You's fingers trembled as she held onto Riko's sleeve, lightly pulling her back from turning away. Her hands felt clammy while mouth was dry as it slightly hung open.

Had she been talking that long? No wonder Riko looked ready to walk away.

The afternoon had begun to set around them, yet You and Riko still remained at school. Despite having their own activities to attend to at times, their schedules still somehow lined up with one another more than others.

Their casual meetups soon turned into house invitations that then turned into something more. With the combination of mutual admiration, as well as teenage desire, it wouldn't take long before things slowly moved past friendship, into a weird relationship with no words for their foundation. You didn't regret any part of making that first move, but rather she only had second doubts on how she did it. If she had just spoken first things would be easier.

Walking into the unknown wasn't so much of her thing, she'd rather lay it all on the table than to throw caution to wind with something so delicate as her heart.

It took a while, but You finally said it. She could barely remember her words, she didn't even know if they made sense, but with how stiff Riko had become she knew she struck a nerve.

As You locked eyes with Riko, she couldn't help but realize how golden they truly were up close. Maybe it was the hazy environment to help add to the situation as well. Riko was like the sun while You was a desperate flower, wanting to soak up as much as possible.

Maybe being too selfish was the reason she was in this situation.

You let go of Riko's sleeve, letting her have her space once more. As she stepped back, You quickly let out her words while Riko was still there to hear them,

"I know you're scared, I am too, but I had to tell you. Whatever we're doing now, I don't want it to end. I don't want to be, well, alone again."

You felt insecure to say the words, but if she didn't get it out how could Riko ever know? It wasn't easy to guess such fears from You when she played her facade so well.

Riko slowly retracted her hand, touching her sleeve where You's fingers were as she looked at the cloth.

You was much more open than Riko was, and it was horrifying. What they were doing felt right without words. Looking around the area before holding hands, secret kisses beneath the stairs, even the desire they felt themselves slipping into when they would be at one-another's house after school; fighting their own thoughts as their parents were usually downstairs not expecting such actions from the two.

It all felt right, but even Riko couldn't deny a wish to maybe remove their secrecy. Her mind though always held it's doubts,

"Stuff like this only ends in a heartbreak, you know that right? Isn't it better to just be how we are?"

Despite her words, You smiled. Her eyes never left Riko, then again they never had since she first walked into her life,

"Well, I'd still like to try. And I don't want to stop until I've given everything I can. Wouldn't you like to see what we could be?"

And just like the sun, blinding You's eyes each time she gasped for air after a high dive, Riko lit up. The ideas ran through her head, the ability to go on a date or even to just not fear who was around to see them sparked slight hope in Riko. Of course, it wasn't something she could get over overnight, but maybe what she needed was someone like You, who would stick it out until her last dying breath. To not give up hope, but instead to breath new life into her.

Turning, Riko fully faced You, returning the smile given to her. Though it was much more bashful, not nearly as suave as the high-diver's, it still had the same effect.

There was no say in whether or not they would work, as no one could predict the future, but if You wasn't scared, it gave Riko faith. Something she hadn't had in a while.

Riko was a bit embarrassed with how You looked at her, waiting for more to be said. That confirmation of her dreams. She pushed her hair behind her ear, toying with its ends,

"That sounds, actually really nice. Should we restart from the beginning?"

You wasn't too sure what 'beginning' Riko was talking about. The beginning of their friendship in general or the strange one they had now. Either one though was a chance You wanted so desperately. A chance to rediscover Riko, in the way she wanted to right from the start.

You swayed to one side, almost as if she had been freshly love-struck by those familiar golden eyes, before beaming out,

"Yeah, I'd love that."