Her Name

year ten

The girl smiles when she sees Az waiting for her. Today was the day where he graduated, and soon she would be attending eighth grade.

"How's your leg doing?" he asks when she winces a little. "Does it still hurt when you put weight on it?"

She smiles at his concern. He had been there for her during the healing process and she was glad to call him a friend. Although, if she was forced to say so, she would have had to admit that she wished that she could call him more than just a friend. "Just a little bit. The doctor said I had to exercise it as much as possible though."

"Okay," he says a bit hesitantly. "Are you going to the beach?"

"Yeah. It's kind of a tradition, right?" She smiles, blushing a little. "Are you?"

He nods. "Are you going with Luca?"

"Well, actually, he can't go." The girl sighs as the feeling of disappointment rushes through her once more. "His mum grounded him and she won't let him do anything for the next week."

"Ah, that sucks."

"Yeah. I guess I'm just going with Via today," she says.

Az looks away for a moment before asking, "Would it be okay if I came with you guys?"

The girl is stunned for a moment. "Yeah, sure. I just thought you would have wanted to with your friends."

"You guys are my friends," he answers easily, and the girl would be lying if she said the word didn't hurt a little bit. She wanted nothing more than to get over her silly crush. After all, Az's friendship meant so much more than her feelings.

Then why didn't it feel like that?

She ignores the thought and smiles. "Alright. C'mon, Via's waiting."

. . .

The sky slowly turns dark and Via soon tells her that she has to go home leaving her alone with Az.

His presence was a comfort, and she settles herself onto the blanket, her feet buried in the sand. "I wanna stay a little longer," she says.

"Me too."

The two sit in silence for a little while, listening to the sound of the waves beating against the shore.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" Az says.

The girl smiles. "You just did."

"You know what I mean," he whines.

"Do I?" She laughs when he pouts. "Yeah, go ahead."

Az grins for a moment before his face falls a little. He turns away from her, and the girl feels a little worm of worry wriggle through her. "Az?" she prompts.

"Okay, I know that this is literally the worst time for me to ask. I'm going to be going to high school and you're still going to be there for another year, and I don't know how this is going to freaking work," he rambles. "And I know that this could potentially just ruin everything between us, but I thought that it could work, you know? Maybe?"

The girl looks at him, utterly confused. "I have no idea what you're saying."

Az takes a deep breath. "I like you. I've liked you since seventh grade," he says quickly. "And I just wanted you to know, and maybe give me a chance?"

"What?" She stares at him, wondering how on Earth he actually reciprocated his feelings. It isn't till his face falls that she realizes that he probably didn't realize that she did. Still, she finds herself speechless.

"I mean, if you don't, could you just ignore everything-"

"I like you too," she blurts out.

Az stops before a broad smile spreads across his features. "Really?"

She nods and he starts laughing before he wraps an arm around her. "You have no idea how happy you just made me."

"I think I have some idea."