Sharp Edges

Chapter 19

When Jeanette told Oscar she liked him, it was a disaster.

Now, it took her some time to realize what her feelings were for him and the process was a little clumsy and messy, but when she finally got it straight that the intense blushing, the erratic heartbeat whenever he looked at her or even whenever she just thought of him, the smile he was able to bring onto her face with his every word, the sweaty hands she got whenever he leaned closer towards her, she mustered up the courage to ask him out.

She asked him out, as a friend, and he, as a friend, said yes.

And so they went together to the park, Oscar casually walking and talking, Jeanette fidgeting nervously about what she was about to do.

She tried to make her voice sound normal when she spoke to him, but it was hard to stay calm and keep the rushing panic out of her voice, leading to her not talking as much as usually to conceal the stress.

He, of course, noticed the slight change in her behavior.

"Are you alright?" His voice was full of concern and she even felt bad for making him genuinely worry.

"Yes!" she replied with an overly enthusiastic, chirpy high-pitched voice and he looked at her in his side vision, giving her a strange look.

"You sure?"

She nodded her head frantically. Her heart was speeding up, thudding loudly against her ribs.

It felt as if her heart will break them, eventually springing out of her chest because of the pressure and speed it now developed.

"Actually," she started slowly, taking a deep breath as she tugged the sleeve of his jacket to make him stop.

She suddenly felt small, intimidated when he came to a stop in front of her, his tall body looming over hers awaiting her next words.

"Actually, I wanted to tell you something."

He cocked his head to one side. "What is it?"

Jeanette closed her eyes when she let out the words which had led to a destruction. "I like you."

When she let it out, she felt relieved.

When she opened her eyes, though, the relief was replaced with fear.

Oscar was staring at her, not uttering a word, and she couldn't make out the strange emotion in his eyes, which had turned darker.

She asked him out, as a friend, but they both left as strangers.