of course I'm staying," she finally answers me.

Then, she turned to look at me.

With those weird jewel eyes that made me recoil a little.

"Would you like me to go away instead?"

Would you like me to go away?

Would I like her to go away?

Hmm...

Well, I actually do.

But that's one side of me.

The other side?

Shrug

I shrugged.

"Do you want me to?" I asked her.

She frowns.

"You know you're making things complicated," she tells me.

Complicated?

Hell yeah it's already been complicated all the way through the beginning!

But instead, I said something more different.

"I guess."

I shoot her a skeptical look then place my hands behind my head.

"You should stay, I guess," I shrugged again.

What can I say anymore?

I do want her to stay because she's actually been helping us win.

Would I regret kicking her out of the team just because of some stupid incident she had done?

Yeah...

I think I would regret it.

And I'm not denying it.

I feel the presence of stupefaction far beside me, where the girl is.

Like I could hear her thinking:

'What did Tyson just say!'

"W—why would you want me to stay?" Hilary asked me.

I turned to look at her.

She was staring at me.

With those freaky jewel eyes of hers.

I try not to winched any harder.

But I've seen stranger ones before.

Yet, hers were different.

Not only did I heed her eyes.

I also heeded her reaction...

And there's this point where you've seen something from the past and it shoots back to you right this moment.

There's this point where you've already seen something and it happens again.

But when you really aren't sure, you forget about it.

And I forget about it.

Almost immediately.

But it would come back anyway.

I know it will.

"Because you're a good trainer," I told her, then added, "I guess.", to make things sound normal for both of us.

Hilary turned to look at the ground again.

"Oh," she said.

Oh.

Was that it?

That's all she could say!

A damn 'Oh'!

Growling inside, I shook my head.

"I should at least expect a better answer," I told her.

Hilary sighed and rested a chin on knees.

"Never mind," she responded. "But I'll be glad to accept and be your trainer again."

"I think I already know that," I told her.

"How would you know?"

"Because I know that you'll never leave us all here hanging when we need someone to keep our asses together and working like a sack of crap."

I was relieved to hear Hilary chuckle.

At least it wouldn't end badly again, this conversation.

"You're finally smart, Tyson," Hilary tells me.

I waved a hand defensively.

"Finally?" I questioned. "I'm finally smart? Since when have I become dumb and stupid?"

Hilary changes her poise, crossing her legs and intertwining her arms.

She stared at me with a face of satisfaction but frowning.

"Since forever," she answered. "Sometimes you can be so stupid, Tyson Granger."

I grinned evilly at her.

"If you mean putting our life in mortal danger and putting us all half to death," I began. "Then you're right. That is a stupid thing to do, huh?"

"Not as stupid as sleeping under a bridge at night without warm clothing," Hilary pointed out.

I gave her a raspberry.

"But not as stupid as wearing nothing but a freakin' skinny sweater and that really short skirt," I told her.

"SO?" Hilary said. "At least my eyes were open. Unlike yours."

I rolled my eyes.

"Oh please," I told her. "Like sleeping under a tree on those clothes last night be a smart-ass idea."

She stopped and looked at me.

"H--How did you know?" she asked skeptically. "That I was sleeping under that tree last night?"

I shook my head with disapproval.

"Why do you think I slipped my jacket over you, uh?" I said. "You were practically shivering to death."

I took a strange hint at a faint pinkish blot on her cheek.

"Why didn't you wake me then?" she asked.

I roll my eyes again.

"After that slapping incident I don't think I got the time to hear your apologies about it," I answered.

"Oh."

Oh.

Man, how many times can she say this shit?

"I said I was sorry," she mumbled.

"And I said that's okay," I remarked. "Besides, it looked like you wanted to sleep there so I let you alone."

Hilary looked down.

"Did I say anything while… while I was sleeping?"

Say anything?

Why that two-word thing she had mumbled that night felt like a thousand words of apologies to me.

As if she was really, really sorry.

For everything.

I mean, what am I suppose to do?

Tell her she mumbled something stupid and almost embarrassing?

When it isn't stupid at all?

Well, maybe I should tell...

I looked at her with straight serious eyes.

"Yeah you did."

Hilary's facial features looked like she had just seen something so horrific I don't think she'll be able to return them back to normal.

I almost choked a laugh at that face.

Her eyes glimmered with anxiety but she looked at me.

"W—what is it?"

I gazed at her eyes too seriously while my eyes looked far by serious that I felt her fear.

She gazed back, as if about to die an immoral death.

"I think I heard you mumbling 'Damn, Tyson, I've made you the greatest beyblader these past two years by torturing your asses together!"

