Sharp Edges

Chapter 18

There was no doubt that Jeanette slowly began to grow fond of Oscar over the couple weeks, even if she herself didn't quite know what those feelings meant at first.

She just felt so good when she was with him. Even when they were only sitting in silence, it felt nice and comfortable, she felt safe in his presence.

Not to mention she felt as if she knew him since childhood - it was just so easy to talk to him about anything, even the weirdest things or the more personal ones. She trusted him with her whole heart.

She wanted to spend even more time with him, sitting together during the lessons and eating lunch wasn't enough anymore. She wanted to hang out with him, to walk to her house again or go to the mall and eat ice cream, do whatever together.

It wouldn't matter to her as long as she could be with him. Everything was fun when he was around.

One time, one of the girls from her class invited her to go shopping together and Jeanette agreed, hoping to become better friends with her and the other girls.

Shopping wasn't one of her favorite activities, but doing it with someone else was suddenly a lot of fun. She'd try on horrendous outfits with the other girls and they'd all laugh the whole time.

But she was too shy to ask Oscar to go out. On top of that, what would she suggest? They couldn't walk her dog because he was no longer alive. She supposed he'd get bored if they went shopping. She didn't really like cinemas so watching a movie was also out of the way.

What would they do?

She had no idea and so she didn't ask him out even though she was itching to.

There was still a little voice inside her that told her he'd say no. The voice kept on telling her Oscar doesn't like her as much as she does and that she looks pathetic trying to win him over like this.

Oscar had never showed any sign that would make the evil voice inside her head prove its saying. He'd never showed even the slightest disinterest in her, no matter how much she thought she was annoying him and burdening him, he always told her that he's glad to spend time with her.

To him, Oscar could forget the weight of his own problems when he could just listen to Jeanette.

To him, it was like the problems stopped existing, even if only for a second, when he was with her, because it felt truly good to him to be with him and to talk.

They both liked each other, only Jeanette's way a little different, stronger.