Robot Ghosts!?

Pride Month Special :0

"I like you!" the boy exclaimed happily, his cheeks flushed a rosy red. Olivia blinked once. Twice. Thrice. A chorus of "Ooooooo's" and "Awwwwww's" erupted from the surrounding kids. She looked around helplessly, realizing all eyes were on her, waiting and expecting.

"Uhm..." Olivia's eyes landed back on the boy in front of her, his face brimming with hope.

"I... I don't..." she began to say. The boy's smile started to falter, the red draining from his cheeks. The "Ooooo's" and "Awwww's" transformed into a chorus of "Boooo's." Olivia looked around helplessly again. The expressions had changed to disappointment and anger.

"I mean... thank you?" Olivia offered with an awkward smile. The boy's eyes lit up once more, and a wide smile spread across his face before he hugged Olivia tightly. She tensed up, her smile becoming strained as she stood there stiffly. The crowd continued to chant, "Sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" followed by a series of giggles.

Olivia stayed home the next day, feeling a knot of dread in her stomach. She did her best to avoid him, sneaking through different hallways and hiding behind her friends. She couldn't shake the feeling of those eyes on her, the weight of their expectations still lingering.

Days turned into weeks, and eventually, the boy stopped trying to catch her attention. The initial excitement had faded and Olivia never saw him again, but the memory of that day lingered. She hated it.

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"What does having a crush feel like?" Olivia asked her friend during lunch as she munched on her sandwich.

Her friend paused, thinking for a moment.

"Having a crush is like getting a little excited whenever you see them. Your heart beats a bit faster, and you feel happy just thinking about them. You want to know more about them and find yourself daydreaming a lot."

She took a sip of her drink and continued, "When you're around them, you might feel a bit nervous and giddy. But when they smile at you or talk to you, it feels really nice."

"It's kind of like a fun little secret you carry around," she added. "You admire them and maybe even want to be better friends with them. There's also a bit of waiting—waiting to see them or get a message from them. It's not too intense, but it's pretty special."

Olivia nodded along as she listened to her friend's explanation. She looked down at her half-eaten sandwich, suddenly not feeling so hungry.

"So...who's the lucky guy?" Her friend teased, poking her cheek. Olivia chuckled nervously, ready to reject the claims.

"It's the class president, isn't it? The way you look at him...the way he looks at you!" Her friend squealed. Olivia blinked once, twice, three times. She remembered that one incident...the looks of the crowd around her.

Waiting. Expecting.

"...You got it!" Olivia smiled nervously. Her friend squealed even louder, hugging Olivia tightly. Her smile faltered slightly, an uneasy feeling settling into her stomach.

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"He sang for me! I'm so in love!" A classmate squealed.

"Have you seen mine? He asked me Romeo & Juliet style!!" Another one exclaimed.

"But mine did a scavenger hunt for me!" Someone yelled.

Olivia sighed as she trudged through the crowded hallway. She listened to everyone gushing about their Prom dates. She pulled her hood down even more, wondering how the halls seemed to be getting longer. When she finally made it, she had to push through some couples gushing about their outfits before she could ACTUALLY open her locker. However, when she did, a bouquet of lilies fell out, dropping onto her feet. Olivia blinked once. Twice. Thrice. She turned around only to be met with a girl from her class who was holding up a sign that said, "Will you 'milkshake' things up with me at prom, or is that too 'cheesy'?"