I laughed.

Standing up like a bolt, Hilary pouted at me angrily.

"Tyson," she uttered. "It's not funny! What did I say?"

"'Tyson, you're the best friend I ever had'?"

"Tyson!"

"'Oh shit, I just broke a nail'?"

"Tyson!"

"'What the hell is that heavy weight pressing under my body?' then you wake up to find my jacket?"

"Tell me the truth!"

"'I love you, Tyson'?"

I laughed when I saw her blush like mad.

I think she bought that one but denied it.

Chuckle

She marched up towards me and looked at me straight.

"TELL ME!"

"Uuh…'why am I sleeping under this tree? I'm such a baka!'?"

"TYSON!"

"'I wonder what Tyson's doing right now, I'm so worried about him!'?"

"TYSON!"

Laughing hard, I put my hands on her shoulders and motioned her backwards a bit so I could lean forward and look at her straight in the eye.

She reddened at this position but I took no heed.

"You wanna know what you mumbled?" I asked her solemnly.

Still blushing a little, Hilary nodded hesitantly.

I heaved my chest up and took a huge breath.

A deep huge breathe so I could really tell her what it is.

Still trying to make my face look simple and grave, I exhaled and let out the words.

I gave her a serious look then whispered "I forgot" and smiled wide.

I put a hand behind my head and laughed real hard.

Hilary made a funny face where her cheeks become balloon-like and her eyes are demonic.

"Tyson," she fussed. "Did I even say anything at all?"

"Of course you didn't," I told her instead. "I was just foolin' around wiccha."

Blushing like she was embarrassed, Hilary crossed her arms and glared at me.

And to admit, she didn't give me a look of real anger.

It was as if she was playing along with me.

And it made things look way, way better.

And thnak god this girl isn't so somber.

And to top it all off...

Suddenly, she smiles.

And I mean smile.

SMILE.

Strange…

It sent a strange twinge inside me.

Hilary hadn't smiled like this—a real one—ever since we had that fight weeks ago.

Maybe it's because I'm actually glad to see someone who's been sulking for a while brighten up the day and smile sincerely.

Maybe---

Whoa

Did I just say that?

Is it still Tyson speakign or osmeone else inside?

I smiled back.

"You know you should smile more," I told her.

Hilary reddened again.

"Why?.."

I grinned.

"Because you don't look all that pretty when your face is all wrinkled with sullen sorrow."

Growling, Hilary whacked me on the head.

"TYSON! You aren't helping!"

Patting my hat, I gave Hilary a raspberry.

"Aren't I truthful enough?" I batted eyes innocently, pretendign to be an innocent looking Hilary.

Hilary rolled her eyes.

"Yes," she exaggerated. "Truthful enough it almost hurts."

I grinned wickedly.

"But truthful enough, eh?"

Hilary stuck her tongue out and slowly turned around.

"Sometimes," she said.

I raised an eyebrow at her back.

"Sometimes?"

I watched her head towards the small pond.

She leaped on a large rock that encircled the pond and turned a head to look at me.

That pang inside me came again when she smiled.

"Sometimes," she answered.

She turned to look down at the pond, probably watching the fish underneath.

I don't know how long those fish had been there but they seemed older than grandpa.

I adjusted my hat and sat back down on the boulder behind me.

I crossed my arms and legs and went to deep thinking.

Who is Hilary?

Hilary is this bratty girl.

Hilary is this sometimes-kind-sometimes-bossy girl.

Hilary is this strange jewel eyed girl I befriended with.

She's the girl that got my half of my tired ass worked up.

And actually got me winning most of my beyblading games.

Strange.

What is Hilary?

Hilary is this girl.

Hilary is this human girl.

A human, just like me.

Hilary is someone I actually call a…

Friend.

Strange.

Why Hilary…?

I don't know.

Why Hilary?

Chuckle

Because this girl I couldn't stand years ago became a friend.

This girl I hated having to always hang around with me non-stop years ago became my friend.

Bizarre.

Why befriend her?

Because she's actually an okay girl.

Weird…

So what is this thing lurching inside me?

What is this thing going right through me?

What is this thing piercing me every time I see that strange familiar face Hilary had shot me few moments ago?

And this Love.

What is Love?

Do I love Hilary?

No…

I can't really go that far.

I mean, I just can't LOVE Hilary for a reason I don't understand.

I mean, I just can't LOVE her.

I just can't give her these feelings I feel.

I can't love Hilary.

I mean…

Do I love her…?

Would I dare love this girl?

Chuckle

...Would I?