"I love you, I always have."
These words echoed in Oscar's ears drawing him in to a state of confusion. She spoke clearly, yet he was one finding it hard to respond with words.
'When did it happen?'
'Why do you love me?'
'How did it come to this? We weren't even close friends, more like healthy rivalry but this?...'
A lot of similar questions were swarming through his head ready to pop out. He took a deep breath, processing this information and then looked back at Myra.
"I know you have a lot of questions. As to how, why, and when. Am I right?" Myra assumed his thoughts.
Oscar's brows furrowed her guess was almost accurate.
"I'm no mind reader, it's written all over your face." Myra said with a bright smile.
Oscar was bewildered by her expression, it was as if he was meeting her for the first time. Her actions and emotions were different from the usual stoic and cold demeanor she usually portrayed.
Myra wasn't someone detached but she didn't have any close friends, being almost antisocial due to her introverted personality which was known to everyone around her. Even the clique she had at school only served a purpose, being merely classmates and study buddies. So getting a confession from such a person would come as a surprise to anyone.
"Well to answer your questions, it didn't just happen overnight. Do you remember the first competition we had?"
"Was it the math competition at junior high?"
"No before that."
"Oh! The debate!" Oscar exclaimed as he recalled the first clash he had with Myra.
"Yes, that one." Myra affirmed it.
"Well what happened to it? Cause if memories serve me correctly, then I do remember you being so pissed off that you wanted to..."
"Crush you. It was the first time anyone beat me in a competition ." Myra completed the statement, stunning Oscar with her response.
"Oh, okay." Was all he could say.
"Not literally though. What I mean is, I didn't want to lose to you ever again but..."
"It kept happening over and over." It was Oscar's turn to complete the statement.
"Yes it did, and I never knew how bad it was to be second best till I met you. It almost drove me to insanity."
"..." Oscar was speechless at this point.
"Do you know the saying; knowing your opponent is a major factor in gaining victory."
"Never heard of it."
"That's a surprise coming from you, I thought you knew almost everything."
"There is still a lot I don't know, I'm lacking in a lot more areas than you think." Oscar replied, heaving a sigh at the end of the statement.
"Anyways, I made it my objective to study you and see what you did that was different, the reason why I would almost win but end up losing to you by a few points every single time.
It was then I realized the amount of effort you put in yourself, it was like you were being motivated by an invisible force. I'm not praising you, just stating the facts, our class had no shortage of smart people but the way you thought and acted was unique. It was like, you never wanted to be part of the crowd, you always wanted to carve out your path, even if it lead to a dead end you'd still do it.
I also realized that you made mistakes, a lot of them."
"I am not perfect, I never was."
"I know, and that's when I started to like you. You had your troubles, your bad habits, your obsessions. I still remember the time you almost set your entire locker on fire."
"!!" Oscar's eye widened in shock.
"If you think no one saw you then you are wrong, cause I did. I remember trying to hold myself back from laughing when you made an excuse as to why you had no books after the break when you had accidentally burnt them off."
"You know too much." Oscar said as he narrowed his eyes.
"Yeah, and what are you going to do about it?" Myra inquired mirroring Oscar's expression.
"Humph."
This caused Myra to giggle, laughing at Oscar's display.
"Summarily, I've known you long enough to know that what I feel for you is not infatuation." Myra said, donning a serious expression.
"Hmm..." Oscar hummed, lowering his head with his hand on his chin, seemingly in contemplation.
Myra let him be, giving him time to think and process everything she had said.
When Oscar raised his head, she observed his expression, however she couldn't tell if he was going to say yes or no. So she decided to speak first.
"I love you and I'm not going to take no for an answer." Myra declared.
"Huh?"
"Don't worry, I'll give you time to think about it."
Myra knew it was going to be hard, even harder now that he knew how she felt about him but she didn't want to be outright rejected. Oscar though, had other plans.
He responded.
"There's nothing to think about, I know you planned to cultivate my feelings to be able to reciprocate the emotion. I can't fault you for doing it, regardless of that, dragging a reply..."
'When I don't know if I will be alive in the next couple of years."
"Is not something I want to do."
"What I'm saying in essence is, I'm willing to give it a chance. Getting to know you, the sides of you that haven't been seen by anyone is something I find intriguing."
"I didn't think you would accept at this instance." Myra replied, surprised by his decision the joy of being accepted was evident in her voice.
"Why wouldn't I? You made your intentions clear, and the only thing you have been doing so far is help me." Oscar voiced out his reasons and proceeded to say.
"What I need you to understand is that for now let's begin our relationship by being friends."
"..."
Myra expression could be likened to someone who just got a gift and it was taken away immediately after she opened it.
Oscar didn't mind her expression as spoke.
"Strangely enough, you seem to know me more than I do you. Which I feel is not right, so for this to work I need to know more about you. Your good sides, your bad sides and as I said before, the sides you've never shown anyone else. That is how I'll know that you are being sincere with me."
"Are you sure?" Myra asked.
"Sure about what? Do you have a dark secret that..."
"I mean are you sure you are not going to have a relationship with someone else while we are just friends?"
"Well..."
The intentional delay in his words made Myra almost erupt in rage as her magical aura spiked.
"Calm down I was trying to make a joke. Huu.." Oscar words caused her to cease what she had in mind.
"Okay." She went back to her adopting her cold demeanor. But after seeing her smile and giggling, Oscar knew it was a front to hide her feelings.
"You are cute, you know that."
Myra's expression distorted, she lowered her head trying to hide the involuntary effect the statement had on her. This did not go unnoticed by Oscar, piquing his curiosity.
"Don't tell me, you are weak to compliments."
"I'm not." She replied, her head still lowered.
"Then look at me."
"..." She still kept her head lowered, the sides of her face had a faint glow.
"Myra, look at me."
This time she complied.
"Don't be shy."
"I am not shy."
"I agree, shy people can't do what you just did." Oscar said bursting into laughter.
This annoyed Myra, she cast a spell on him, using dark magic to hold him in place and cover his mouth.
She stood up from her seat and came in front of him, gazing down at him she said.
"Let's see you laugh now."
Before Oscar left for the forest, Myra was evidently stronger than him, she had dominated him in the last fight they had, but Oscar's unyielding attitude stopped her from going too far. But currently...
Oscar stared at the binds, then stared back at her. Even though his mouth was covered, his eyes were smiling, enveloped in a radiance of reddish-amber lights. She noticed something was something was different but before she could take any action.
"Too late." Oscar voiced out as he broke through the bindings and caught her.
Taken by surprise she moved back but was cornered, she wanted to invoke some magic but he held her hands above her head pinning it to the wall, making sure she couldn't cast any spells.
Smiling, he asked.
"Who do you think I am?"
"You have grown stronger."
Instead of feeling angry, she smiled brightly as she stared back at him, her gaze meeting his.
"We should fight!" They both voiced out simultaneously.