MSHELL
"Jeez, it's like a hundred degrees outside," Mello said as he walked into my castle suite. He lived just a floor above mine, and for some reason, he always stopped by. It was nice, and I enjoyed his company. While we weren't best friends, we vibed a lot, and since Al'Done was pretty close to Athras Central, Mello often visited me at home too.
"Did you work out?" I asked, noticing he was panting.
"Well, something like that," he replied, settling down beside me. I was watching the comedy series 'How I Met Your Mother.'
"You good?" I inquired, concerned about his breathlessness.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just wanted to burn some fat," he said. Mello wasn't always so concerned about his physique, but as an athlete and a pretty tall one at that, he likely enjoyed staying fit.
"You sure? You don't normally work out when it's this hot, Mello," I observed, looking at him curiously.
"I'm good! Really! I mean, it's not like I'm in bad shape, right?" he replied, but something about his response seemed off. Mello wasn't the type to express his feelings easily.
"What's this about?" I probed further, sensing that there was more to it.
"Jane thinks Carlo is sexy?" he said with a smirk, and I burst out laughing.
"Come on, Mello, is this what's bothering you? It's the funniest thing I've heard all day," I teased.
"Well, if this is your attempt at being helpful, then you suck at it, Mshell," he retorted playfully.
"Oh, it's just funny! Sure, Carlo is attractive, and there's nothing wrong with Jane thinking that. Are you being jealous or dramatic? Definitely yes! Am I helping by telling you the plain truth? Maybe not, but it's amusing," I chuckled.
"Hell no, I'm not jealous. There's no reason to be. I mean, Carlo has a thing for Hayley, and I doubt it's one-sided," Mello explained. Suddenly, I realized I hadn't told Mello how I felt about Hayley, and now that I thought about it, I probably never would.
Maybe deep down, I knew it wouldn't work out with Hayley. I ignored all the signs, foolishly hoping she'd see me as more than a friend.
"That's right. So it's best to deal with that little crush you have there. I love Hayley but trust me, you'll hurt yourself if you keep holding on," Mello advised. I was shocked that he knew, but it was Mello - he had a knack for figuring things out quickly, like a mini sage.
"How long have you known?" I asked.
"Well, trust me, you were very obvious, and I'm sure Hayley knows too. If she hasn't done anything about it, it's probably because she doesn't feel the same way, Mshell," Mello said, and reluctantly, I had to admit he was right.
"I know, but I would still love to hear her say it," I replied.
"Wow, Mshell, that's brave. Well, my advice to you is to clarify things as fast as possible. You might be too blinded by this mini crush to see the bigger picture," Mello suggested cryptically.
"Bigger picture? What do you mean, Mell?" I asked, but he walked out of my suite without elaborating, leaving me pondering his enigmatic words.
"Company? You look bored," Evly's voice came from behind me.
"Oh, hey Evly. How are you doing?" I greeted her.
"I'm not bad at all. Coffee?" she offered, handing me a second cup.
"Thank you," I replied as I accepted the coffee. We sat together at the cafeteria during our lunch break. I didn't have another class afterwards.
"Care to share what's bothering you, your majesty?" she asked, using honorifics despite my insistence that she didn't need to.
"It's fine, Evly. Just call me by my name," I said with a smile.
"Okay, Mshell. So, mind telling me why you're sulking in the cafeteria during lunchtime?" she gently inquired.
"I'm not exactly sulking. I've got a school project, and it's taking longer than expected to figure it out," I explained. In truth, I was feeling overwhelmed after my conversation with Hayley the previous night, and it was messing with my head.
"Ah, I see. What project is that? Who knows, maybe I can help. I've read a lot about arts," she offered.
"It's an evaluation of a book of poems by R.D. Francis. Normally, I love his work, and he's the only poet I truly relate to. But for some reason, this evaluation is giving me a hard time," I confessed.
"R.D. Francis? I've heard of him. He wrote 'When I Fly Away,' right?" she asked.
"Yes, that's the exact book I'm trying to evaluate," I confirmed, pleasantly surprised by her knowledge.
"Before anything else, have you read the book?" she inquired.
"Yes, I have," I replied.
"And did you like it?" she probed further.
"Yes, I did. As I said, I enjoy R.D. Francis's poems," I replied.
"What was your favorite part of the book?" she asked, and then I understood that she was subtly helping me evaluate the poem.
After some more questions and answers, I felt a lot clearer about my project.
"Thank you for this, Evly. I needed your help," I said gratefully.
"Don't mention it, Mshell. You had it covered, but you were just distracted. I hope whatever was bothering you doesn't linger," she said with a comforting smile.
