It's been a week since Crimson went on her date with Michael.
A week since Crimson's found that maybe Michael isn't everything she's ever dreamed of.
A week since she's started to notice Dallas more and more.
His friends and Crimson's friends hung out a lot, which caused them to talk a lot.
He hit on her. She questioned her feelings.
In summary, Crimson's life has been a living hell starting since last week. It wasn't that she didn't like Michael, it was just the fact that she couldn't imagine them together like she could before.
Savannah told her that she needed to take time for herself. There's no rush to get herself into a relationship she'd regret. Sage insisted that she just needed to talk to them both.
So her she was, taking Sage's advice after Savannah.
"Michael?" Crimson asked quietly. It was one of the few moments in her life that her confidence finally evaded her. She didn't know what to do. Internal conflict crept up on her.
She was held captive in her mind, forced to question herself on whether or not she was truly ready to face the music.
"Hey, Crimson," Michael said, looking away from his locker. A gentle smile caressed his lips, and Crimson thought of everything they used to be. Of everything she once hoped they could've been.
And now that's just memories.
"I need to talk to you," Crimson said. Slowly, Michael's smile fell from his lips. That line was all too cliche in the beginning of confessions.
"What is it? Is everything okay? I know that you haven't answered some of my calls, but I just thought that maybe you were busy-"
"No, Michael, I'm fine. Well, not really," Crimson confessed. "When you asked me on that date, I was so happy. That date, Michael... it was like nothing I could've ever imagined. Thank you for that."
Michael's eyebrows furrowed, his eyes portraying confusion.
"Crimson?" Michael questioned, his voice small. Their voices were hushed whispers in the halls of their classmates who paid no attention to the two whose lives were indescribable right in this moment.
She licked her lips before continuing, forming words in her head that would stumble from her tongue. How was she supposed continue? This wasn't anything she ever wanted, yet here she was. Truths and lies, all coming to one end that she'd hate forever.
If only they could be forever.
"I don't think we're right for each other, Michael," Crimson finally said in a hushed voice. Her unshed tears didn't well in her eyes, but fell with the words she'd live to remember.
"What do you mean? Crimson, we've only gone on one date, we can fix whatever it is," Michael assured, his own tears welling in his eyes.
They've only been on one date, but they were so much more than that.
Crimson and Michael were years of schoolgirl crushes and untold truths, they were whispers and rumors of their relationship. This one date symbolized exactly them meeting, meeting like lovers.
It was the turning point that Crimson realized that all those years of sly looks in the hallways all lead up to this. This moment of betrayal and realization that they could be all she imagined, but they wouldn't be.
"And that date made me realize that we can't be anything more than friends. You, Michael, you're sweet, caring, and so adorable, but that's not something I've thought this would be. I'm looking for adventure, not a white-picket fence."
A single tear fell to the ground from Michael's eyes.
"I think it'd be better if we stayed friends," Crimson finished, finally looking up into Michael's eyes. Finally seeing the desperation, hurt, the betrayal in his eyes because, if nothing else, he's grown to love this girl.
But she was right.
They were like trying to fit a word in a crossword puzzle that just didn't fit. And maybe, maybe, they could've worked it out. But maybe it would've ended in this anyway.
It's hard to resist fate.
A turn on the heel. He grabbed her wrist, pleading with his eyes for her to stay. She pulled her wrist away. Cool metal against her skin that let cool December air rush to meet her skin. A rough brick wall.
Someone named Dallas Black with a cigarette between his lips.
There were no words, only small smiles and unshed tears.
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