Melted by You

22

"Landon! Landon, hey!"
Willow runs up to me, and smiles.
"I was looking for you," she says.
"Why?" I ask.
"Logan said you were acting weird Friday afternoon," she says.
I sigh. Of course he had to tell Willow. He tells her everything. Except the fact that he loves her more than anything in the world, which is obvious. If I'd ever love anyone more than anything in the whole world I'd want to tell them. Unless they didn't feel the same way, it would be kind of awkward.

"So, what's going on with you?" she asks. I shrug.
"Not much," I say.
"Ah, yes. That's why you ran out of Logan's house in the middle of a movie," she says.
I look at my feet while walking toward the school.
"Yup" I say. "That's why".
"Landon," she sighs. "Something is wrong. I just want to help".
"You can't help," I say. "So don't worry about me".
"But I am worrying about you. I can't help it, I'm a people person".
I smile at her, and chuckle.
"Well, do your best to try. It's a personal problem," I say. She tilts her head, and sighs.
"Okay, I'm sorry Landon".

I'm quiet for a few seconds.
"We've got a lot in common, Willow," I say.
She looks up.
"Yeah?" she asks, eager for more talking.
"We're both people people... We both like... Making other people happy... We both like cute baby animals..."
She's nodding, smiling.
"We both like quarter-Indian boys whose last name is Marshall..."

She gasps.
"Owen?" she asks.
I look at her, and shrug.
"Yeah," I say, and I sigh.
She grins, and squeels a little.
"How do you know? Since when?" she asks.
Her excitement is contagious.
"Two weeks ago," I say, and I smile. "I just... I don't know. He makes me feel all tingly inside".
"Aww, that's so cute!" she yells, and she claps her hands. "Landon's got a crush!"
"Shhhush," I say, and I look around nervously.
"Nobody knows. Except for Jay. And Dean a little bit".
She pouts.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she asks. "I wouldn't have told a soul. You know that".
"I'm sorry, I know," I say, and I give her a side hug. "You know I love you".
She giggles, and pushes me away.
"Idiot".

We walk over towards Logan and Alex. They're sitting at a table, talking about something. When we arrive, they instantly stop.
"What were you talking about?" Willow asks, sitting down.
"Nothing," Alex says. "Wills, it's almost our party!"
"I know!" she says, and she grins. "This Friday already".
"Did you ask your mom about the thing yet?" she then asks Logan. He nods.
"My mom will drive the four of us home" he says.

I sit down, and look at my phone. Gym class starts in ten minutes. I look back up, and see Logan looking at me. He quickly looks away when he notices me looking back.
"How's Owen?" Alex suddenly asks. The three of us look at her. She looks up, a little confused.
"What?" she asks. "I was just wondering. You never talk about your guitar lessons anymore Landon".
"Oh, we just watch movies mostly," I say. "It's not that... Exciting".

"He's fine," Logan says. "More annoying than usual, but other than that, he's fine".
"Why is he more annoying?" Willow asks. I listen intently.
"Just rambling on about this date he had Saturday night," he sighs. "I mean, he usually says it once or twice, but then he remembers I have an actual girlfriend so he doesn't see the fun in it anymore. But yesterday he was just saying all this stuff about it..."

Willow looks up, at me. I stare at Logan, nodding mindlessly.
"Cool," I say. "Well, off we go. We have to get to class!"
I get up, grab my bag, and start walking away quickly. My stomach has a vague feeling of pain inside. But it's nothing, right? Because I'm happy. Like I always am. Besides, so what if he goes on a date? I was the one who ran away like an idiot when he kissed me. That was my chance. I didn't take it. It's my own fault.

I get dressed for gym class, and walk into the gym hall. The pain in my stomach is getting worse and worse. You're fine, Landon. Stop overreacting.
"Landon. You did terribly last Friday".
I look at Kathryn standing in front of me, and I suddenly feel extremely tired.
"Sorry" I say, and I sigh. "You remind me of my old coach".
She raises an eyebrow. Her face is very pale, I notice.
"Well, I guess I understand why he doesn't like you" she says.

Just like Owen. Owen doesn't like me. If he did he wouldn't go on a date with someone else.

Nevermind, I can't do this. Without saying anything else, I turn around and walk away. I grab my bag from the changing room, and walk through the hallway. Upstairs, to the office where I can call in sick. I've never called in sick before. I've never gone home from school. And I hate how much this one person can affect me.

I knock at the door. A woman opens the door.
"Hey! Landon! What's up?" she asks.
"I want to go home" I say quietly.
"Oh".
She gets a concerned look on her face.
"Are you sick?"
I nod.
"Okay, just sit down for a second".

Ten minutes later, I walk out of the office. My stomach is killing me, and I suddenly feel the pain in my throat and head too. I walk downstairs, and out of the school. Outside, I sit down on a bench for a second, and rest my head on my hands. I don't like feeling like this. I never do. Everyone knows me as the happy guy, not the guy who gets hurt by some other guy and instantly has to leave school.

I sit like that for a while.

"Landon?"
I look up, and see a confused Logan.
"Logan?" I ask. "What are you doing here?"
He raises his arm with the black cast on it.
"Can't participate in gym class" he says. "What's up with you?"
"I just feel... Bad," I say.
"Is this the same thing as Friday?" he asks.
"More or less".

"Listen, I know more than anyone that sometimes you just don't feel like talking to someone..."
He looks at me. He seems to feel awkward.
"...but if there's anything I can do..."
I look up, and smile.
"No need," I say. "But thanks for asking".
He smiles, and looks at the school behind him.
"Does it have anything to do with Owen?" he then asks.
I blink a few times, and sigh.
"Yeah," I say.
He frowns.
"Did he do anything?" he asks, concerned.
"He went on a date," I mutter.
"He what?"
"He... He went on a date..."

Logan frowns. He doesn't get it. He's the smart one, why doesn't he just get it?
"We kinda kissed Friday" I explain. His eyes instantly widen significantly.
"That's why I ran away. And then he went on a date with someone else and..."
I look at his face, and try to see what he thinks of this. He looks mostly surprised.
"It hurts" I finish my sentence.

He's silent for a while, and slowly sits down next to me.
"You ran away" he says. "That'll probably make him think you didn't like that".
I look at my feet.
"I know" I say. "I panicked. I guess I was just surprised that he moved on so quickly".
We sit in silence next to each other for a while. I know Logan is pretty awkward around anyone other than Willow, so I appreciate the fact that he's trying to help.

"I should go home" I say. "And you should get back to class".
He stands up, and so do I.
"Well, take care of yourself" he says.
"I'll try" I say.
He smiles at me.
"What should I tell Willow? She's worried about you".
I chuckle. "Just tell her everything, she knows I like Owen".
He nods, and bites the inside of his cheek.
"Just so you know, if you're not okay with this..."
"Why wouldn't I be?" he asks. "It's a little weird, but if it makes you happy, it's fine".
I get a small smile on my face, and nod.
"Okay, good" I say. "Bye".
"Bye" he says, and he walks back to the school.

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