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The sound of gentle rain masks the busy noise of every day life, Branch gazes towards the window watching the droplets stream down rapidly against the school's window.
It was the last period of the day, and Branch finds himself no longer able to focus on the words of his teacher as they become meaningless drones in the background. Unfazed by the noise surrounding him, he sighs and returns to the window.
*breathe in ~breathe out~*
It wasn't like he was thinking of any thing important though the dull pain in his chest could beg to differ. But it's not like this is any news to him, he's been feeling this way for quite some time. He just doesn't know why.
*brrrrriiiiinnnng*
The bell's alarming sounds pulls him from his thoughts and awakens him from a thoughtless day dream. He quickly grabs his class materials, heads out the classroom and begins walking down the hall, fading into the crowd as time goes by.
As he finally approaches his locker, he loses focus as his name was called, echoing throughout the halls. And before he can turn his gaze towards the sound, he finds himself stumbling backwards from a great impact. His vision blinded by pink hair and a faint scent of strawberries invades his nose. That dull ache in his chest returning.
"P-Poppy?" He wheezes
"Hey Branch!" She greeted with great enthusiasm, "What's up Man! Haven't seen you in a while" she says with a smile graced upon her face.
He grips tightly to his hoodie, a sudden warmth hits the ache in his chest granting him a small moment of bliss. While he can feel his prosthetic leg lock up. He answers with a stuttered,
"I'm f-fine, how are you?"
And when he said that, all hell broke loose.
She began rambling and rambling. And all He could was....fall.
Fall into a sense of security
Fall into a sense of familiarity
Fall in....love.
It's been awhile since he felt this way, but once he got a taste of it he never wanted to let it go.
A small thoughtless smile graced his face and for once he allowed the warmth to take over.
"And did you know it was gonna rain today Branch cause I didn't. Gosh That totally got me!" She continues
The last statement pulls Branch out of his thoughts as he remembered that he had prepared for this and brought an umbrella.
"Maybe..." he thought, " Maybe I could offer to walk with her home... maybe I could...."
He began to talk himself out of it until that warmth inside reminded him... it reminded him... that this is a feeling he didn't want to lose.
As he noticed that her rambles were coming to an end he worked up the nerve.
"H-Hey Po..."
"Oi Poppy there you are!" Another voice enters the scene.
Poppy turns her back to Branch as she fixed a loving gaze on the owner of said voice.
"Creek!" She yells as she close the distance between them and pecks his cheek.
And there it goes, the warmth is gone and replaced by a knock of cold air settling heavily on his aching chest. He slants his head to the side as he sees them together. For some reason not being able to face it.
Poppy calls out to Branch. He slowly turns his head facing her. He's graced with an image of Creek resting a possessive hand on her hip while an annoyed,disgusted grimace settles on his face pointed at Branch and then smoothes out into an superior smirk. Creek scoffs and fix his voice towards Poppy while looking Branch dead in the eye.
" I've been looking for ya love" leaving a great emphasis on love. Now breaking his eye contact with Branch, giving his attention to Poppy.
"Are ye ready to go now, babe?" Creek says as if he was taunting Branch.
Branch eyes slightly widen
"Go?" He whispered a bit confused.
"Oh yeah!" She exclaimed
Creek sees the confusion settling on Branch's face, so with a harsh smirk he says,
"Yes love." He boops her nose, " We wouldn't want to waste any time on our 1 year anniversary since we started dating."
She giggles in reply and looks towards Branch. Branch meets her gaze halfway blinded by her innocent and oblivious smile.
Another ache hits him coursing through his body.
"Sorry Branch, we gotta go! Talk to you later!!"
"I doubt it" Branch thinks.
With that said she walks away, Creek falling close behind but not before he hits Branch with a fake pitiful gaze.
And that when he shatters.
~~~~~~~~~
He suddenly finds himself facing the door of his home, how he got here... well he's unsure. All he knows is he's drenched, he looks towards his hand too see that he's tightly gripping the unused umbrella. Why he hadn't used the umbrella did not seem to cross his mind either.
He sets a dead gaze to the door as he mindlessly opens it. A sudden burst of warmth hits him as he enters the house. Closing the door he head straight to his room.
"Mi hijo estas aqui?" a familiar voice calls
"Sí Grandma, voy a ir a mi habitación por ahora." Branch replies
"Bueno, ven a cenar en un poquito!" She says
" I'm okay... I'm not hungry though." He replies and runs to his room closing the door.
" But, mi hijo !"
~~~~~~~
When Branch reaches his room a whirlwind of emotions hit him. He doesn't know if he should scream or cry or what! The ache in his chest suddenly weighs a ton and all he wanted to do was be released. He settles to just plopping on to his bed not caring that his wet clothes are soaking the sheets, grips his chest as a last feeble attempt to dull the pain and lets himself succumb to the weight.
" A year....a whole fucking year wasted. No communication, no comfort, no nothing...and then she comes as if nothing had changed. But something did change! I just can't pinpoint what....."
He know that he loves her, he just knows it. But he told himself that she will never notice... that sh-she won't ever...
He could feel his emotions overpowering him
breathe in~breathe out~
He allows himself to close his eyes, his mouth slightly open letting the words flow through him.
~"The soft gentle rain graces all with its presence
Its soft patter plays a melody, soft and inviting.
And though I appreciate its willingness to share its song, it doesn't compare to the ones you create.
Your light hair, your simple beauty, the faint scent of strawberries.
Creates an array of melodies that I can't get enough of, ones I wish to harmonize with.
The roaring the roaring the roaring thunder
Its volume speaks loudly
Awakening me from a distant dream
Though unbearable I can't complain
For its the only thing keeping me sane~
He grips his chest tighter, the pain increases, suddenly opening his eyes his stricken gaze towards a blank ceiling,
an emptiness swallows him whole and his breaths become quick and shallow.
He just finds himself completely and utterly fucked. He wants to react, to show some kind of emotion but he can't and he won't.
She's happy and there nothing he can do about.
Nothing to do but lay here and become accustomed to the dull, bitter, aching pain in his chest because he knows it won't be going away anytime soon. He knows he so screwed
One fucking year...
"Shit" he whispers bitterly