"Hey come on big guy, don't pass out on me." A woman's voice says.

A man opens his eyes. He sees a short girl standing next to him, his arm around her.

He stumbles.

"Oh no you don't." She says, catching him before he falls.

"Rachel.. where are we?" The man says, slurring his words.

Around them, the sound of cars passing by roars in the man's ears.

"Well right now, we're on a sidewalk, and I'm TRYING to keep you on it." She says with a worried chuckle.

"Home!" He says, pointing to a house at the end of the street."

"Yeah there you go, your home. We're almost there!"

He groans. "..Bench."

He trips and smacks his head against the seat of the metal bench in front of them, then lands face down on the concrete.

Her eyes widen.

"Yeesh. Please be alive." She says, somewhat jokingly as she rolls him over.

He blinks a few times, looking up at her.

"Ouoh god!"

He sits up quickly and begins vomiting on the ground next to the bench, hand on the armrest.

She pats his back.

"There there buddy."

He stops puking, and wipes his mouth with his right hand.

"Ugh!" He exclaims as he sees the puke on his hand. He shakes it, which only ends up getting some of it off.. his hand anyway.

"Are you okay?" She asks in a soft, warming tone.

He looks into her eyes to the right of him, before quickly looking away!

"Don't look at me!" He irrationally shouts.

"Okay, okay, I won't! I'm sorry!"

She looks to the road instead, tapping her foot awkwardly.

"I.. I didn't mean to yell."

"No, no. It's okay." She says, trying to reassure him.

A loud truck goes by.

Silence follows.

He continues looking into his puke puddle.

...

"...Do you think you can make i-"

"Rachel." He interrupts.

"Oh. Yes?" She says, straightening her posture.

He closes his eyes.

...

"I love you. You know?"

"Well, I mean duh. I love you too dude. Now let's get you h-"

"No. You don't understand what I'm saying." He says, interrupting her again.

She takes a deep breath with her eyes closed, then opens them.

"Okay. Go on."

"I... I really don't know how." He says, chuckling hopelessly halfway through his sentence.

She kneels down to his level, and looks him in the eyes.

He puts his hand against the side of his face, blocking the view in her direction.

"No, no." She says, grabbing his hand and pulling it down.

He looks down to their hands. She's holding it.

A few rapid breaths come out of his nose, almost like he was sobbing without tears.

She puts her other hand against his, making a little hand sandwich with his in the middle.

It means more to him then she understands. Then again, maybe she does.

"I didn't mean to get this..."

"Fucked up?" She asks with a smirk.

They both laugh.

Then, the tone in the air immediately changes, as if the wind started blowing.

He sighs.

"It's difficult to say, huh?" She asks, consoling him.

He silently nods.

"You know.. you don't have to be scared of the rejection." she says, rubbing her thumb against the palm of his hand.

He feels a hiccup in his heart. As if he just now he realized that it wasn't going to happen.

"You know I have a boyfriend, you've even hung out with him."

"yeah." He says.
"He's a great guy."

"But you still love me."

He smiles with one side of his mouth, not out of happiness, just as some sort of coping reaction.

"I'm so glad that you're happy with him. Genuinely. He's awesome. I just..."

She hugs him from the side. His shoulder against her chest.

"You're so sweet. You know that?" She says with a smile.

The smile confuses him. This feels like a sad conversation.

He closes his eyes.

"I just.. want to make you happy in anyway that I can."

"You do." She says quickly, yet softly.

"Heck. You make me happier than my boyfriend does. Just.. not like that. You know?"

He nods.

"If it makes you feel any better. I'll probably never love him anywhere near how much I love you."

He looks down.

"Is.. is it bad that that doesn't make me feel any better?.."

"God wait no, I feel like shit saying that, I take it back!" He says frantically, right after.

She stops hugging him. Then puts her hand on his shoulder.

"Don't. I'm not sad. Those are your true feelings right? You shouldn't ever feel bad about telling me them."

It goes back to silence.

"I still want to be friends with you Rachel."

She chuckles.

"Dude. Don't even worry about that. You think I'm attractive, that's not that weird. I'm a pretty girl."

"It's not just your looks."

"I know, you dummy." She says, poking his cheek. "I'm super fucking flattered that you feel that way."

He smiles, blushing a bit.
"Good."

"You know. I'd kiss you on the cheek if there wasn't puke on it."

He laughs.
"Can I get another hug then?"

She doesn't let any time pass before slamming her chest against his.

"Of course!" :)

They both enjoy the feeling of their hearts beating against one another for a few minutes. Just sitting there, hugging.

"Hey.."

"Yes?" She asks, still hugging.

"I'd really, really like to keep hugging you, but I feel like I'm going to pass out like, any second now."

She laughs.
"Oh alright. Let's get you home then."

The End.
:P