Sora & Fumiko

Chapter Twenty-Two

My head was hanging for almost the entire time after I had left tennis practice and school. I  couldn't help feeling guilty about hiding the fact that I liked Sora.

Natalie might not have directly asked me if I liked anyone but all the same I couldn't tell her about him.

I knew Sora didn't know how I felt about him but still I couldn't help felling that I'd hurt him.

It was the only way I could feel.

If someone had liked me and then denied it when asked, I would've been really hurt if I found out.

Why couldn't I say anything?

I stopped to look up at the sky as I remembered the saddened smile Sora had given me with teary eyes as he was leaving my house. At that time as well, I couldn't say anything.

My chest ached with all the unsaid words it held but it cringed even more at the thought of what Sora might have been going through.

What am I going to say when I see him again?

The way our last encounter had unraveled was beyond anything we could have imagined, but I was more desperate than ever to see him again as I wanted to know if he was doing well.

Sora knows I'm okay but I bet he's still beating up on himself.

And it's all my fault... I just hope he's okay.

Soon enough his house came into view and I abruptly froze as I saw that he was standing only a few feet away.

His back was turned to me so I decided to use the opportunity to search my mind for words to express how I felt but I couldn't find any. I didn't have the energy either to run up to him as I usually did, so I dragged my feet.

The closer I went to him, the more muddied my mind became. My hands shook nervously and I could hear my heart racing with every step I took towards him. My legs also began feeling stiff as I felt too afraid to move any closer.

I stopped just behind him as I found it too hard to move, so I opened my mouth but no words came.

Finally I outstretched my hand to touch him but I froze.

"Fumiko?" He murmured.

Shock ran through me as he spoke and I felt petrified in that spot as I was afraid he knew I was there but after a moment or so of silence it seemed that he had only just mentioned my name.

I quickly pulled my hand away and stared silently at him as I was trying to make out whether he knew I was there or not when I began taking in the air around him. It was thick and full of worry but at the same time calm.

I didn't have to see his face to know he must have been worrying about me.

That was when my mind reflected back to the moment he had broken down after I had lost consciousness.

Sora was crying so much when I was hurt. He must have been and even now still is worried about me.

An unending wave of sorrow passed between us as I felt the sadness that he must have been feeling from the moment I was hurt.

"Sora" I whispered without thinking.

I instantly saw him stiffen when I spoke so I pulled away as it was evident he had heard me.

Neither one of us moved.

Slowly he then turned to me and again I had to pull away as I realized I was standing too close to him. There was merely any distance between us and my cheeks flushed a bright colour of pink at having him so near to me.