Melted by You

24

Happy. I'm happy. I'm so incredibly happy, nobody has ever been happier.

Or at least, that's what I'm telling myself as I look in the mirror.

It's not like I'm unhappy, I just still feel that constant nagging feeling in my stomach. But it'll go away once I'm there and I'm enjoying myself. My mom is taking me to Alex and Willow's party in a minute, and I'm just getting ready now. I quickly ruffle my hair, flatten it a bit, and smile at my self. I look good. I feel good. Tonight is going to be a good night. Downstairs, I hear my mom calling out my name.
"Coming!" I yell, and I walk out my room.

"You're here!"
Willow jumps up and down a little, and then hugs me.
"Happy birthday!" I say, and I smile widely. My mom says goodbye, and leaves.
"Where's Alex?" I ask.
"She's inside" Willow answers. "There are a few people already, but not everyone is here yet".

I take a step back, and look at her. She's wearing a dark blue, silky dress, that reaches down to her knees.
"You look pretty!" I say. She smiles, beaming.
"Thanks Landon!" she says, and she gives me another hug. "You too!"
I laugh, and smile too. See? Happy.

We go inside. There are around ten people, and they're all spread out around the gym hall. There's soft music playing in the background. I spot Alex, she's talking to Jay.
"Alex!" I say. The two girls look up, and smile.
"Hey Landon!" Alex yells, and she runs towards me and hugs me.
"Happy birthday" I say. "Nice party".
"It barely just started" Alex says, and she grins. She has a strangely vacant look in her eyes.
"Well, it's fun so far" I say. She giggles, and shrugs.

I walk over to Jay. Lucas and Dean aren't here yet, and when I look outside I see Logan has arrived too, so Willow is probably busy.
"Hey" Jay says. "How are you?"
"I'm great" I say. She nods slowly.
"Any updates on the Owen situation?" she asks quietly.
"Yes! It's hopeless and I've given up!" I say. She frowns.
"Why?" she asks.
I sigh.
"Well, he must have kinda liked me because we kinda kissed" I say. Her eyes widen, but I continue talking before she can say anything.
"But afterwards I freaked out and I ran away and then he went on a date with someone else. So he moved on I guess. And I have too".
I haven't really said that before, but it's probably for the best if I do.

"Oh, Landon..."
She rests her head on her arms for a second, before looking back up.
"Haven't you thought for a moment about the fact that he went on a date because he was upset?"
I stare at her blankly, and shake my head slowly.
"I don't understand" I say quietly.
"Well, you two kissed. Did he initiate it?"
I nod, already starting to blush again.
"Well, you ran away, so obviously he was upset. Maybe he was just trying to distract himself?"
I frown, and bite my lower lip.
"That doesn't make sense" I say.
"Humans often don't" she says, and she sighs. "But sometimes, other humans discover a pattern in those senseless things, and suddenly things start making sense again".

I tilt my head a little, and sigh.
"I guess".
She smiles warmly, and puts an arm around my shoulders.
"Can I ask you a question?" she says.
"Okay" I say.
"Why did you run away?"
"Not that question".
She laughs, and rests her head on my shoulder for a second, before looking up again.
"Please?"

I look at her pleading eyes, and finally give in.
"I think I'm scared of having another relationship because my last one was a bad one" I say, in one breath. Her eyes fill with understanding, and she pulls her arm away.
"And why was that?" she asks.
"Maggie changed" I say, and I look up at her. "And I guess I'm scared Owen would change too".
"Of course Maggie changed" Jay says, and she crosses her arms. "When you just started going out, she was thirteen. And now she's fifteen. She went through puberty" she explains.
I raise an eyebrow.
"Owen is eightteen. He's already fully developed, he isn't going to change as drastically as Maggie did".