That smile - made me feel safe and understood without any judgment. I wanted to open up to her, but I held back.
"Hayley told me yesterday that she likes Carlo," I blurted out without showing much emotion.
"Oh, Mshell, I'm sorry to hear that. Hayley is my friend, but sometimes she can be so blunt," Evly said, moving closer and holding my hand to offer comfort. Her touch felt warm and gentle, and for a moment, it felt like her lips were moving, but I couldn't hear anything.
"Mshell! Mshell!" she called out, snapping me out of whatever trance I was in.
"I'm sorry, Evly. I'm just out of it. Thank you for today. I'll talk to you later," I said, feeling embarrassed, and hastily left.
That night, I couldn't stop thinking about how I made a fool of myself in front of Evly, who had been nothing but kind to me. It hurt to show my weakness, but at the same time, telling her also felt like a weight lifted off my chest, even if it was only for a brief moment before the embarrassment set in.
I hadn't realized that the conversation with Hayley would affect me so deeply.
"Oh, your Majesty, I'm sorry if I gave you any wrong ideas. But I like Carlo, and even that might fade away in time and trust me he knows and he is cool with that but I don't think that is something you would want. But trust me, it can't be for us. I'm not a relationship type of girl. I just don't work like that," she had told me with a genuine smile.
"If you just stop for a moment, your Majesty, just for a moment to think, I'm sure all the lingering thoughts will make sense eventually," Hayley had added.
"Stop sulking over what you wanted but couldn't have, and try something new. Who knows, you might just like it more?" Jane advised.
It was during the week, and I was at the cafeteria when Jane came and sat at the table I was occupying. This was a bit surprising since, despite having mutual friends, we had never really engaged in a one-on-one conversation before. She greeted me with a smile and a friendly "hi" as she settled down, a book in her hand.
"You seem to read a lot of novels," I initiated the conversation.
"Yes, I do," she replied nonchalantly.
"I also read a lot," I shared.
"Yes, I know," she responded.
The atmosphere quickly grew awkward, at least from my perspective. To break the silence, I decided to place an order. However, just as I was about to do so, Jane interjected.
"Don't order the mushroom soup," she cautioned.
"Oh? Why?" I inquired.
"Trust me, it tastes good initially, but when you have the whole thing, it turns out to be terrible," she explained.
"All right, then what do you suggest I try?" I asked, genuinely curious about her recommendation. She didn't strike me as someone who was particularly into food or knowledgeable about different dishes.
"Try the Corri beans sauce and brash salad. It's probably the best item on the menu," she stated with a sense of satisfaction.
"Okay, I'll give it a try," I agreed.
"You definitely should, Mshell," she smiled. "Stop sulking over what you wanted but couldn't have, and try something new. Who knows, you might just like it more" she added
At the time, I didn't fully grasp the meaning behind her words. It seemed a bit strange, but now everything was falling into place.
All these words echoed in my mind, and suddenly, it felt like they were all trying to tell me something. But what?
"Hey, Jerry, can I ask you a question?" I turned to Jerry, who likely knew nothing about the situation, and I explained the words Mell, Jane, and Hayley had said to me.
As I spoke, it was as if I was connecting the dots and finally understanding.
"Oh, my God! It's her! It was always her and not Hayley. How didn't I realize this all this time? And I've been avoiding her. How stupid of me," I exclaimed, feeling like I might be going mad.
"Then what are you waiting for? Go and talk to her before it's too late," Jerry urged.
"What if it's already too late?" I worried.
"You'll never know unless you try," Jerry said, offering a glimmer of hope.
"You're right," I said, feeling a newfound determination. "I can't keep running away from my feelings. I need to face them, no matter how scary it seems."
With Jerry's encouragement, I decided to find Evly and have an honest conversation with her. It was time to put aside my fears and take a chance on something that felt right.
The next day, I mustered up the courage to seek her out. I spotted her sitting by herself in the library, engrossed in a book. Taking a deep breath, I approached her table.
"Hey, Evly," I said softly, trying not to sound too nervous.
She looked up and smiled warmly. "Hey, Mshell. What's up?"
"I... I wanted to talk to you about something," I stammered, feeling my heart race.
"Sure, go ahead," she said, setting her book aside to give me her full attention.
"First, I want to apologize for avoiding you. It was wrong of me, and you've been nothing but kind to me," I began, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders as I spoke my truth.
Evly's expression softened, and she reached out to hold my hand. "It's okay, Mshell. I understand. We all have our moments of confusion and uncertainty."
"That's true," I agreed, feeling grateful for her understanding. "But I also wanted to tell you something. I realized that I've been trying to deny my feelings, but the truth is... I like you, Evly."
