The weeks went by faster than I thought it would. I still checked my gadget for any messages from Connor. I couldn't help it. I wasn't happy that I had to keep away from him. I guess I was hoping he would call this whole thing off and I could come over.

He didn't.

So, when the day finally came that I could go over, I brought some supplies to make some pizzas for dinner. I got the okay from Ms. Sandy and she and Mom were going to have a little girl time while Connor and I hung out.

I remember, as soon as I walked through that door, I ran straight for him.

"Hi, Connor!" I said as I hugged him.

"Hi Annie."

It felt good to hug him again. I didn't realize how much I missed him. It wasn't like when he woke up from his coma. This was definitely less happy sad, more happy excited. He was more solid and stable and he was looking like his old self again. His dimples were a lot easier to see and his hazel eyes were just a bit brighter than they were before.

I hurried us into the kitchen after we said hi to our moms.

"So, how have you been?" I asked him as I got us set up.

"Informative, Mom thinks I can go back to school in a few weeks."

"Really?" I looked at him with the biggest eyes I could make, my eyes started to water a little from the hopefulness and happiness in my heart.

He nodded.

"Oh, that's great!" I hugged him tight.

"A-eh-air."

"Oh," I let him go and looked down for a second. "Sorry…" When I looked back up, he smiled.

"It's okay." He took a step and hugged me. Oh… This hug was different. He was actually squeezing me a little. Normally, when he hugged me, it was barely a hug, like he was afraid he might squeeze me into dust. He was warm, solid, gentle. I didn't move for a bit but then I smiled big and hugged him back. I cried one or two tears before we stopped.

When he saw my tears, he got all worried and asked, "What's wrong?"

I wiped my eyes and told him, "Nothing, these are happy tears."

"Are you happy for anything in particular?" He cocked his head.

"Mm-hm. Your hug. It's a real one now."

"What? What are you talking about? Every hug I give you is real."

"I mean you're actually squeezing me, your heart's actually in it. You're not holding back anymore." I wiped more tears from my eyes. "I'm really happy we're that close now."

"Wow…" He looked away from me for a sec. "I knew a hug could be powerful, but I didn't think it meant that much to you."

"Uh-huh, a good hug solves everything."

"Well, I don't know about that but it's a good start."

I smiled and I kept smiling.

We ate with our moms when the pizza was done and talked some. Mom told some stories about some funny customers; Ms. Sandy mentioned a date she had with a ferret and talked about taking up needle work or painting. I talked about helping Aunt Rouge and Aunt Cream. Connor mentioned playing more challenging songs and remembering some rules to more complex games.

Connor and I did our own thing while Mom and Ms. Sandy stayed in the dining room. We were hanging out in his room when he got up and he asked me, "Hey Annie, mind if I play you something?"

"Of course, you know I can't say no to you playing."

"Yeah, uh, I think you should get comfy." He handed me the get well bear my mom got him when he woke up. When he handed me the bear, I was confused because that bear hadn't left his desk since he came home. It was the only stuffed animal he had. He also told me to get comfy. He's never said that before, it was always a given. I would sit on his bed while he sat on his stool and played in front of me.

I hopped off the bed to at least grab his stool or music stand, but he waved his hand and said, "I got it, I got it. Please, I can do it on my own."

"You can but you don't have to." I walked up to him as he held his cello.

"Really Annie, please. I'm ready."

"What? You don't need your music stand?" The one time that night, my smile faltered.

"Not for this one." He shook his head.

My smile came back. This was going to be amazing. Whenever Connor played from memory, he was actually playing with his heart. It was as if he could feel the music, and in his own funny way, convey emotion. It's not the same as dancing would be but when he was all in, I could see and hear things so complex that made sense, but I could never really describe.

"Now, Lady and-well Lady, heh, please return to your seat. The show is about to begin."

I squealed, hugged him real quick and sprang for my seat on the bed. I clutched the bear tight as he took his position.

"This piece, I wrote not that long ago really. I made some tweaks and-" He took a deep breath. "And you don't have to respond right away, okay?"

I nodded, clutching the bear a little tighter, eager to hear what he would play. He always did that. He always wanted me and our friends to be thorough with any feedback, so he'd know if he got what he wanted to convey across. I never changed my mind. He never played anything I didn't like. And while my thoughts were never anything insightful or a stroke of genius, he was glad to hear them anyway.

