not meant to be - TMF

vii - a pianist's confession

Luke's POV 

- 

I called Stacy's name, grabbing her attention. 

"What is it?" She asks with mild curiosity. We kept few secrets from each other, so she likely wasn't expecting anything big. 

I fumble with the lyrics with both of my hands, and she looks at it. "Is... something on that paper that you want to tell me?" 

"I guess you could say that." I hand it to her, wrists trembling as I bring my hands back to my chest. 

"Before you start reading that, I have to talk to you." 

She looks at me with slight concern. "Are you okay? Do you... need my help again?" 

"No, not of the like. I, I've been keeping something. From you," I say, breaking up my sentences in apprehension. 

She doesn't say anything, giving me time to form my confession together. 

"Stacy... you've been one of the most important people in my life. I owe pretty much everything to you. You kept my friendship together, you kept my family together... 

"You've been by my side, no matter what has happened over the years. 

"And that's why you need to know this." I pause, not knowing what to say. 

"You can... read the paper now." 

Her smile moves from me to the paper, quickly reading it as to not waste time. 

I give her a minute and turn around, looking back at the textbooks we arranged earlier. 

I hear footsteps advance in my direction, and before I get a chance to turn back around, Stacy embraces me, resting her head near my neck. 

She lets go, allowing me to face her. A warm blush has crept up to her cheeks, and I feel the same happen to me. 

Is this right? Is this how it should feel? 

"I have something to confess as well," she says in longing. 

"I love you, Luke. 

"That's why I came up to you that day, that's why I've been by your side. 

"You loved... him, and, though it hurt, I thought there'd be a chance. 

She pauses. 

"A chance... for us." 

I hold her free hand that doesn't clutch the paper with both of my own. 

We stare at each other for an indefinite period of time, gazing into each other's mysterious eyes. I notice her inching closer to me, and we end up barely a foot apart. 

- 

What I didn't know was that someone did come in the room. 

In the corner of my eye, a familiar plum-haired boy stares at me, in what I think is disbelief. His gaze softens when he realizes that he's spotted, his lavender eyes brimming with newly formed tears. 

"You know, I had always hoped you'd love someone the way I love you. 

"I guess I got my wish." 

All I can think of doing is yelling his name. 

-  

Zander's POV 

- 

I run out of that dreaded room, out of the school, until my legs ache, desperately begging me to stop.