Chapter Text
“I have a boyfriend!”
I felt my stomach suddenly clench up.
“Y-you what!?” I yelled, clutching the phone in Kurain Manor’s main hall.
“You know, a boyfriend! His name is Ben!” Trucy clarified.
“I-is he your special someone?” I asked.
“Something like that,” Trucy confirmed, “but like, oh my gosh Pearly!!! I’m so happy right now!!”
“I’m so happy for you!” I said…
… I think?
For whatever reason, I didn’t feel happy. I love hearing Trucy excited about something! She has a bright smile and a lot of energy! She was especially so now about her special someone! I want to be happy with her, but all I feel is… I don’t know what…
“Thanks! I can’t wait for you to meet him! He’s really nice, and tall, and cute and…” as Trucy continued gushing over this person, I tried to understand what was happening. Trucy has a special someone? I didn’t think that would happen! I mean, Trucy is a wonderful girl, but she hasn’t been in a relationship yet. At least, not until now. I don’t even know who Ben is, and I’ve met a lot of Trucy’s classmates.
“T-Trucy?” I interrupted.
“Yeah Pearly?” asked Trucy.
“Um… how did you and um… Ben meet?” I questioned.
“Oh, so we were kinda friends already, but he asked me out on a date a couple days ago, and I thought, sure why not? We went bowling yesterday!”
“Bow-leeng?” I’m getting better at knowing what city things are, but I still need some work…
“Yeah! It’s a sport where you throw a heavy ball and knock down ten pins!” Trucy explained. Sounds like that game Trucy played to win be that bear at the “kar-neh-vole”...
“So anyway, we go bowling, it’s a ton of fun, we go out on a walk before our date ended, and he asks me if I want to be his girlfriend!”
“Aw, that’s sweet!” I replied.
“I can’t wait for you to meet him! He’s like, the most amazing guy!” Trucy exclaimed. She sounds on top of the world…
Trucy has been my best friend ever since Mr. Nick introduced us when we were kids. I don’t have many friends actually. Since I live in the village I don’t have many people to talk to. I have the elders of course, but I don’t really see them the same way I see Trucy. There’s also a couple acolytes my age, but I don’t talk to them often. Ellen is nice, and though Jamie is quiet, she can be pretty funny, but that’s it. In a way, Trucy and the rest of the agency are my only friends. Trucy seems to be the opposite. She has a lot of friends from her school. She’s introduced me to some of them and they’re very nice. I remember her friend Maria especially. She seems very supportive and even protective of Trucy. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of Ben before though. Trucy usually tells me everything about her life, so Ben must have been a new friend of hers. Or, new boyfriend I guess. That still feels weird to say. Trucy has a boyfriend…
“Pearly!”
Hmm? Oh, I think I dozed off for a second.
“Sorry! I blanked out.” I said.
“It’s okay! So as I was saying, you’re visiting this Saturday right?” she asked.
“Of course! Mystic Maya is coming too!” I answered. Mystic Maya recently finished her training to be master of Kurain Village, so she’s taking this opportunity to visit Mr. Nick! He’d probably want her around now that Apollo is working in Kurah’in.
“You should totally play bowling with us this weekend!” chirped Trucy.
“Oh! I-it sounds like fun…” I said. Truth be told, I would have prefered to just be with Trucy this weekend, but I’d also like to meet Trucy’s special someone!
“Yes! I gotta go. Talk to later!” said Trucy.
“Bye!” I hung up the phone and walked outside. It was a beautiful day. The sun was bright, but not too hot, the sky was mostly clear, you could hear birds chirping and the slightest breeze move the bushes. I want to appreciate the beautiful day but… for whatever reason, Trucy having a boyfriend is really distracting me. It’s all I can think of.
I saw Mystic Maya come out of the bus stop and ran over to greet her. Maybe she can help me figure out what’s going on.
“Mystic Maya!” I squealed.
“Pearly,” she chimed, returning the hug I gave her, “what’s up?”
“Um, so Trucy told me she has a special someone…”
“Oh yeah! Nick told me about that,” said Mystic Maya, “she was really happy about it! Even if Nick’s being a big old grump about it!” I’m not surprised. Mr. Nick says he trusts me to “not let any boy hurt his little girl’s heart”.
“I don’t know why, but I feel kind of… weird? About it? I’m not sure what I’m feeling…” I explained. Mystic Maya’s eyes widened and she had a weird grin on her face…
“Pearl Fey, are you jealous??” Maya asked with an excited smile.
“Wh-what?” I was really confused…
“I think you have a crush on someone!” Maya exclaimed.
“D-does that mean I’m hurting someone!?” I stuttered.
“No silly,” Maya giggled, “it means you like someone! Like, want to date them!”
… I do?
“F-for who?” I asked.
“Trucy probably. You two are best friends! It’s adorable!”
I never thought of it like that. Do I have a “crush” on Trucy? I know that Trucy likes both boys and girls, she told me a couple months ago, but her with me? I don’t think I’ve ever felt that way about a girl. Or anyone for that matter. Because of how little I talk to people my age the only person I would grow close to was Trucy. But I never grew so close to her as to fall for her…
… did I?