He closed his eyes, held his bow across his cello and positioned his other hand over the strings. He took a deep breath and started to play a slow tune. Generally, a higher pitch then normal but I could still feel it in my bones.

Not that long ago

We exchanged pleasantries

Forced into interactions

Out of our control

You were a mystery

Your head in the clouds

And I… couldn't reach you

Like a north star,

You were a constant

I could only watch,

As you shined on your own

It took a while to figure out

Just what to say

Just what to do

So, I played and you… listened

Now that we're friends, I got a look

At… exactly

What goes on in your head

And what I see warms up my heart

Because you… are a caring soul

An honest person

And when you're sad and scared

You stand up to fight

So, I play

While you listen

Because how else can I tell you…

I really like you

He… he sang. He never sang before. Finn was the one who could sing and he… I liked it. I liked his voice. It was between a raspy and clear voice, it was him, he… wrote me a song… And it was so sweet and simple and… well made my heart race, I lost most of my grip on the bear and I couldn't talk. I wanted to smile but I was too shocked and moved by it all, I couldn't move.

"I really like you, Annie." I blinked and I could move again, but really all I did was stare at him, feeling the intensity in my heart. He likes me, like me.

"This was the only way I could tell you and well…" He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes, he looked right at me again. "Would you consider… going on a date with me?" He cleared his throat. "You-you don't have to answer right away. You-you can go home and think about it."

I couldn't move again. I was stuck, glued, nailed to the floor, poured cement on… My heart was going crazy. I thought I had a fever.

"Annie!"

"What?" I snapped back. He was in front of me now. His face, inches away. He was standing.

"Forget it, forget I said anything." He shook his head.

"What? Wait. No Connor-"

"It's okay Annie. I-"

"Connor, I like you!" I don't know how or why I said that, but I did. I instantly covered my mouth. We stared at each other for a bit. Then he looked like he was in pain.

"Annie," He shook his head. "Y-You don't…" He sighed and started rubbing his forehead.

"You can't take any of that back."

"What?"

"You-you just can't. I…" I didn't know what to do or what to say. I just knew he couldn't take any of that back. "I need time, you said I could have time."

"That was before you started shaking, Annie." He looked at me like I was crazy. "That's not a good thing."

"Maybe it is, maybe it just means I need a second."

"It's from stress Annie!" He moved his hands as if he was shaking a ball.

"Stress can be good, it-it tests your limits a-and you grow from it."

"Eh, uh," He let out a breath. "True, but I don't think you should've stressed that much if it was good stress."

"But no one's ever told me something like that before. I had no clue you even felt that way about me and then you…" It was like I was thinking out loud. "You asked me out, you wrote me a song… it was a lot to take in."

He turned away from me and sighed. He brought his arms out and started to walk towards his desk.

"Connor?" I hopped from the bed and went to help him.

"Stay." I stood still but leaned towards him with my hands stretched out and my knees bent so I could sprint to him.

When he reached his chair, he sat down and faced me. He gestured to his bed and waited for me to sit down. "I was hoping the song would be more calming than it was." He groaned and rubbed his temple. "I should've just sent you a note."

"But then… you wouldn't have sung for me."

He stared at me, and I found my smile, thinking about the song again, about his voice, his realness, his sweetness… Maybe… Maybe I did like Connor that way. I did kind of blurt out that I did… why would I do that if I didn't mean it?

"You… liked my singing?" He blinked a few times. His hazel eyes were the biggest I had seen them.

Suddenly, I felt bubbly and giggly and… girlie? I held the bear tight and smiled wide. "I did, I do. It was so cute, so you, so… special."

"Aw," He looked down for a second. "I'm just a musician. You're the really special one here. You visited me the most after my mom and grandparents. You took your shifts with me, kept me up to date, you were patient and always helpful and worried at the same time. You… you've been there for me. You made me a hat because you thought I looked cold in the hospital. You helped me get through my mom's dates. You try just about anything thrown at you with a smile. You let me talk about music theory even though you have no context. You're creative in a way I never could be. You crocheted a wall hanging to give my room some color and a little basket for my pens." He gestured to the pieces I made for him. "You're amazing."

