Decided By Fate (Preview)

Act 1, Chapter 15

Simon and I got to know each other over the next few weeks. We had gone shopping for an appropriate outfit for him, ensuring all the colours matched my dress. It was an intimate process, even if Cherry came for a second opinion since neither Simon nor I could drive. Making jokes and laughing at one another, Simon tried to twist the system by taking out neon-coloured and randomly styled ties and showing them off to me. I laughed at the occasional one he held up, but I was more humoured by the fact that Cherry wouldn't let anything outside her vision fly. Whenever I looked at her as Simon tried to pick something out, she didn't seem amused by us wasting her time.

After that was all said and done, Cherry abandoned us at the mall since we had other plans and crossed the street to get to the movie theatre. As we walked, I could feel my obsession for Simon growing, almost to the size that it could potentially fill in the missing piece Max had left behind. Simon purchased the tickets, and I had coupons for free popcorn and drinks. It was starting to become a date, but neither of us knew that until we stepped into a children-filled block-building-based movie so that we could soothe our childhood wonders.

Honestly, it was kind of a letdown for Simon, as he wondered what he could do to make a move on me during a film like this. There wasn't any romantic aspect. It was all just cartoon humour that appealed to a fanbase much larger than just kids. It wasn't until half an hour into the movie that Simon made his move. We were sitting in the front row, and Simon was starting to feel a pain in his neck, having to look down to relax it. At that moment, he noticed my hand sitting on the armrest.

Oblivious to him, I was having the same conundrum and was hoping he would get the idea, or at least I'd find out if this boy had the courage to be spontaneous. I hoped the feeling would be on par with the last kiss Max had ever given me. Not long after, I watched in my peripherals as Simon's head tilted down again, and a second later, I felt his pinky finger touch mine. It wasn't a big move, but what came next surprised me. Simon's pinky climbed over and then wrapped itself around mine, connecting us. I couldn't help myself any longer, and looked at him with a smile.

"Is this okay?" His quiet whisper echoed in my ear, overpowering the movie since I was focused solely on him.

"Yes. It is." I whispered back.

The thoughts of Max faded, and I felt that home-like feeling radiating from Simon. Feeling his finger around mine. It made my heart jump, knowing that this new boy could potentially be the one, and Max was just a test. Behind everyone's back, I had made a life decision with many other small decisions tagging along with it. If Simon was serious about being with me, I wasn't going to be able to hide it and would have to tell him. The problem was that the decision could end everything in a second. The comedic movie sounds argued with the thoughts in my head as I lost focus of the whole thing. I wondered if I'd lose two boys in two months or if Simon would step up to the plate.

***

The movie ended as we, now a potential couple, walked out, our pinkies still interlocked with each other as we got to the bus stop. Before we could get to the bus shelter, I dug my heels into the ground, stopping Simon in his tracks. He looked over his shoulder as a tear fell from my eye and splashed against the ground. The joyous smile on his face disappeared, turning into more of a concerned look as I let my pinky drop away from his embrace.

"Fate, what's wrong? I thought-"

"Simon, listen, okay. I have to tell you something." I blurted out.

"Okay, I'm listening." He answered, and like mine, his expression drooped, and I started to feel bad about what I was about to tell him.

"Simon, thank you for all of this, but I'm moving at the end of the summer. I'm going to Crestridge for university." I confessed.