A look of surprise crossed her face, but she didn't let go of my hand. "You do?"
I nodded, feeling a mixture of nervousness and relief. "Yes, and I've been foolishly avoiding you because I was scared of what I was feeling. But I don't want to do that anymore. I want to be honest with myself and with you."
Evly's smile grew wider, and she squeezed my hand gently. "Thank you for telling me, Mshell. I appreciate your honesty."
I took a deep breath, feeling a rush of courage. "So, what do you think? Is there a chance for us?"
She looked thoughtful for a moment before replying, "I can't promise you anything right now, Mshell. I need some time to process this too. But I do appreciate your feelings, and I value our friendship. Let's take it one step at a time, okay?"
I nodded, feeling grateful for her honesty. "Of course, Evly. I don't want to rush anything. I just needed to tell you how I felt."
"And I'm glad you did," she said, giving my hand another reassuring squeeze. "Let's continue being friends and see where this takes us."
"That sounds perfect," I said, feeling a sense of hope and excitement.
As we sat there in the library, our hands intertwined, I knew that whatever the future held, I had taken a step towards facing my feelings and being true to myself. And with Evly by my side, I felt more optimistic than ever before.
EVLY
I sat alone in the library, engrossed in a book when I noticed Mshell approaching my table. He looked a bit nervous, but I greeted him with a warm smile.
"Hey, Evly," he said softly.
"Hey, Mshell. What's up?" I replied, setting my book aside to give him my full attention.
He seemed hesitant as he began, "I... I wanted to talk to you about something."
"Sure, go ahead," I encouraged, wondering what was on his mind.
"First, I want to apologize for avoiding you. It was wrong of me, and you've been nothing but kind to me," he confessed, and I could see the weight he carried being lifted as he spoke.
"It's okay, Mshell. I understand. We all have our moments of confusion and uncertainty," I reassured him, reaching out to hold his hand.
"That's true," he agreed, seeming grateful for my understanding. "But I also wanted to tell you something. I realized that I've been trying to deny my feelings, but the truth is... I like you, Evly."
I was taken aback by his confession, but I didn't let go of his hand. "You do?"
He nodded, a mix of nervousness and relief evident on his face. "Yes, and I've been foolishly avoiding you because I was confused. But I'm not anymore. I want to be honest with myself and with you."
I smiled, touched by his sincerity. "Thank you for telling me, Mshell. I appreciate your honesty."
He took a deep breath as if mustering his courage. "So, what do you think? Is there a chance for us?"
I thought for a moment, needing to be truthful with him. "I can't promise you anything right now, Mshell. I need some time to process this too. But I do appreciate your feelings, and I value our friendship. Let's take it one step at a time, okay?"
He nodded, seeming to understand. "Of course, Evly. I don't want to rush anything. I just needed to tell you how I felt."
"And I'm glad you did," I said, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. "Let's continue being friends and see where this takes us."
"That sounds perfect," he replied, a sense of hope and excitement in his eyes.
As we sat there in the library, our hands intertwined, I couldn't help but wonder if Mshell's confession had something to do with the fact that he was going through a heartbreak from Hayley. I knew they had been close, and it must have been confusing for him to have these new feelings for me while still dealing with his emotions for her.
"Evly, are you okay?" Mshell asked, noticing my pensive expression.
I smiled softly, deciding to be honest with him. "I'm fine, Mshell. I just can't help but wonder if this has something to do with you and Hayley.
He looked surprised but quickly composed himself. "Yeah, it does. I mean, I thought I liked her, but I guess I was just confused. And being around you made me realize that my feelings for her were more one-sided."
"I understand, Mshell. Heartbreak can be tough, and it's natural to question your feelings," I said gently, hoping to offer him some comfort.
He nodded, grateful for my understanding. "Thank you, Evly. You've been so patient with me, and I don't want to rush anything between us. I just needed to be honest about how I feel."
"I appreciate your honesty, Mshell. And please know that I'm here for you, as a friend and more if that's what you want," I reassured him, hoping to alleviate any pressure he might be feeling.
Mshell smiled warmly, and I felt a sense of relief wash over him. "Thank you, Evly. You're an amazing person, and I'm lucky to have you as a friend."
"You're pretty amazing yourself, Mshell," I replied, feeling a warm blush spread across my cheeks.
As we continued to talk and share our thoughts, I couldn't help but feel that maybe this unexpected turn of events was meant to bring us closer together. Perhaps our friendship had always been a foundation for something more, and now it was time for us to explore that possibility.
Whatever the future held, I knew that I wanted to be there for Mshell, to support him through his heartbreak and confusion. And if he was willing to take this journey with me, I was more than willing to see where it would lead us.