HEATHER'S POV

It's game day. I love football games. I have forever. I offered to cheer on Charlie Brown from the bleachers but I'll admit I probably would've gone anyway, but it's nice to have someone to cheer for! I came 15 minutes early.

Linus and Sally are coming to watch too. Sally is Charlie Brown's sister so it makes sense, Linus was most likely to keep her company. Speaking of, I saw Sally from the corner of my eye. She waved at me rushing over to sit next to me, I smiled back at her. I was looking behind her for Linus which she had noticed. "He's not here yet." Darn.

Something compelled me to say something, to mention. To mention him. And that something convinced me to do it, well more like forced me. "Do you like Linus? Does he like anyone?"

"Of course I like Linus! He's my friend, and I'm sure he likes me, and his sister, his brother, maybe even Charlie, they made up apparently-"

"Not like that. Like more than a friend." She tilted her head to the opposite side of me. "Like, love?" I opened my mouth but nothing came out at first, it took subtle hesitation to properly explain. "Well love is a strong word, some couples don't even use that word until a while on. But the idea is correct." She nodded, like she was learning something. And I guess she was, Charlie Brown told me she has had a little trouble grasping the idea of love ever since it happened.

She spoke to correct her former answer. "I don't think Linus loves- likes anyone, and if he does he hasn't told me. He never talks about himself."

"Do you like him?"

"Not that I know of." She doesn't know. I was in that position. I liked the same guy, me. When we were kids I couldn't get enough of him. I guess something about a little boy hitting people who were hurting my feelings was endearing, he used a blanket too, can you imagine how adorable and sweet that is if you're a child? It all seems stupid now but it didn't then.

And he'd always talk to me, well he talked about Charlie Brown to me. But at least he talked to me. And somewhere in my heart I hope he'll talk to me today, and love me today, not just like me. I don't think that little crush ever left me.

And there he was. I liked how cool he was and how along with that he could still remain smart and sweet, not some corrupted jock or something. He was bickering with his sister, which was very normal for the two. Lucy followed him to the bleachers. "Luce I didn't know you were coming!" I exclaimed, I was rather fond of Lucy. She was understanding and kind, if you look past the crabbiness.

"Oh I'm not staying, but it's nice to see you." She said with a smile. "Yeah she's too busy going to a volleyball game or something." Linus said sarcastically. "I'm going to a student government meeting! And I'm going to be late- by the way Sally I love your hair."

"Thank you!" Sally shouted as Lucy rushed off the bleachers. Linus sat next to Sally looking off at the field in front of us. I'd be lying if I said I didn't watch him and his facial expression the entire time. His eyes were like any other brown eyed person's but somehow they were shinier, and richer, and all in all just more beautiful than they should be. Maybe this wasn't just a little crush. Maybe this was love, maybe I am in love with him, maybe, it's more than a maybe.

"Heather I never knew you were into football." He said to me, noticing I was looking at him. "Oh I absolutely love football! I used to be the cheer captain my freshman year."

"I don't understand how people like football! It's so boring." Sally grumbled. "Do you even know how to play?" Linus asked her skeptical. "No."

"What?! How do you go to these games? You don't even know how the sport works!" Linus exclaimed, I couldn't understand how he was surprised, I never took Sally as the type to enjoy sports. "I mean I get the idea of it! A bunch of rabid boys beat each other up for a ball."

"Well she's not wrong." I said, shrugging my shoulders. "Football players aren't animals with rabies Sally, there's a huge difference."

"If there's a difference they should stop acting like animals with rabies." She wasn't wrong, she's just missing the things that make football fun to watch. The thrill and suspense. And the rough manner that makes it all the more exciting, surpassing any other sport.

I saw a man in a jersey walk to the field. Many other men dressed the same followed. Cheerleaders pranced to the side. The game was starting. "Look there's Charlie in the front!" Sally cheered. Waving to her brother, who was too focused to notice.

They won by a landslide. I saw Sally and Linus talking to each other from the corner of my eye. I could see the way he looked at her, I knew what that meant. But it didn't make me happy for them, or accept the fact it's time to move on. It just made me hate her. It made me mad, a fiery anger.

I picked myself up from the bleachers telling them I had to leave. The bus doesn't come by for another hour so I needed another way out. I saw Janice under the bleachers I rushed over to her, in hopes of getting a ride, or something.

As I made my way under the bleachers I was Lucy walking over to Janice from a different direction. She was shoving papers into her bag catching smaller sticky notes that were caught by the wind. When I got closer I noticed Janice was crying.

