No Such Thing As A Hollywood Ending

chapter 7

Lucy sat by the piano, staring at the keys but not really seeing them. The cafeteria was quieter than usual, with the usual groups huddled far away from where she sat. She had come here every day since the dance, both hoping and dreading that Henry would show up.

Her heart hadn't stopped racing since that night. She couldn't shake the memory of the kiss—the warmth of his lips, the awkward shock on his face, and the way she'd just bolted afterward. Why had she done that? Why had she acted on an impulse she didn't even understand?

And now, she was left waiting. Waiting for him. For the inevitable conversation she didn't know how to have.

The seconds felt like hours, and Lucy's mind spun with every possible scenario of what might happen. What if he was angry? What if he didn't want to be friends anymore? What if he hated her?

Then, finally, she heard footsteps. She knew it was him before she even looked up. Henry appeared, walking slowly toward her with an unsure expression on his face. Lucy's heart clenched. She didn't know what to say. She wasn't sure she could even speak.

Henry sat down next to her, his hands fidgeting slightly in his lap. For a moment, neither of them said anything. The silence was thick, almost unbearable, and Lucy felt like her chest might burst from the tension.

Finally, Henry broke the silence. His voice was quiet but steady.

"Are we still friends?" he asked, his eyes on the piano keys. "Or... are we something more now?"

Lucy blinked, the question hitting her harder than she expected. Her throat felt tight, and she wasn't sure how to answer. Henry kept talking, his words slow and careful.

"I'm asking because... friends don't usually kiss each other. Not like that. Especially not at random, like you did."

Lucy felt her face burn with embarrassment again, just like at the dance. She had been dreading this conversation, but now that it was happening, she didn't know how to handle it. She looked away, her voice barely above a whisper when she finally spoke.

"I shouldn't have done that," she admitted, her fingers nervously tracing the edge of the piano bench. "It was... impulsive. And I wasn't thinking."

Henry didn't interrupt, waiting patiently for her to continue. Lucy swallowed hard, her mind racing with uncertainty.

"I don't know what's wrong with me," she confessed. "I don't even know if you'd want... to be more than just friends. And I don't want to ruin what we have."

Henry was quiet for a moment, and Lucy felt the weight of her words hanging between them. Finally, he shifted in his seat, turning to face her.

"I wouldn't mind," he said, his voice gentle. "If that's what you want. I just... think we should talk about it first, you know?"

Lucy blinked in surprise. She hadn't expected that response. She'd been preparing for rejection, for awkwardness, for things to fall apart. But Henry was calm. Reasonable. He wasn't pushing her away or judging her for what happened.

"We can talk about it," Lucy said slowly, her voice still shaky. "I just don't know how to explain..."

Henry nodded. "I'm not asking for you to know everything right now. I just want to know where we stand."

Lucy bit her lip, feeling a knot of anxiety loosen just a little. Henry was giving her space—space to figure things out without any pressure. And maybe that's what she needed. Maybe this didn't have to be as complicated as she'd made it in her head.

"I think..." Lucy began, her voice barely above a whisper. "I think I do want more than just friendship. But I don't want to lose you as a friend either."

Henry smiled faintly, and for the first time since the dance, Lucy felt a bit of the tension ease from her shoulders.

"We can figure it out," Henry said softly. "Whatever this is, we can talk about it. No pressure."

Lucy nodded, feeling a mixture of relief and uncertainty. She wasn't sure what would happen next, but for now, she felt a little more at ease. Henry wasn't upset, and they weren't losing what they had. Maybe, just maybe, they could figure out what this meant together.