I smiled and looked away from him. I liked hearing all that, but I just couldn't look at him. I tugged at my quill.

"You're really sweet." I looked down at the bear and then everything sort of flowed out of me. "You play with so much heart and emotion, it's so easy to get up in it." I looked up at him and smiled, seeing his face. "You're stronger than you look, even in the hospital, you were a fighter, a trooper. You're stubborn and independent and you worried me sick that you were going to push yourself to hard, but you never did. You always try to help your mom, no matter what it is because it's just the two of you now and she's busy. And even though you're one of the smartest kids in our class, you never mention it or talk down to anyone. You're amazed but not intimidated by me and my family. You can stand up on a stage and be put on the spot. You're really brave… You're amazing too." Wow, I hadn't talked like that in one go in a while. I had to take a few breaths while keeping up my smile.

He opened up his mouth and paused. "How about… we're both amazing?"

I smiled and nodded. "Yeah, sounds good."

We smiled at each other for a few seconds. I remember that my cheeks were a little warm.

"So… what do we do now?"

"We… try to act normal until you have an answer."

I nodded.

I was pretty sure I knew my answer, but he wanted me to really think about it. So, I did.

Caleb's POV

"So did you tell her?" Nigel asked as soon as I stepped inside our room. My face remained neutra,l but he saw the slight look of annoyance in my features. He groaned, "Seriously, dude?"

I ignored him and set my duffel bag over my bed.

"We talked about this dude. You can't keep this from her forever."

"It's not forever, just until Connor has recovered." I opened my duffel bag and began unpacking.

"How much more recovered does he have to be before you say anything?"

"Annie still visits him every day and cares for him. I can't tell her while she's still-"

"Didn't she literally spend two weeks away from the guy?"

"Yes, but not of her own will. He asked her take two weeks off."

"Uh-huh, which tells us…?"

"He needed time away from her."

"Which means…"

"He's feeling smothered."

He clapped his hands once. "He's recovered enough. It's not like Connor was all she could talk about, right?"

I recalled my memories. On nights she was free, I was given permission to stop by and we would hang out as normal. She was making plans to take up woodworking again in the spring when she could turn her mother's shed into a makeshift workshop with the help of Tails.

"Right b-"

"So, what's the hold up? Are you scared of rejection?"

"No!" That's a ridiculous notion. I turned and faced him.

"Then what's up? You've been pining after her your whole life. You're obviously close. Just tell her already."

I paused to consider my answer. Do I actually have anything to lose? Could I possibly lose Annie? In actuality, there's an obscenely small chance that we would lose our friendship altogether. However, the notion of such an event seemed ridiculous. Annie and I have grown up together, survived robot attacks, and we know each other, warts and all. We'd never turn our backs on each other, no matter the situation.

"I don't have anything to lose but I'm not ready to be her boyfriend."

Perhaps that's why I never realized my feelings for her. I was not ready to fully engage in those feelings, to understand those feelings. I was trained to sustain pain, to fight, to carry out missions, I was taught compassion, empathy, and thanks to Annie and Nigel, friendship. The gadget sounded, and I smiled as I saw Annie's face appear on the screen.

Nigel cleared his throat and I looked at him. "I'm… hitting the shower. Let me know how it goes."

I nodded. When he was out of ear shot, I answered the call. I sat down on my bed.

"Evening Annie."

"Caleb!" She smiled brightly. "You're never going to believe what just happened." She squealed. I hadn't seen her so excited and bubbly like this. Her cheeks were tinged with a pinkish red. She faintly glowed.

"Let me be the judge of that."

She squealed. "Connor said he likes me, and he asked me out."

… My heart felt a force hit my lungs as if I had been punched in the gut. I had trouble breathing. My lips twitched while I forced a smile.

"Caleb?" Her worried voice reached my ears.

"You're right. I can't believe it." It was the truth.

"It's great, right?"

I forced out the words she wanted to hear. "Yes, it's quite the surprise."

"So, what do you think, should I say yes?"

The pieces of my heart were set ablaze. I could feel the formation of tears in my eyes. I turned away from her to force the tears to cease. I took a long breath and forced out a response.

"I think you should pursue your own happiness and follow your instinct."

"Then, I've definitely made the right choice. I can't believe it. I'm going on my first date." She squealed.