"What's wrong Janice?" I asked when I approached pulling her into a hug. "W-we got into a fight! I think he broke up with me!"

"Who!?" Lucy hollered when she got closer. We were close enough that she didn't have to raise her voice but she did anyway. "My boyfriend! Schroeder."

LUCY'S POV

Schroeder. Ugh I hate him! How could he move on just like that? "Wait you broke up right?" Lucy why are you asking that! It doesn't matter. What do you think is gonna happen?? "No- yes? I'm not sure!"

"Janice calm down, what happened?" Heather said pulling her away from a hug looking at her. "He called me and said he was flying to Europe, I didn't want to do long distance! We haven't even been dating for that long I thought the separation would break us up! I told him not to go! He said- that, if I couldn't handle it we shouldn't be together." Europe, he's leaving. "When is he leaving?" Not the best thing to be saying right now, yet I said it anyway.

"He's leaving a little before graduation next year. Ugh how could he! How could he choose his stupid piano over me! It's like I'm always second! He should've stayed for me, it's not fair!" I rolled my eyes, it was an instinctive action. It was obvious enough for her to see. I've been in the same place as her when I was younger, which somehow bled into my teenage years also. When she saw me roll my eyes she scoffed, I might as well say something.

"You should know that 'stupid piano' is what Schroeder is most passionate about, it means a lot to him. And this opportunity means everything to him. So you really shouldn't be blaming him for choosing a wonderful career that he's dreamed about since he was a kid instead of a girl he dated for 3 weeks!"

"Oh you're on his side! Of course you are! You know Lucy you're a real bitch! You're only saying this because Schroeder chose me over you!"

"Did he really choose you? He liked me before he even looked your direction! And clearly your little relationship hardly made it to a month."

"Oh fuck you! And fuck him too! You shouldn't be berating me because I want him to stay here! And he shouldn't be dumb enough to leave me to go to Europe!" Heather looked away, "Janice I think she's right. This is Schroeder's dream. You have to understand where he's coming from."

"He broke my heart Heather."

"And you broke Linus'! And Linus broke Heather's and Heather broke Charlie Brown's and Sally broke Linus' heart! Schroeder may have broken your heart Janice but he broke mine too! And I broke his. It's all a fun little circle isn't it!?" They both looked at me stunned. Heather opened her mouth in awe, she tried to say something but nothing came out at first. "Wait- wait whose heart did I break? And how did I you know I-"

"It doesn't matter! Our world is filled with unrequited love! So suck it up and be happy for him! This must mean a lot to him." I knew no matter how much I said it she wasn't going to listen. Instead of pushing the harsh truth on her more I decided to leave. I know what I told her sucks, I had to tell myself that, but to be fair I could've been nicer to her about it.

Schroeder is leaving to Europe. If he's leaving after senior year, I doubt he'll ever come back. What if he never comes back? Why should I care? Heather caught up to me before I got to my car. "Hey Lucy can you drive me home?"

"Well I was going to wait for Linus-" I saw her face and how she needed to get out of here, I could also tell she didn't want to being in the same car as Linus. Linus wasn't the only one who knew how to read faces. "I'll tell him to walk with Sally, I'll drive you home."

"Thank you Luce. I really appreciate it." I nodded opening the car door.

Heathers soft breathing could be heard in the silence, she looked out the window at the football field that we were driving out of. I focused on the window she was looking out of, I could see my brother and Sally talking to Charlie Brown. "Hey Luce, how'd you know I liked Linus?"

"From the way you looked at him it was hard to not know. And, I wouldn't try if I were you. He's only got eyes for Sally. And they're technically dating."

"Technically? Oh." I nodded, my eyes still focused on the road. I knew that upset her. And I could tell that her tone hardened when she started talking to me about something she knew hit me the same way. "I hope you don't mind me asking about what happened between you and Schroeder."

"It's my fault. It's all my fault."

"I'm sure it's not!" She said with a worried tone all that devastation she had before went away, she could tell it was killing me, and I hated how obvious it was. "It was. He wanted to be with me, and- and I couldn't do it. It felt...I don't know! Risky I guess?"

"I thought you liked him?"

"I love him! I was scared he'd realize his love for me wasn't as strong as mine for him. But it's whatever now, he's leaving. And there's nothing I can do about it. And heck Janice and him will probably stay together till he leaves. There's nothing else to say, or do."

"Go with him." I blinked, making a harsh brake at a red light I hadn't noticed. "Pardon??"

"Go. To Europe."