Day Fifteen
Prompt: "Love? What do I know about love?"
"Will you come visit me during the summer?" George asked Capella as they walked along the edge of the Black Lake together.
"Of course," she replied. She squeezed his hand and looked up at him. "Why wouldn't I come see you?"
"Um, you decided you were crazy for liking me and decided to stop?" George guessed.
"Don't be silly," Capella said with a laugh. "I'm not silly for liking you, I'm lucky you like me back. I'd never stop liking you, George." She looked up at him again. He smiled down at her with a smile that reached his eyes.
"Good, Pell," George said softly. "Because, I love you."
Capella stopped walking abruptly and George nearly stumbled over the rocks at the edge of the lake. "What did you say?" Her voice cracked and her free hand fluttered up to her throat.
George turned so he was facing Capella and took both of her hands in his. "I love you, Pell." His intense eyes bored into her and she knew he really meant what he was saying. She felt her heart beating hard and couldn't say anything. She started to feel warmer than normal. "Pell?"
"George, of course I like you too, you know that." She swallowed nervously. Why was he making this proclamation now? What was she supposed to say?
"Pell, do you… do you feel the same way about me?" George dropped her hands and took a miniscule step backwards.
Capella's eyes filled with tears. "George, I'm only 15. What do I know about love?" The tears spilled over and her voice shook. "I don't even know what love is." Her heart was racing and she couldn't look at George.
George folded his arms across his chest, closing himself off to Capella. "This is love, Pell. Or, I thought this was love."
Capella shook her head and reached out to George, but he backed even further away. "Don't say that George. You know how much I care about you. Don't you?"
"I'm not sure I do," George said, his voice was cold and sharp.
"Don't do this," Capella begged. "Don't turn away from me. Isn't it enough that I care so much for you?" She tried, again, to reach out to him but he moved out of her reach.
"No, Pell. It isn't enough. I love you more than anything. If you don't feel the same about me, there's nothing else I can do." He turned away and left Capella alone by the water's edge.