teenage nightmare ² ━━ amour

53.

53.
chapter fifty-three:
I collided into
my crush's best
friend and gave
her a
mini heart attack.

Days passed, and there was no sign of Serena. Shauna informed me that she was at home and undergoing physiotherapy. I once caught her putting Butterhead's letter in my locker, but I decided to keep quiet until much later. It was not the time to reveal my secret.

Even if I hardly got a word past her, Serena had always been in my sight. Now that she wasn't, I found myself forlorn for her presence. Missing her had become a chore, one that hurt my chest and made my legs wobbly.

With each period, I was becoming frisky with my words and decided to pour out all the bottled-up emotions in the form of poems.

And for each day I didn't see her, I wrote one piece describing her.

Your ocean blue, 
fills my life with a hue 
that's been unbeknownst 
to me for life the most.

Just like water turning blue 
with a tint of chlorine; 
Life's a game for two, 
erratic, frantic, 
to seek her presence serene.

Blue ribbons twirl around, 
intertwine with my vision. 
Your voice, an angelic sound; 
To make you smile shall be my sole mission.

Sylveon plush or a dark bottle? 
You choose, I could care less. 
Like a kettle's chortle, 
My love's a mess.

Each rose I come by, 
never fails to remind of the ecstasy 
of hearing your pretty little lie; 
Are you real or a part of my perfect fantasy?

On the fifth day, I lazily walked in on Shauna posting Butterhead's letter. It wasn't intentional, purely a coincidence. After a particularly miserable nightmare of a world where I lost her forever, I was deprived of Serena's presence.

To say that Shauna was panicked to see me standing there in my soccer jersey, nonchalantly looking at her, would be an understatement. "Oh! I severely mistook this locker for mine, haha!" she tried shaking off being caught, but I held up my hand to silence her.

"I know who Butterhead is." The girl turned pink, then turned a deeper shade of red. She started flailing her hands around in the air, and I rolled my eyes. "I never told you that you are Butterhead. I know, for a fact, that she's the most beautiful friend of yours."

"Beautiful? Friend?" she squeaked.

"Yeah, she has enticing blue eyes, enough to make me sob in a corner with just a look." I smirked when the girl's blush deepened. "And pretty golden hair that illuminates my life."

"Aahhh!" she shrieked and threw her hands over her ears. "I don't have to hear you–" She paused, and her expression changed as she awkwardly rocked on her feet. "Wait, you know it's... her?!"

I nodded. "I know it's Serena. She's bad at keeping secrets." Shauna looked dumbfounded, so I continued. "I haven't received any news of her. Pray tell, how's she doing?"

The girl blinked a few times before she regained her composure. "Oh, she's better than yesterday for sure. I think she might be making her appearance soon."

The thought excited me, and a warm feeling settled in my chest. "That's awesome. Thank you, Shauna!"

Shauna smiled and nodded. Then, her eyes lit up. "Is there anything you want to tell her?"

I gave her a double take. "Huh? She wouldn't like me talking to her. I haven't found the opportunity to right my wrongs–"

"Oh, not at all! I'll just act as a third party. Y'know, convey your message as one from an anonymous person." She finger-gunned. "And you'd better tell her the words you used to describe her to me too!"

I blushed and ran a hand through my hair. I wished I could.

"So, what do you want to tell her?"

A slow smile tugged at my lips as I formed a sentence. "Um, can you… tell her that she's amazing with a smile on?"

Shauna eagerly bobbed her head and began tapping on her phone. I looked on in puzzlement when I heard her phone ring. Then came a voice that made my heart skip a beat. "Hello?"

"Hey, Serena!"

"Shauna!"

The girls exchanged a quick giggle, and I smiled. Hearing her after so long never failed to remind me just how lovely her voice was, laden with positivity and ecstasy at being called.

"Back at the hostel?"

"Just leaving college."

"Oh? Did you… you know?"

Shauna winked at me as she answered, "Post Butterhead's letter? You bet I did!"

"Aww, thank you, Una! He didn't catch you, right?"

A silly grin masked her face as she prepared to lie. "Of course not."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, girl!"

"And–"

"And?"

"I met this person who wanted me to tell you, and I quote, she's amazing with a smile on. He didn't want you to know his identity, so I can't reveal that."

"Uh-oh?" There was silence for a few minutes, and I felt tension seep into my system, but then she replied. "Shauna! Tell me who it is!"

"Nope!"

"Pweaty please?"

"Nopety-nope!"

"Oof! I hate you!"

"I hate you too!"

"Do I at least know him?"

Shauna looked to me, unsure. I nodded in reply. "Yeah."

"Who might it be?!"

"Keep guessing. I gotta go! Catch you later!"

"See you..."

I heard the prompt end of the call and let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. Then, I gave her a warm smile. Hearing Serena's voice had, even if not completely, sated my hunger. "Thank you, Shauna."

Shauna rolled her eyes, her hands on her hips. "Oh, don't thank me. Get together with my best friend, and that'll be more than enough!" She let out a laugh when I blushed red and waved goodbye before leaving.

As I took a step out of the college, I was reminded that I had written poems about Serena. If I ever got lucky enough to meet her before the ball, I might as well go for broke and send them to her before asking her to accompany me to the prom. The very thought tinged my heart with happiness.