Everything Remains (REMASTERED VERSION OF MY SMG4 "WHAT IF?" AU)

Chapter 13 : Steps Farther

So, before I skip ahead, I'd just like to clarify what Axol gave me exactly. So basically a day after that all happened, Axol woke me up pretty early in the morning with a wide smile on his face. Even though he had a bright smile, you could tell he hadn't slept.
"Psst, Melony. Hate to wake you up, but I gotta show you your gift."
I began to stir after he said that. I looked up at him and smiled.
"You got it ready already?"
"I've worked all night to put some finishing touches on it."
I sat up in my bed and turned my head to face him.
"Can I see?"
"Yeah, of course. Lemme go get it."
Axol walked away out of my room. I saw him pull something out of his backpack. It seemed to be a book, or possibly a manga. He then stopped and stared at a wall for a moment. I then saw him take some deep breaths, as if he was trying to calm himself down from whatever anxiety hung over him. He then stood up straight and marched on over toward me, manga still in hand.
"Okay, so, I made this manga for you. It's a bit short, but it's also sweet. Short and sweet. Uhh, hope you like it?" He said nervously, a clear blush spreading across his cheeks. I take the manga and open up to the first page. I gasped when I saw who was in it. The first page had me and Axol, sitting on a hill and watching fireworks explode in the sky. I (in the manga) was enamored by the bright lights in the sky. Axol (in the manga) had his eye on me the whole time. I turned the page, where I saw a frame that had Axol seemingly nervous about something. The following frames on the page were of my manga counterpart looked at his and a little dialogue bubble was beside her, calling his name. I turned the page to see Axol's counterpart fidgeting with his fingers with a dialogue bubble beside him, saying that he needs to tell me something. The frames below show him asking me to be his girlfriend. And that was it. There was just a "To be Continued" box right after the last frame. The real Axol then began to speak.
"I, uhh, technically didn't finish this, mainly because I didn't know what you'd actually say to that." He says, chuckling nervously. I looked at him, my mouth agape with awe. I then began to speak too.
"Wow. I.. I don't know what to say."
Axol began to grow nervous as he awaited what else I had to say. I took a deep breath and began to think. My brain wandered off to the day that I had realized that I might've felt something much better than happiness. I remember the confusion that I had felt about my heart pounding much more than normal around him. Meggy was the one who explained it all to me. She encouraged me to tell him about it when the time was right. I guess now was the right time. I sighed and smiled at him.
"You know, I already knew that you were feeling something for me."
Axol's face turned a bright shade of red, emphasizing his freckles. "You did? Mario didn't tell you, did he?"
I laughed. "No no, I just knew. See, I saw how nervous you'd get around me, and then, I started to get nervous around you too. I asked Meggy about it and when she told me about what I was feeling, I put two and two together."
"You.. You really felt the same? But I don't understand. You've always treated me as nothing more than a friend for so long, and it always made me think our whole relationship was one-sided."
"That's the weird part. I started feeling those feelings after you made me mad that one time. Remember that?"
"Yeah, yeah no need to bring it up."
He said with clenched teeth and an expression that clearly said he was dying of cringe. I chuckled.
"I guess.. I think my feelings just triggered after I realized how much I needed you that day."
I then reached out to hold Axol's hand gently.
"How much I need you now."
Axol looked at me. He looked like he was going to cry.
"Promise you're telling the truth..?"
"I promise."
I pulled him in for a nice warm hug. I didn't hear or feel him cry, but he let out shaky exhales as he hugged me back.
"I never knew.. I always thought that you never loved me the same way I love you.. I'm sorry for doubting you.."
I began to rub his back. It broke my heart to hear him doubt himself like that.

But yeah, that is pretty much what happened. Now to the timeskip. About a month or so passed, and one day, Meggy walked up to me, holding up a flyer of some sort.
"Hey Melony. I've got a question."
"What's up?"
"So you mentioned how you wanted to grow stronger, right?" Meggy points at me as she says this. I nod.
"Well, you're in luck. Because I just looked it up, and there's a college that has a class for warriors like you!"
She shows the flyer to me. It seems to be a promotional poster for a place called Omnia Academy.
"I'm planning to go there to pursue a job in becoming a sports coach."
"Oh wow. I didn't think there'd be a college for fighting."
"Me neither until I saw the list of majors they had. Think you'd wanna go there? We just have to do a few quizzes to see if we're eligible to go."
I thought about it for a moment. I then decided to take my chance. After all, I doubt any other colleges have fighting classes like this one.
"Alright, I'll go."
Meggy gave me a thumbs up.
"Epic!"
I gave her a thumbs up back and a toothy grin.