𝘿𝙖𝙯𝙚𝙙 // 𝙏𝙤𝙙𝙙

𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙉𝙞𝙣𝙚

𝘾𝙖𝙗𝙗𝙖𝙜𝙚, 𝙈𝙮 𝘽𝙤𝙮

***

Okay.

Okay.

Calm down. Everything will be fine. Everything is fine. It's just another normal day. Another normal day at Wayside. Another normal day with Louis. Another normal day with Ms.Jewls. Another normal day with Dana. Another normal day with Maurecia. Another normal day with Todd--

Oh god, Todd.

My knees almost buckle underneath me at his name. Ever since my realization, my feelings for him skyrocketed.

I hate it.

Unable to face him on the bus, I decide to come to school early. It's best for me to confide in the one other person I'm comfortable with--Louis. It feels weird being in the school without any kids in it. I come about forty-five minutes early, just to catch up with Louis and tell him about Todd.

We sit on the first flight of stairs as I finish telling the man about my feelings. I hug my knees to my chest, looking down at the floor.

"Aw man, you really have it down bad for Todd, huh?" Louis says, leaning back slightly.

"I didn't mean to fall for him!" I quickly come to my defense. "It just sort of happened! And now these feelings are intensifying and I can't stop it and I don't think I can keep up and--" I am cut off by Louis placing his hands on my shoulders.

"Woah, dude. Calm down. Chill. Deep breaths."

I lean my head in my hand, slowing my breathing down. I'm sort of glad that he stopped me, or else I would have started spiraling. Louis continues what he is saying.

"Listen, man. You can't really control your feelings. Or who you fall for. Also, nobody said being in love was easy. It's messy. And complicated. But that's just a part of life. It's something you have to deal with."

I lean back into my hands, thinking over his words. The words 'in love' make my brain fill with conflicting thoughts. I mean, I'm not 'in love', right? It's just a silly little crush, right?

"But," I speak, my voice filling with desperation. "It'll go away soon, right? I mean, I can't be that down bad for him. It's just a dumb crush. A temporary thing, right?"

Louis looks at me with a knowing look in his eyes. "I don't know, you tell me. Only you can know the answer to that, (N/N)."

I look to the floor, downcast. Is it just a dumb little crush? I mean, it has to be.

The man nudges me in the arm. "I assume this is new to you?"

"Is it that obvious?"

Louis nods, making my face drop even more. He notices this and swings his arm around my shoulders. "Listen, dudette. Eventually, you're going to have to face him. There's no gettin' around it. But in the end, he's a normal person. Just like everyone else."

A call of Louis' name from Kidswatter makes our heads turn. The man chuckles, before getting up. He looks down at me, an encouraging look in his eyes.

"Gotta go. Just--think about what I said, okay? Wish you the best of luck on this." I give him a small nod as he walks away. I shove my face in my hands, my thoughts going one hundred miles a minute.