Ever The Contrarian

CHAPTER TWENTY - EDITED AND *READY TO GO*

"Wait, so. refresher. what does that mean exactly...?" Mags asked, smiling as he looked at Mercury. "Uhm. I guess... sorta like.. a promise to stand by each other, no matter what? or, actually, more to provide each other with company." mercury said, amending herself.

"mmmm, alright. Can you let go of my pinky now?" Mags asked, beaming at her. Mercury instantly dropped her hand, flushed, and looked away. Noo, not again! thats so akward! "welp, whatever. lets go, right?' Mags said, flicking the reigns of his horse. "Yep! sure thing! of course!" mercury fumbled, climbing onto her own horse. "Come on! good luck catching up!" Mags jeered, grinning as he trotted off on his horse. "Aye! ride in the leaves, my black stallion! now we gotta beat him!" Mercury said, and a moment later she was laughing as hooves thundered over the grass, leading, with Mags just a few paces behind. As they reached town, Mags casually handed Mercury the reins of his horse. "huh?" Mercury said, but she accepted the reigns. "I gotta run. Bye, friend." Mags said, patting her on the head once before mysteriously walking off with his hood over his head.

huh.

Meanwhile, Nox whistled as he took another bite of his candy. Where was Mercury? lost again? or... had there been complications while making that ID? they never took over an hour. Nox ate another piece of candy, chewing loudly to drown out his thoughts. What was he thinking! mercury was more than capable of taking care of herself. But... his thought train was an endless loop of worrying. "argh! Why am I even doing this!' Nox said out loud, exasperated. At least 10 people whipped around to stare at him. Someone even said, "ah, to be young!", to which Nox rolled his eyes. People would believe what they wanted to, I guess. He got up from his chair, sending it squeaking across the floor, and walked off. It was no use - he was, obviously, stressing over someone who didn't like him back. honestly, what a mess. Why werent his good looks working the one time he needed them? Nox sighed and ruffled his hair, looking in the mirror of the glass pane of the shop to make sure his hair was tip-top shape. as he wandered down the street yet again, nervously chewing on his fingernails, his eyes suddenly widened. there she was, in all her glory. Mercury! the person he had spent an entire hour - no, 10 years, chasing, to no avail. he clenched his fists. next to her was... a seedy character... but he was smiling as she talked to him. golden-brown hair? and golden eyes? Nox drank in the scene, trying to remember what he saw despite the pangs of sorrow in his heart.

"Of course. I'm just her friend." Nox said, deflating, and suddenly Mercury turned around. instantly, a smile fluttered across her face. Nox blushed.

"Over here! sorry i took so long!" Mercury said, and Nox cupped his hands over his mouth to talk louder. "What took you so long! do you know how worried I was? Is everything alright?" he asked. "I got lost, like I always do." Mercury called back, and Nox's heart stopped beating.

Liar. You werent lost. I can tell, because you always curl up your thumb when you lie. Nox thought. Mercury, do I really mean so less to you that you can't tell me the truth?

"but hey! I got the ID! look, it says Rue!" Mercury said, and Nox randomly grabbed a tissue to whack over his face, to hide how red his cheeks and ears were. still blushing? Mercury dashed up to him, and, like she always did, patting his head. all the fangirls instantly dropped their spying binoculars, their places high up on the building and gasped in horror. They had pieced it together now.

was this what they called the... FRIEND ZONE ?!

instantly, screams erupted all over the world. shrieks of the heartbroken fangirls, that is. "NOOO! NOT NOX! WHY, I ASK YOU?!" they all shrieked at once, wrenching out their hair as Mercury took her fresh ID out of her pocket and waved it in front of Nox's face. "Look! its beautiful, right?" she asked, and Nox smiled. anything related to Mercury was beautiful. The fangirls all melted at his smile, even though it was hidden by the tissue, "oh, Yeah, what's with the tissue? Do you have allergies or something?" Mercury asked, and Nox shakily nodded, going along with the excuse. Phew! That was a close one. Imagine if Mercury had not given you that excuse, dude! "Strange, you never had allergies before. or are you hiding from the fangirls again?" Mercury said, eyeing Nox closely, which just made him start sweating (AGAIN LOL) The fangirls all scoffed at her. No matter where he was, Nox was not safe! they would literally hunt him down, to the end of the earth at that!

"Anyway, wanna get food? I'm so hungry!" Mercury said, turning around and dragging Nox down the street. before leaving, though, he turned around one more time to see a hooded figure slipping away. of course. He was nothing but a friend to her. "Of course, I found a good sandwich shop up ahead." Nox said, walking down the street. "Really? Thanks, Nox! you're the best!" Mercury said, beaming at him. Nox smiled. even if he was just a friend, he'd try everything he could to change that.

One day. He vowed. One day you'll see me the way I see you.