run from--

1.67

(An alternate ending.)

"What do you think?"

Gracie is poised on her chair nervously as Autumn reads the entire three pages of the story on her laptop. It's her full confession, written as a story, all shown on a document with font-size 11 Arial and hugged by a 1 inch by 1 inch margin.

Unlike the last times Gracie has shown Autumn her stories, there is no commentary. In fact, Autumn is expressionless. Her face is completely blank as she scrolls down, her windblown hair still. Gracie isn't sure whether or not it's a good sign or a bad sign, Autumn reading her story seriously.

Autumn shuts her laptop firmly and sets it on the desk slowly and deliberately, as if she's trying to test Gracie's nerves. One more look at Autumn's expressionless face and Gracie knows it; Autumn will distance herself because she doesn't like Gracie the same way.

At this point, heartbreak does nothing to Gracie. She only wants, at the very least, to remain friends with Autumn. She would be okay with remaining friends. She can get over it, and then Autumn can go back to her adventures and get together with someone else and Gracie will force herself to be happy for her.

The problem is: she can't imagine Autumn ever being with anyone else. Not even her.

Any further rumination is broken when Autumn suddenly hugs her.

"I'm so flattered--no, that isn't it," Autumn says once she lets go. "That makes it sound stale and impolite. Right, escritora?"

Gracie doesn't know what to say and ends up saying, "Stop it with your spanish, will you?"

"I'm taking Spanish 1!"

"You probably looked that up on Google Translate."

Autumn pouts, and Gracie laughs. It's still so easy to banter with Autumn despite her nervousness, because despite her nervousness, Autumn also calms her down.

"I'm--I'm...very touched," Autumn smiles. "And I promise I won't die. I know how much I mean to you now and I won't ever leave. On one condition, though."

"What?"

"That you won't ever leave me." Autumn leans in closer tentatively, carefully gauging Gracie's reaction. "Can I?"

"Of course."

It feels almost magical.

Gracie opens her eyes slowly, still not believing what had happened. Autumn looks happy, very happy. "What do you think?" she asks.

This makes her face turn bright red, and all of a sudden, Gracie doesn't know how to respond. "Oh--I--uh--you tasted like burritos."

Her face, if humanly possible, turns even redder. But she's met with laughter; Autumn's laughter, which always sounded more airy than most others'. "Is that a compliment or an insult?"

"Uh..."

Autumn's laughter fades into a simple smile, though still mischievous as ever. "Do you want me to eat some gum or something? Brush my teeth? Y'know, so I can make it better? I'd love to kiss again."

Gracie laughs. "I'm not sure whether or not your parents are warm to walking in on us kissing."

Autumn pouts. "You know you want it."

All the blood in Gracie's body rushes right to her cheeks. "Later," she eventually croaks.

"Okay. Later," Autumn nods. "Your writing is awesome though. It makes me want to write something, and you know how bad at writing I am."