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Aubrey has always found her drawn to someone she found so very important to her. Sunny, a onyx-haired boy she’s known since they were both around the age of nine. He had always listened to her talk on the swings, never judging her for anything she said and he wouldn’t tell anyone anything she said unless she told him otherwise. He kept her information safe in his hands and his head.
Something was so calming about his presence, always appearing as if he had everything together with a calm and relaxed demeanour that quelled her worries whenever she felt scared. He was also very smart and had quite a snarky personality when he wanted to. Despite all this there was… one flaw…
He was so stupidly oblivious to any hint or move Aubrey tried to make.
She would’ve loved to call their last three hangout sessions ‘dates’ but Sunny hadn’t done anything, it was a little irritating. He could pick up on her pouting or sadness but not the reason behind it. Mari suggested that it might be because of how he views himself that he can’t pick up on hints, that doesn't mean Aubrey wasn’t beginning to be a little irritated.
She had asked for help from so many people, Hero, Mari, Basil, even Kel for christ sakes. They all told her something similar ‘just be more honest and upfront’ HOW MUCH MORE ‘UPFRONT’ COULD SHE GET!?
“You okay?” The raven-haired boy now standing in front of her asks, wearing a simplistic white button up - one or two of the buttons undone due to heat - and some jeans. He takes a spot next to her on the swings and begins to move back and forth slowly.
“No. Not really.” She starts. “Can I tell you something Sunny?”
“Sure.”
“So there’s this boy right?” Sunny can instantly feel something in his heart shatter a little, his body tenses with worry. “I think my feelings for him have been so obvious but he’s so oblivious that it infuriates me. No matter how clingy I get or how much I rest on his shoulder or take him somewhere where it’s just the two of us he can’t pick up on anything… I’m starting to worry that he just doesn’t like me even if others tell me otherwise.” Hell, Basil even flat out told her Sunny has a crush on her. He said it was back when they all spent time together in the rain that he realised but there had been hints before then. They were 11-12 at the time and now they’re both close to being 15, maybe things have changed?
Sunny’s a little nervous, her being so affectionate with someone else made his heart stop momentarily. He takes a deep breath and reassures himself that whoever this person is that Aubrey is in love with he’ll just do his best to be happy despite that. “What’s he like?” He asks, swallowing a lump in his throat.
“Well…” Aubrey can feel her cheeks turn a little red. “I used to think of them as super mysterious but as I got to spend time with them I realised how sweet and caring they are, how calm I feel around them… they make my heart beat so quickly whenever they show their small smile. They’ve been so nice to me, always making time for me… sometimes they’ve even tried to protect me or look after me when things got bad and they’d tell me that everything was alright… I think they’re so cool, but I’m worried they won't love me back.”
Sunny stutters a little as he speaks. “W-Who wouldn’t love you Aubrey?” He starts, unaware of the pink shade of the girl's cheeks. “You’re such a nice and strong person, your smile is so… amazing. It’s ironic that I’m named Sunny when everything you do just makes you seem to burn brighter and brighter than any star or sun in the sky…” he grips onto the chains. “Anyone who wouldn’t love you back with all that you are… it’s hard to imagine.” He had said it all so clearly that Aubrey was taken aback by his delicate words softer than any pillow she had rested her head on. It only took a second to remind herself that this guy is the same one so oblivious to her advances. Causing her to groan.
“Look Sunny, I’m going to be blunt. The person I have a crush on is you.” And just like that Sunny’s ears had turned a bright red, his face covered in confusion and disbelief. “I have been so obvious these past two years to you that it is unbelievable you haven’t noticed anything. Since my THIRTEENTH BIRTHDAY I have been trying to get with you. Just last week I took you to a new coffee shop across town to spend time with you. I LITERALLY HELD YOU BY THE HAND AND CALLED YOU CUTE! I DON'T EVEN LIKE COFFEE!?” The raven-haired adolescents mouth was left agape, he looked at Aubrey for a few seconds before chuckling a little bit. “W-Was it something I said?” Aubrey feels nervous, she is so worried that Sunny is about to say something that will break her heart to pieces.
“So that’s why!” Sunny facepalmed. “I am so stupid…” Mari had been trying to tell him about this - Basil to a greater extent. “I’m so sorry Aubrey… I just didn’t want to ruin what we had, even when we were kids you had moments where you would hold onto me so I just thought nothing of it… same sort of thing with the compliments I guess, although they did catch me off guard.”
Aubrey’s held back tears that would’ve come from her eyes had this been a rejection. “S-So what you’re saying is-“
“Yes, I love you too.” He interrupts her but she knows he isn’t trying to be mean, he’s just trying to calm her as quickly as possible. “You’re so pretty and I love so much about you. I love your voice. I love your face. I love everyth-“ just like that Sunny had been pulled off his swing, Aubrey presses her head against his upper chest as she puts her arms around him. He gently reciprocates. “Sorry for being so dumb.”
“You should be.” She pouts, hiding in the crook of his neck before lightly punching his arm. She can feel him rest his head on her hair. His hands slowly moving up and down her back in an attempt to comfort her as she giggles. “I thought I was being so obvious this whole time, I guess we were both pretty bad at getting our feelings across.”
“Maybe so. But we have time to make up for it right? Very early in the morning.”
“Good. You’ve been avoiding this for two years so you have a lot to make up for.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Good. Now let me do this next bit.” Aubrey pulls back and tugs Sunny down a little bit, kissing him on the lips before making sure he can stand back up on his feet without collapsing. His ears are beet red… so cute.
“I guess this makes us Super Best Friends now.” His snarky attitude made itself known, causing her to stare at him blankly for three seconds before she huffed.
“I’m leaving.”
“Nooooo, Aubrey waittttttt.” He lets out a slight laugh as he follows behind her. Holding onto her hand as she leads him who knows where.