It's been about two months since "the incident" happened. Pound and I haven't talked much since then. I guess we've just been more focused on schoolwork and such. Still, at this point we're approaching Winter Break. I haven't been able to go outside much recently since it's been snowing pretty hard, I'd get extinguished if I stepped foot outside.. It's a bit boring staying inside all day, but one can one simple ball of fire do?
Anyways, when I came back to the dorm today, Pound came out to me.
"Fireball! I've been waiting for you to arrive." He chirped, "There's no snow outside today and I wanna show you something!"
He grabbed my arm and rushed me out the door, "Okay!!" I exclaimed as he pulled me outside. I felt my face flush a little, but tried to ignore it.
It felt like we'd been running forever before we approached a garden. Pound let go of my arm and stood in the middle between me and the entrance.
"I found the public city garden a few days ago! I'm surprised the flowers are still growing..I don't think you've seen it yet, have you?"
"No, I haven't. I haven't really gone outside recently." I replied.
"Well, let me show you!" Pound said, shuffling me into the garden. When he finally stopped, I was surrounded by many different shades of blue, pink, purple, and red. My eyes lit up slightly.
"Woah.." I said, approaching a flower. When I tried to grab it to get a closer look, it burned.
"Ack! Sorry! I didn't mean to do that!" I apologized backing away, "dammit, you shouldn't have brought me here.."
I noticed Pound's smile turn upside down and his face fill with regret.
"I-I'm sorry! I didn't want to disappoint you. I thought you would like it! We could leave if you want!" He stammered.
"No-no! It's okay! It's my fault for touching the flower. I just want touch anything." I responded with reassurance.
I heard his mutter something I couldn't make out, "What was that?" I asked.
He began to stutter, "Oh-Uh! I-I said if that's what you wanna do, I can't stop you! Haha!" He spluttered. I couldn't tell if he was lying or not, but I just decided to roll with it.
I continued to look around at the mix of colors, admiring each flower carefully. I looked back and Pound seemed to had disappeared.
"Pound?" I called out to him, in a bit of shock. I heard a voice from behind me,
"Oh! Sorry! I didn't mean to worry you. I was just... looking at all of these pretty flowers! Haha!" Pound said with a nervous smile.
I did notice recently that he's been asking a bit stranger than normal. I decided to confront him about it.
"Hey, Pound, not to be a bother, but I have noticed you've been acting a bit strange lately. Is something wrong? I asked, approaching him slowly.
"Wrong? Strange? Pfft! No! You're just dreaming. I'm perfectly fine!" He faltered.
I looked at him with disbelief, "I know that's not true." I said and then grabbed his hands, "Pound, I'm your best friend. If there's something wrong, you can always tell me, you know."
He looked at me with a look one can only describe as "a mix of hope and hopelessness."
"I- uhh.. I'm telling the truth. There's nothing wrong." He let go of my hands and crossed his arms, looking to the side.
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"It takes a lot more than that to convince me. Pound, I know that there's something happening with you. You haven't been the same since you snapped at the fight a few months ago. I want you to know that whatever is happening, I get help you through it.. your happiness means a lot to me. You're my best friend after all.." I hated that term. "Best friend?" If only it was another term with "friend" in it..
"You wouldn't understand! My problem is a lot more complicated than you probably think it is." He hesitated, shaking.
"Pound, I've dealt with many difficult feelings before, and I'm still dealing with them right now.. So trust me when I say that whatever's happening in your life, I've probably been there." I assured.
"I don't think you've been here this time." He argued.
"Well I can't know for sure unless you tell me what it is!"
"I CAN'T TELL YOU!"
"WHY NOT?!"
"BECAUSE IF I TELL YOU MY PROBLEM, THEN YOU'D HAVE TO BE THE SOLUTION! I DON'T WANT YOU TO DEAL WITH MY PROBLEMS!"
"OH, COME ON, IT CAN'T BE THAT BAD! JUST TELL ME WHAT IT IS!"
"I TOLD YOU, I CAN'T! IT'S TOO EMBARRASSING AND I DON'T WANT TO PUT PRESSURE ONTO YOU."
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!"
"I-I'M.. I HAVE.. UHH.. WELL.." He stuttered, trying to make words, but failing.
"Well? What is it already?!"
"Uhh-" Sweat poured down his head, "I'm not good with words!"
"Pound, if the words you use right now are anything like the words you use in my dreams, you'll get me to understand pretty quickly now speak up."
"Well-I-wait, did you say in your dreams?"
My face turned red and I instantly regretted saying that, "Shit! Ugh! Dang it, I told you a secret I wasn't supposed to. There, that's my payment to you, now you tell me something back!"
"Fine! I will!" He affirmed.
"So, what is it already?!"
"...I HAVE FEELINGS FOR YOU!" He blurted out, his face turning a tomato red.
