I closed my locker, "Shoot."
Alice nodded, "Um, do you know Harold? I'm sure you do...."
I smiled, "Uh, yeah. I know Harold. Una's what's-her-face's friend?"
Alice nodded again, "He wanted me to tell you," She said slowly. I nodded, gesturing for her to go on.
Alice looked me in the eyes, "He wanted me to tell you that he loves you."
My eyes widened, my jaw sagged slightly. Is this what it feels like to have your entire body to shut down at once? I couldn't believe it. Did Alice really just say that?
"Excuse me?" I said shakily.
Alice nodded, "He came up to me in the hall, his arm in a sling. My guess is that he and his friend Una got in a tangle again. He said to me, 'Alice, please tell Angela that I love her.'"
I shook my head, "Why didn't he just say it himself?"
Alice chuckled a little, "Ange, boys are like that, too embarrassed to say it themselves."
I took this all in. "But I thought he was afraid of me. I mean, I was totally stalking him a few months ago!"
Alice studied my face for a second and I drew back. "Oh, um. Forget I said that. Quoting Chris."
Alice nodded as if to say sure. "Well, Angela, I can tell that he really seems to care about you."
I bit my lip. What had I ever done for this kid? I'll tell you what; I creeped him out at recess a few times, I asked Chris if he thought Harold was cute, I scared Harold more (unintentionally), I wondered if Harold had I girlfriend- wait, what? I thought about this. Should I be happy? What should I do?
Alice looked at me, "Are you alright, Angela?"
I tried to clear up my thoughts, "Um, yes. I-I'm fine."
I thought about what Alice had said all day. I tried desperately to find Harold so I could talk to him myself, but I didn't see him anywhere in the school.
I sat on a bench at recess, ironically the same bench where Chris and I had once watched Harold, wondering. I stared into space, thinking. Chris came over to me, "Hey, Ange." I blinked and looked up at him, "Oh, hey Chris."
"May I join you?" He asked politely. I nodded.
Chris sat down, studying my face. "What are you thinking about?" He said.
I sighed. If there was anyone I could talk to, it was my brother. Chris understood me,
didn't judge me. He knew me. So, I told him. "Harold."
Chris nodded curiously and I continued, "Alice said... that Harold gave her a message for me." I sighed again, "H-he told her to tell me that he loves me."
Chris smiled excitedly, "Really?"
I hesitated and then I nodded. "I.... I just don't get it. Why would he have any reason to
like me? It's not like I ever did anything for him."
Chris put him arm around my shoulder, "Well, you see, Angela. Love is a confusing,
beautiful thing. Sometimes you'll think someone feels one way and they feel the opposite. Sometimes you think you feel one way, and you feel the other."
I studied him, trying to understand what he was saying. "What are you getting to?"
I asked.
Chris pursed his lips, "Well, it may seem unexpected for Harold to come out with this, but that doesn't mean it's not possible."
I sighed heavily, "Chris, I keep expecting you to jump up and start singing 'All You Need Is Love' by the Beatles."
Chris chuckled, "Well, I guess I tend to be good with these things." He said in his way of trying to sound modest.
"Thanks, Chris. Where ever would I be without you?" I said, sighing. "Hey, you haven't
seen Harold by any chance, have you?"
Chris shook his head, "I haven't."
I thought for a moment. Should I be worried? Does it mean anything? Did he leave
because of me? I didn't know what to think.
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