I couldn't hear anymore. The charred remains of my heart were being crushed by something unknown. Maybe by darkness itself.

"I'm-I'm glad. I'm sorry to cut our talk short but I need to go. I'm expected somewhere."

"Aw, okay. I'll leave you to your classified secrets then. See you Tuesday."

"Yes, bye Annie."

"Bye Caleb."

Without a second thought, I turned off the gadget completely, undid the strap and tossed it aside.

Despite knowing my heart was in its proper cavity, I thought it had disappeared. For a moment, I felt nothing. I swallowed and felt tears come to my eyes as I realized what just transpired. I was not ready, but Connor was. Idiot. How did I not see this coming? Of course he developed feelings for Annie. Who wouldn't? Stop crying. You have no one to blame but yourself. I couldn't stop. I couldn't stop and I was developing a headache to go along with the tiny dagger piercing my heart that somehow was not in pieces for a moment. I wiped my eyes repeatedly only for the tears to continue. I had no choice but to wallow in my own misery. Time passed slowly. I don't know when, but I managed to bring my knees to my chest and rested my head on my knees as I continued to cry. I closed my eyes and allowed my negative emotions to play with my heart and my head as if it were a physical sport. Everything banked and bounced around in an effort to rationalize and come to terms with these events.

I lost… I lost Annie…

"So, how'd it- Caleb?"

Nigel's gruff voice pulled me back into reality. I slowly lifted my head to meet his gaze.

"Dude?" He walked towards me. "What happened?"

"Connor… he…" I would have marveled at the amount of emotion I could see on his face, if not for the state I was in. "He asked Annie out on a date and…"

"Aw man…"

"And she accepted."

He sat down next to me and patted my back. We were silent for some time.

"So, what are you going to do?"

"What do you mean?" I asked him. "She's made her choice, and I have to make peace with her decision." That was the only logical option.

"You think that because you weren't ready to do anything about your feelings in the first place."

"True, I'm not ready but even if I was, I'd make the same decision."

"You really think so, huh?"

"Yes."

"You wouldn't rush to her with a bouquet of roses and make your case?"

"No, there's no need to confuse her. She was glowing Nigel. I never caused such a sight, but Connor did. Why ruin that for her?"

"What about you, Caleb? It's okay to be shellfish sometimes. Nothing is guaranteed in this world. You know that."

"I do and as long as he makes Annie happy, I will support their union."

"Okay, slow down dude. It's one date, not a wedding ceremony."

"Hmm." A twitch of a smile made its way onto my lips. "You're right. What's one date, really?"

"Exactly." He gently punched my arm and grinned at me before returning to a neutral expression. In his eyes I could empathy. "You sure you're up for this, dude?"

I sighed and looked straight forward towards the wall. "I'm not sure but I don't have much of a choice."

"Sure, you do. You can ask her to save all that lovey stuff for her girlfriends."

"Girlfriend, singular," I corrected.

"Yeah, she has someone else to talk about this stuff."

"I suppose… but she seemed so excited to share. Who am I to deny her that?"

"Dude," he placed his hand on my shoulder and I turned my head to face him. "I'm asking you this as your friend. Please, please consider it. It doesn't have to be indefinitely, just until you get a handle on this or get over her."

I hadn't considered that possibility. I can stop liking her. Would that be best? "Do you think it's possible? To get over Annie?"

He shrugged. "Sure, but you gotta give yourself time to heal. Take a break from her."

"Out of the question. I'm not abandoning her." I shrugged his hand off my shoulder.

"Look, you sneak out to see her about twice a month, right? Maybe just not initiate contact in between your next set of visits."

"She's the one who initiates contact and I do not want her to suspect that something is wrong."

He let out a breath. "You're making this way too complicated."

"I'm sorry, but this is what I choose to do."

He massaged his temple before looking me in the eye and said, "Then I guess I'll just have to help you ride it out."

We shared sad smiles, knowing that for a time, my heart will slowly piece back together again.

Everyone: So, I am not a poet or song writer by any means, but I really wanted to give… a slightly more personal touch to the story.

I didn't seek out to turn this into a love triangle but it kind of presented itself one day and wouldn't leave me alone.

Next time, Annie and Marigold date prep.

Happy reading.