Bittersweet

2. I like your smile

Ethan: So, how was it, Al?

Ethan. We'd met vacationing when I was just a kid. He liked me then, I didn't really understand it. As a seven year old, boys were the last thing on my mind so naturally I didn't pay much attention to it. We kept in touch, however, and a couple years later it was my turn to crush on him.
Nothing ever came out of it, since we lived far away and the only communication we had was through texting, but that's  never stopped my feelings. We'd talked on and off throughout the years, whenever I started liking him too much I'd back off and then go back when I felt I was "over" him. Funny thing is, we'd been at it for years and every time we spoke my feeling came back. His never did.

A: It was great, met new people. They were very nice. How are you doing?

E: I'm glad. Good, stressed though.

A: College life not treating you right?

E: Yeah, I guess you can say that. Talk later, yeah?

He was a couple years older than me, and whereas I was still in high school, he'd graduated early and started college right away. He'd been more distant lately, I knew that he didn't have as much time to care for the girl who'd been crushing on him for the longest time. The thing about distance is you're never really sure how much your absence can be creating a wedge between two people, and you don't usually realize until it's too late. With Ethan I was coming to learn it happened more often than not and I was wondering when would it happen again that he couldn't find it in him to bother anymore with me.

°•°

"So, Alex, why'd you start your school year late?" Curtis asked as we all worked on our class a couple days later.
"I had been living with my aunt in England for the past year, I wanted a new experience and when the opportunity arose I took it. I just got back here a couple weeks ago," I explained as I tried to solve the problems on my notebook.
"Do you plan on going back?" He asked looking up.
"I do, I loved it there. I should be going back right after graduation."
"Hm, it'd be a shame not to see you around anymore," he smiled at that.

I smiled back and kept doing my work. I'd never been really good at flirting and I often felt uncomfortable instead, so more often than not I just ignored it when it came my way.
The bell rang and as I was getting ready to leave I felt Curtis call out my name.

"Yeah?" I asked glancing at him.
"I like your smile. Don't keep that pretty smile from the world." With that he turned and left. I stood there for a bit longer trying to process it, to be quite honest I'd never really had a lot of guys complimenting me, probably because of my shy nature no guy came close enough to do so.

°•°

Getting to know new people was always tricky for me, I usually didn't know what to say which led me to prefer being in solitude which is why I was glad that with my, hopefully, new group of friends conversation seemed to happen effortlessly, and they'd gotten enough out of me already for them to be satisfied with the knowledge they had of me.

I seemed to get along the most with Camille and Charlie. Charlie was a funny guy and we shared a lot of interests which made it easier for us to get along, and with Camille I'd shared a, somewhat awkward, moment (unfortunately, her grandfather passed away and she found out in school, I was there when she found out and I held her while she cried. We hadn't spoken before that) but it was enough to break the ice, I mean, crying on someone's lap sure takes away the initial shyness that comes with meeting someone, doesn't it?

"So how have your first days in our wonderful school been?" Charlie asked making a dramatic gesture.
"They've been great, I think I might like it here," I replied with a smile.
"You seem to have been spending a lot of time with Curtis and his friends in class," she looked at me with curious eyes. It was true, I had sat with them in most of my classes, the ones I shared with them anyway. On my first day here they asked me to sit with them and I didn't see why not, even now, after getting closer to my group I still didn't feel the need of switching it up and our teachers had gotten used to the sitting arrangements.
Being with them was comfortable, but I still missed my best friend terribly so I pulled out my phone and decided to text her.

A: hey smurft! How are you?? I've been missing you
L: hey weirdo! I've missed you too! It's been a bit crazy, senior year can be a pain. How's the new school though?

Laurie. She's been my best friend ever since middle school. When we met we just clicked, there was no other way to explain it, she was able to understand me like no other person could and shortly after meeting we were inseparable. She knew everything there was to know about me and I knew if there was someone I could lean on no matter what, it was her, which is why she was the one I could confide in with my boy troubles.
So I told her about Ethan. She knew all about him, she'd been by my side when I first got my crush on him and she was the one I would ramble to about every minuscule thing that happened, it was no different when I felt rejected by him the first time. It was his fault, I'd always known there was no way we could be together because of out distance but that didn't stop me from liking him then... And apparently neither did it stop me from liking him again despite knowing hoe it was going to go.
So I told her how he was getting distant and closed off, and she brushed it off as him PMSing (quite honestly, I agreed with her)

A: By the way there's this guy, I think he's been flirting with me. Today he was like "you shouldn't hide that smile, it's pretty" or something lol
L: is he cute? Maybe he can help you get over Ethan, if you know what I mean;)
A: I don't know, maybe? I mean I don't really know him
L: well, you never know. It might do you good to find someone new
A: I guess... Hey I'm off to class. I'll keep you updated! Love you
L: just think about it! Love you too!

I was not one to believe in rebounds so I wasn't completely comfortable with the idea but I guess you never really know.

Sometimes life has a funny way to teach you lessons.

AN: I think this was bad but this is my first time attempting to write and at times I don't know how to say what I want to say.
Anyway, so far this is only for me to read lmao