Too Scared To Say Something Sooner - TMD [Mainly Chadam]

Chapter 17.5: She Loves Me, She Love Me Not (he loves me)

(A/N: this is slightly unedited, but I think I got most of the mistakes. But anyway, BEHOLD! One of the ships that really has nothing to do with the actual story, but I wanted to include anyway!

Btw: chapter 18 will be out next Monday if not this Monday)

Luis

I walked excitedly, a single rose in hand, down to the front gates of Eden Hall where Mindy had asked me to meet her.

Mindy was amazing. She was beautiful, really good at cheerleading, and actually kept pretty good grades.

Better grades than me anyway. Mine only ever went up at the end of each trimester because of Kenny. He'd help me study.

Kenny and Adam were probably the smartest of the Ducks other than Connie and Julie. Although, Charlie was smart too, I think anyway. He just has a hard time keeping interest.

He does well in Literature, at least. Which is ironic, because Adam has always had a harder time with Literature and he reads so much. I've don't think I've ever seen Charlie read willingly in my life, he just likes the teacher.

I saw Mindy already standing at the gates as I got closer and smiled. She waved once I got closer. "Hey," she said.

"Hey," I leaned in to kiss her cheek. She stepped back away from me. I looked at her in confusion, trying to hide the hurt in my eyes. "Is everything okay?"

"Um, we need to talk." Mindy looked down at the dirt path that led back to the school, unwilling to meet my gaze. "I don't know if I can do this anymore. I really like you Luis, but my parents are bugging me because grades are starting to suck and I've been focusing on you and cheerleading instead of them. I'm sorry. I think we need to break up."

She seemed guilty about it, sad maybe, but definitely not as hurt as I felt. "But-" I started.

"No, Luis, I'm sorry. I need to get into a good college. Maybe not an Ivy, but still something good. My parents need me to get into a good college. I hope you find someone good, Lu." And she started back up the path to the school after giving me a quick kiss on my cheek, leaving me standing there staring at the spot she was just standing.

After a couple minutes of simply standing there, motionless, I dropped the rose -Mindy's rose- in that spot.

I felt empty. Not angry, not sad -though I was sure that would come, but numb, almost. I watched the rose on the ground for a few more moments before finally turning back and heading up the path.

Sadness hit as I opened the side door, a short cut to the dorm wing, that me and Kenny found. It wasn't supposed to be used by students, but the janitor was cool as long as it was just to get back to our dorms and nothing else.

I was in a sort of haze as I walked the staircase up to the second floor dorms. I didn't feel like crying, but all I wanted to do was curl up and sleep; not have to care about anything at all.

Because I really had liked Mindy. I really wanted to be her boyfriend. But she didn't want me.

I understood, how could I not? I knew the feeling. Well, maybe not exactly. I was raised by a single working mother and my uncles and older siblings, then learned to care for my younger ones once they went off for college, but I knew the feeling of not wanting to disappoint.