Second Choice

Chpt 9 - After The Dream

It's been a bit since the dream i had, if you could even call it that. I don't know what i'd call it to be honest it's all just so much i haven't thought about it for awhile. I didn't want to. It's now roughly the middle of September. I have been spending a lot more time with Andrew seeing as he's well my best friend and I don't know why but he keeps asking me to hangout whenever. Trying to get a job with him always wanting to hangout makes it difficult. I love him and all but he's getting a little much for when i want to be alone.

I don't know if I actually like him or what anymore. Everything is just so confusing and it's so complicated. Andrew is supposed to be getting us some lunch right now, whether or not he got distracted I couldn't tell you at all. He's been making me feel important, like super important. My brother and his girlfriend still aren't here or anything. I'm waiting for a postcard or something since they always send one when they're in a new country.

I heard Andrew come back into the house, I was sitting in my room. I got up after I heard the door close. When i went downstairs he had a lot of well i don't even know.

"What did you buy?" i looked at him smiling "i thought you just went to get lunch, like a small thing"

"Yea well i couldn't decide and i got distracted" he ran his hands through his hair and held the back of his neck "i mean you got options now"

He always managed to somehow spend too much money on little things. I laughed at him and walked towards the counter. I started placing things out to see what my so-called options were. "Y'know you really spend to much money you should save it up so you can go do what you're always talking about" i looked at him. 

"Well i don't know i don't know if i ever will" he looked down at the floor "i just don't want to be alone it's not something i wanna think about"

"You wouldn't be alone plus traveling the world? Isn't that something you want to do after we graduate?" i picked up his hand "look i'll come with you we both just have to get jobs"

"Marcia.." he walked over to the table "let's just eat"

He gave me a smile to try and convince me he was fine. I knew he wasn't but I didn't want to just keep asking. I knew he'd eventually get annoyed with it or something.

***

We ended up going to the beach a few hours later. He wanted to watch the waves while the sun started to set. It was beautiful. I kept looking at him. He just sat there watching the waves crash against the rocks you could see out there. He had a small smile on his face, I was glad he was happy.

Andrews POV

"Marcia, can I ask you something?" I blurted out without thinking.

"Yeah, sure. What's up?" She turned toward me, her gaze soft and relaxed.

I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. I wasn't sure what to say. As I looked at her, my mind went blank. All I could focus on was her—nothing else seemed to matter.

In a moment of panic, I blurted out the most awkward question possible. "What do you think of me? Like, in what way?" Instantly, I regretted it. I probably made her uncomfortable. I wouldn't blame her if she just got up and walked away. But she just looked at me and smiled.

"Well, to be honest, I'm not sure," she said, her gaze drifting toward the ocean.

I was at a loss for words, just staring at her. "What do you mean?" I asked, struggling to process my thoughts.

"Well, before everything that happened in July, I liked you. I had this awful dream where it felt like you were leading me on," she said, her eyes shifting back to the ocean. "I just don't know if that will happen."

"Marcia, I wouldn't lead you on. I'm practically in love with you," I said, taking her hand in mine and urging her to look at me. "Whatever happened in your dream didn't happen here, and it won't. I would never do that to you."

"I—" She looked down at our joined hands, hesitating. "Andrew, I just don't know. Give me time—"

She paused, her cheeks flushing pink as she turned away. "Did you say you were in love with me?"

"Yeah, I've loved you for a while, Marcia. I just wasn't sure how you felt," I said, smiling slightly.

As the sun dipped below the horizon and the sand grew colder, she looked at me, ready to respond, but then hesitated.

Marcia's POV:

He likes me?!

Wait, he said he's in love with me. I'm so confused. I don't know what to say or how to react. He's holding my hand, and I'm at a loss. Is this why he's been spending so much time with me? Andrew likes me? I'm overwhelmed. Maybe the aftermath of a dream leads to these moments. I'm just not sure if it's all right. It feels beautiful. I guess I should tell him how I feel.

How do I respond to this? Why can't someone just tell me what to do? Should I open up to him or leave things as they are? What should I do? 

 After the dream is always the worst, but can it be the best?

__________________________________________________________________________________so I don't know if I'm going to make another part so we'll see if it's left at this I just need to see if I like how that goes and see if I can make it better. I might just make a sequel to this since this is marked as completed. But should they be together? We'll see.