I Have Feelings (For You)

Oneshot

Navigating the crowded hallways was still difficult after two years.  I was grateful, though, that people weren't fleeing before me as if I had the plague.  That had been the expected outcome, when my last friend in the school, Zoe, had outed me.  

I was now friendless.

Unfortunately, while I technically hadn't lost any friends (I'm not sure Zoe could really be counted as a friend, even before the whole outing thing), I hadn't made any either.  

So much for my fellow gays flocking to me.  

Rather, no one seemed to care.  At all. Everyone continued ignoring me, as per-usual.  They didn't even dignify my presence with side-long looks or whispers.  It was quite the boring life.  

This was my third day officially friendless, but today it was different.

Today, as I was attempting to make it to the courtyard for the sole purpose of sitting by myself and people watching (a past-time that I'd past enjoyed with Zoe), two people stopped me.  

They also almost stopped my heart.  

"Hey April."

It was my arch-nemesis Ella.  She wasn't actually my enemy, obviously.  She just always seemed to be glaring at me with a disdainful expression.  So of course being me, in my head I'd built it up to be more than it probably actually was.  

She was accompanying -- and here's where my stomach dropped and my heart threatened to stop -- Aliyah.  

I had a mind-canceling crush on her, in case that wasn't obvious.  

From the way they were standing, it was clear that Aliyah was point on this one.  Ella was just acting as her wingwoman.  

My crush wanted to talk to me, I thought hysterically.  I let out a very, definitely, not squeaky, "Um, hi."

Ella considered me with her pale blue eyes.  For once, she didn't seem to be looking at me with any sort of disgust.  "We... She has something to ask you."  She said.  

Around us, fellow students slithered off to wherever they had to be, leaving us mostly alone  in the hallway.  

Aliyah took a step closer to me, strands of gold glistening in her dark hair.  "Do you have feelings for me?"  She asked.

It felt like I'd been punched, or at least bludgeoned lightly in the stomach with a steel pole.  All the air had somehow been sucked out of my lungs.  I staggered (okay, inched timidly) back a step.  

"Um. No. No, not at all, why would you think that?"  I stammered unconvincingly.  If she'd had any doubt before, it was clearly gone now.  

Both of them were staring at me.  

Then Ella smiled.  An honest to god smile.  She had a nice one, too.  She reached out and tousled my hair, which took me by surprise.  

"She's a cute kid.  Catch you later!"  Ella strode off, swinging her sleek black curtain of hair behind her.  

Which left Aliyah and me.  Alone.  Together.  

"Well I thought you should know that I do have feelings for you."

"Are those feelings seething hatred?"  I blurted out before I could stop myself.  Nice going with the sarcasm, April.  

Aliyah laughed. "No-"

"Apathy?"  I interrupted.  Twice now, nice.  

"No April, It's interest.  My feelings are interest.  As in, I'm interested in you."

"Alright."  I said.  I let a smile unfurl across my face.  "I guess I can work with that."