JOURNALISM ୨୧ HQ

14 HEART TO HEART

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You didn't feel like going to school. F/N didn't come and pick you up today, like she normally would, which, as much as you hated to admit it, dampened your mood even further from yesterday. You didn't get much sleep that night.

You couldn't stop thinking about them. Their faces. How they felt.

You just couldn't understand, and it stressed you out.

You slipped on your uniform and looked at yourself in the mirror. Your eyes were dull and you did not smile. You had to tear your eyes away from a person you barely recognized as yourself, sucking in a breath and walking out of your bathroom. You slung your bag around your shoulder, and walked out of your house, locking the door behind you.

The walk was unusually silent. You had gotten so used to F/N's loud voice doing enough talking for both of you, that when she was not here, it felt almost wrong.

You don't remember when you started getting so used to her, or when you started expecting her presence.

Your heels making contact with the concrete beneath you was the only sound you could hear. There was nobody around you, no birds, not even any cars.

And for the first time in a while, you felt lonely.

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You didn't see F/N at school until it was lunch, and you walked outside, finding yourself walking to the first-year rooms on nothing but instinct.

You bumped into something- more accurately, someone, who fell backwards with a shriek. You recognized that loud voice anywhere. Looking down, you outstretched your hand. "F/N." 

She looked surprised to see you, cheeks going red and she hesitantly grabbed your hand. "Y/N...-sama..." Her voice is lower than a whisper.

"You... didn't walk with me this morning." You said, as she stood up and started to walk beside you. "Why?"

"I thought..." She gulped and tore her gaze away. "I thought you wanted space. You looked... different yesterday, and you seemed to be conflicted about something. I don't really know what... but I thought that... maybe, it would be better if I just left you alone."

"You..." You had never expected her to be so thoughtful... but then again, you had never expected her to do anything. You didn't have expectations of her... and maybe, that was your mistake. You didn't care what she did for you, because you didn't expect it from her.

Maybe I should start caring. You purse your lips.

"Thank you." You say quickly, and F/N barely catches the words as they tumble from your lips. "I didn't know you thought of me like that. I... didn't know you knew I was upset."

"Of course I knew." She looked up at you and her eyes were filled with worry. "You're my friend. Even if you are mean to me sometimes, I hang around you because I care about you, Y/N. I wanted to talk to you.. but you obviously didn't feel like opening up, so I just left you alone, so that when you were ready, we could talk... or something."

You think that this is the first time she has just called you by your name. You thought it was nice.

"I..." You close your mouth before you say anything else. Instead of heading back to your classroom, you both walk up the stairs and end up on the rooftop. You sit down, and she follows suit. "I... don't even know how I feel."