not meant to be - TMF

iii - walk, not in the park

Zander's POV  

- 

Luke and I walk home together, as my step-sister has work on what she called, "technical stuff". Don't ask me what that means, I wish I knew. 

I describe my day to him, touching on what was one of the most chaotic classes known to date. 

"So then suddenly, 

"this huge debate erupts about whether I'm gay or European! Just because of my coiffed and crispy locks, and my immaculate fashion sense, 

"They made an absolute fool of themselves." 

Luke chuckles at my story, as if I was a comedian. "Sounds like it." 

"You should have seen their faces when they found out I was both," I say, finishing my recollection of today's events. 

I suddenly remember the last incident that happened today, and decide to ask him about it. "Are... you okay Luke? You've been very quiet." 

"Huh?" I seem to have interrupted yet another one of his conversations, this time with himself. 

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine! Just thinking..." 

That gets me nowhere. "About what?" 

"Oh, uh, you know! The competition! ...and stuff." 

I don't fully believe what he says, but decide to let it go. Although I wish I could have recieved something about what he and Jake were talking about, I'd probably sound too interrogative if I were to prod him even further. 

"It is getting close now, isn't it?" I ask rhetorically. "I just hope everything goes well; I still have nightmares of Jake messing the whole day up." 

He chuckles again. "Really? You know that's not going to happen; he wants the competition to go smoothly just as much as all of us." 

"I know..." I sigh in defeat. 

All of a sudden, Luke hushes down his voice, to the point where only the two of us could hear. 

"Hey... I'm glad that you gave him a second chance. I think it was really mature of you." 

I feel myself flush in embarrassment. "W-well, he has proved that he can be a bit more serious than what I first thought. And I couldn't say no to him when he was practically begging for forgiveness like a kicked puppy." 

That seems to lift his spirits to the mellow friend I know and love. "Well, you do have a weakness for puppies." 

- 

Luke's POV 

- 

We reach the fork in the road that separates us from going any further together. Zander's the first to say, "I guess this is where we go our separate ways now." 

There's a tinge of sadness to his voice. 

I suddenly realize we're alone, and now's a better time than any to confess my crush to him. 

I open my mouth to speak, and mentally choke on my words. 

"T-the trees, uh- they look pretty, don't they?" 

Shoot. 

"Huh?" Zander looks up at the trees I was so inclined to talk about. "Oh, yeah..." He sounds just as confused as I am. 

I pick up my words and go along with the conversation that I had unwillingly started. 

"It looks like Autumn has arrived." 

I remember the fond memories we've had this time of year in the past. "We should take more hikes in the woods sometime, or even go camping like we used to!" 

The visible disgust on his face is unmistakable. "Ugh, you know I hate camping. Might I remind you of the time that gigantic spider found its way into our tent?" 

"It was not giant, Zander... And how could I forget; I'm pretty sure you woke up the entire neighbourhood with your screams." 

"You know I have arachnophobia!" He counters. 

A gust of wind decides to blow around us, and a couple stray leaves fallen from the Autumn trees are carried by the wind. One makes its way into Zander's hair, and I don't think he notices. 

"Oh, you have a leaf in your hair. Let me get it for you." 

I walk up to him, and am about to pluck the leaf from his head, but he pushes me away, as if I was part of a crowd he was going through. 

He looks away in what I think is shame. "D-don't get so close. I can get it out myself," which he does. 

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." I apologize to him as the leaf falls to the floor. 

"It's fine.

"W-well... I'm going this way now. So, see you." 

He's walking away, and all I can say in response is a petty "See you tomorrow, then..." 

I almost feel worse for not telling him how I feel. Maybe that would have lifted his spirits. Maybe I should have taken back my lyrics instead. 

"No matter what I do, I just seem to keep pushing him away somehow..." 

I'll have to ask Jake for the paper back tomorrow.