Tulips & The Daily (UPDATED)

Part six- Like you care (I think this matters)

The fire had settled into a steady, low glow, its once-bright flames now flickering faintly over the logs. The air was still, carrying a biting chill that seemed sharper now that the warmth had softened. Everything felt suspended, as if time itself had slowed to a quiet halt, leaving just the two of them in the dim light. Nora felt herself pause, caught off guard by his question. She was usually quick to respond, quick to find answers or deflect with ease. But now, faced with the softness in his gaze and the rawness in his question, she found herself hesitating. She realised that everything worthwhile has a solution—even if that solution is simply the acceptance that sometimes, there is no answer at all. Why did no answer come to her? She felt paralyzed, aware that a solution existed—this wasn't merely a maths problem, where logic could dictate the outcome. Or perhaps it was? If only she could solve for x, find that elusive variable that would make everything clear.She longed to look into his blue eyes and deliver the right answer. As she searched her mind for the right words, she realised she must have been taking too long because Matthew shifted uncomfortably and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Uh, Nora?" he prompted, his voice tinged with concern.

Nora's heart raced at his question, and for a moment, she could only stare at him, searching for the right words that eluded her. "I... um, it's not that I hate you," she said, her voice faltering.

"Really?" he replied, dragging the word out as if he were trying to make sense of her answer. "It sure seems like it lately."

Nora shifted her weight, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks. "I don't know, I just feel like you've been hard to read lately and—"

"I have been hard to read??" he interjected, disbelief rising in his voice, almost hysterical. "Me? Seriously, Nora?" He ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head as if the very thought were absurd. "You're the one who's constantly changing her mind!"

"No, I haven't!" she shot back, her tone defensive as she crossed her arms.

"Yes! You have!" He took a breath, trying to steady himself. "I thought I was doing what you wanted. You asked for space, so I gave it to you. But then it feels like I'm getting the blame for being... for not caring enough?" As he said those words, a look of disbelief crossed his face, as if he found the entire situation ridiculous.

Nora hesitated, searching for the right words, feeling completely clueless. "Well, I— I don't know," she stammered, feeling the weight of her uncertainty. "It just feels odd that you never seem to care or be invested in anyone around you, at least not at school."

Matthew's expression shifted, confusion mingling with frustration. "That's not true," he said, shaking his head slightly. "I care. I just... keep to myself."

Nora couldn't help but laugh at that, the sound surprising them both. The unexpected laughter made Matthew even more confused, and he straightened up a bit, a sheepish grin spreading across his face.

"I could maybe understand your problem with it if I was just sitting alone every day at school," he continued, a hint of defensiveness creeping in. "But I just prefer to have conversations and get to know someone indirectly."

Nora shifted slightly on the ground, her knees drawn up to her chest as she tried to gather her thoughts. "Indirectly? Alright, fine. I just don't get you," she said, glancing at him. "You never hang out with anyone outside of school, and you've been invited every time. So what? Do you plan on leaving everyone behind when we graduate? Just like that? Like no one is worth your time?"

Matthew leaned back on his hands, his expression calm as he considered her words. "It's not like that, Nora. I just—"

"No, you don't need to explain yourself," she interrupted, a hint of exasperation in her voice. "I just find it so strange..."