Colors of the Snow (Naron One-Shots)

1

Aric 's POV

     I walk into the school and I instinctively begin looking for my best friend, Nick. I notice him waiting for me on the front couches in the Language arts area. I walk up to him.

     "Hey, dude." I say. He gets up and does our secret handshake with me.

"How're things going with you and Emily?" He asks.

I shrug. "Eh, she doesn't think I need to go to the dance with her." I say. His brow furrows.

"She doesn't want you to go with her?" he asks. I nod.

"She thinks I don't have my priorities straight. She says if I can't pick her or my friends, we're through." Nick looks unreasonably irritated by this.

"You know, if you want to pick her, that'd be totally fine. No one would mind."

I shrug. "But you guys are my best friends, I've known you practically my whole life. I don't wanna give that up."

The teachers call for the morning circle to explain the announcements. Afterward everyone disperses to their classes, and I follow Nick to the front area for Math. We sit down on the edge of one couch, Nick sitting on the outside. I open my computer and log into my Google account. Class begins and Nick and I trade notes and talk. We don't really talk about anything, mostly whatever comes to mind.

When class ends, Nick and I move over to science and sit down at our usual table.

Nick POV

I've been deep in thought since Aric showed up this morning. I know how he feels about Emily, she's one of the greatest things that's ever happened to him. But, he is my best friend, I can't let him just, give it up. I've been friends with him for forever.

It's not that I'm not happy for him, I am, I think they make a cute couple. But I don't want him throwing this friendship away that we've had. He's important to me, and I'm beginning to wonder if it's on a level other than just friendship. I know that even if I had feelings for Aric in that way, he couldn't return them because he loves Emily.

He pokes my arm and I'm snapped out of my thoughts.

"Dude, you there?" he asks. I look at him. "You've been staring off into space practically since class started. You OK?"

I nod. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"You wanna come over after school today? We were going to go to the mall and the skate park if you wanted." he suggests.

"Yeah, that'd be cool. I don't have my skateboard though." I say.

The rest of class passes with little interruption, and we head back to the couches in the front to catch up on work. Aric walks over to one of his other friends, Ben. They begin talking and Aric sits down. Finally I get up and walk over to them. I kneel on the floor next to the chair Aric is sitting in, and Ben tells Aric to stand.

"Sit down, sit here." he says, motioning to me. I shrug and get up and sit in the chair. "Sit down." he says to Aric. Sit down, where is he going to sit? There's no other chairs for him to sit in. Aric looks confused.

"Sit down." Ben says again, motioning to... me. Hesitantly Aric looks at me, and instantly my mind is racing with the realization that Ben wants him to sit on me. There are a million things racing through my mind as I sit there and Aric begins to sit down. I can't handle this, this shouldn't be happening, I can't do this.

I push my chair back away from Aric and stand up. Ben looks slightly surprised and smug, almost like he wanted to see if I would freak. I walk back over to my seat and sit down.