Chapter 23 - Will

    I couldn't get Analise to tell me why she was so shooken up yesterday.

Try as I might, I couldn't get any information about it out of her; and boy did I try. I knew she was opening up to me more, that much was obvious, but still there was a sizable wall she had up. As much as I wanted to climb that wall - knock into it, jump over it, crash into it; I couldn't. It wasn't my place to press for information, as much as I wanted to, so after a few futile attempts I gave up.

For now.

I was currently planning the best surprise for Annie; it had taken me a while to figure out what exactly I would do, but I knew the perfect thing now. I wanted to ask her out on a date, that much was clear, but the fear of rejection kept me from asking.

She didn't like me like that.

Before my dad passed, he'd always say, "Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game." It was a famous quote, not his own, but I took it too heart in every aspect. But when it came to Analise, there was something stopping me from listening to my dad's words on repeat in my mind. She was such a good friend; probably the closest I'd had, and I didn't want to ruin that by asking her on a date.

I would stop being a chicken eventually and ask, but not now. I had the date planned for when I did ask, and felt giddy thinking about it; if she said yes, she would be floored. I knew she wasn't the normal date type of girl, judging by what she did in her free time; she was unique. So I planned a date Analise could enjoy - not the usual dining and dancing that most people probably would. Most, at a glance, may not even consider it a date; but I knew Analise would.

I knew my dad would be disappointed in me for not going after what I want. He always told me growing up to not be scared of rejection, and that if you never try, you'll never know. And usually, I listened to that pretty well and it worked out for me. But for once in my life, the mere thought of a person sent my chest off like a bull in a China shop.

Analise, of course, was that person.

She was so beautiful, and she didn't even realize it. Her hair fell in natural brown curls that were so soft - not that I'd sat and ran my fingers through it, but when hugging her I felt how soft it was. She smelled so sweet, fruity and natural, probably from her shampoo since she didn't seem like the perfume type. Her brown eyes - which she thought were boring, held more emotion than I'd ever seen in my life. But she was guarded, rightfully so since the people she went to school with all her life were jerks - but most of her walls came down for me, and that was a good feeling.

Analise was approaching me, grabbing my shoulder and shaking it lightly. "Rando?"

And that dang nickname. That nickname would be the death of me. It wasn't even endearing, and normally it would put me off but I knew coming from her it was endearing. That's just how Analise was; she wasn't the romance type, or the pet name type, but nicknames were here thing. I'd come to know that and it made the nickname that much more important, to the point where when she didn't call me it, I felt empty and I missed it.

Something weird was happening to me.

I looked into her brown eyes. I wanted to tell her I liked her so bad, but I couldn't. I couldn't let her know how I felt, she would reject me and it would kill me. So I shook my thoughts off, making Justin raise a questioning brow in my direction.

"Yeah?"

"We're going to that Halloween party together tomorrow, right?"

I smiled. Analise and I were by no means party people, but I'd asked her to go with me, using the argument that if we were there together it wouldn't be as boring as a normal party. Of course with my charm, I eventually convinced her, and I was excited. It wasn't a date, no matter how much I wished it was, but I was fine with baby steps.

I nodded, running a hand through my hair absentmindedly. "Yeah."

She returned my smile, leaning in and giving me an unexpected hug - she'd been doing that since yesterday, when we hugged for the first time. It surprised me at first, especially because Analise had been the one to initiate it, and she herself told me she wasn't a touchy feely kind of person, but I wasn't complaining. It was definitely a good surprise, and ever since then, she'd been hugging me when we said hello or goodbye.

It was definitely gathering some wary looks from our peers.

"You're so whipped," Justin mumbled once Annie walked away, shaking his head and ruffling through his stuff in his locker.

"Am not," I defended, crossing my arms and leaning against the lockers.

"Of course you aren't. Tell me, what is it about Annie?"

I clenched my jaw, curling my hand in a fist. I was getting annoyed, and Justin knew it. "Don't call her that." I spat, narrowing my eyes. That was my nickname for her; no one else was allowed to call her it.

Justin put her hands up in defense. "Touchy touchy. So you don't like Ana?"

I shook my head, lying smoothly. "Nope."

He grinned, putting a hand on my shoulder. "Great, so you won't mind if I ask her out. She's so hot, dude, and I really think now's my chance with Tommy out of the picture."

I clenched and unclenched my first, a newfound unknown anger coursing through me rapidly. I'd never, ever been mad when someone liked the girl I did; if it was meant to be, it would be. "Go ahead, but she'll say no."

"Stop acting like you don't care, Will."

"I don't."

"Cool," Justin nodded. "I'll have fun kissing her then, I know she wants it to be special but-"

Justin was affectively cut off when I shoved him into the lockers. My eyes widened, as did his, and I put my head in my hands. I really needed to chill, and soon, because this wasn't like me. Sure, I hadn't hit him, but I pushed him and that was so unlike me it was scary. I was so anti fighting it wasn't even funny, but I pushed Justin over a girl.

I tried chalking it up to trying to protect a friend from giving up her first kiss, but even I knew it was a reach. I had pushed him because I liked her a lot.

I need to go eat a muffin or something.

I groaned, rubbing my hands over my face and mumbling a goodbye to him. I needed to calm myself down, and I needed to figure out what was happening.

A/N: Two chapters in a day, yess! Yes, it's been a while since we've seen Will's mom. I didn't write her out, but most of the chapters happen when they're not at home. She will make reappearances, not to worry. My chapters are short in length, but it's my writing style. Back and forth, I like to get both of their POV's on different things so that's why it goes scene to scene. There's not much happening in the gaps, and we will learn more about his mom, she's not gone forever. Keep in mind, she's also a busy woman and hardly ever home for Will.