Second Best
Reuben.
Tony never came back after that day. He never called, never messaged, would never see his smile. Lilith was hurt, a childhood crush just gone.
"Hey Lilith do you wanna hang out?"
"...what...?"
Reuben pulled her aside flashing his coy smile.
"Come on. I've been asking you for a month now, it's time to let go of Tony. Besides I want to take you out before the school year ends"
<I don't think of Reuben like this. Hell I hardly know him besides a friendly hello and hug time to time>
"Just as friends?"
.......
<Friends...?>
.......
<Tony would hate me.>
.......
<Tony...>
.......
"Meet me at this restaurant tomorrow at 5. I'm not taking no for an answer now"
.
Lilith waited out front of the restaurant. Wearing a shirt that Tony bought for her birthday, her mind clouds...
<I can't be with anyone else. Why would Reuben want to be around me anyways, his groupies should keep him occupied. I just wanted to show up to have him stop bothering me and tell him I'm still hung over Tony...>
"Lilith!"
A giant squeeze wraps around her waist.
"Reuben! Please stop"
Lilith turned to punch his gut when he grabbed her hand and gently rested it to her side. A bright colorful arrangement caught her eyes. Flowers. Next to the flowers he held a box wrapped with ribbon.
"Lilith I got this for you the week after I met you, but since Tony was possessive of you I couldn't properly hand it to you." He handed her the box.
"Reuben. Why? Why did you do this?"
"Well after meeting you isn't it strange that I also quit the football team so that I can hang out with you and Danielle? Strange that during pep week I made sure the colors we used were the colors you liked or the theme is something you liked? That every girl looks at me the same except for you. You... you look at me like I'm nothing special. You're not intimidated by me, the fact that every girl wants to have me but even after Tony left you still want nothing to do with me. Well you know what? I like you. Lilith. The shyness, the awkwardness, your honesty and above all your loyalty."
<Awkwardness?>
The silence was broken by Lilith's laugh.
"Reuben. I'm just me. I don't see myself worried about looks or popularity. I;m happy that someone liked me as sincere as Tony, or that Danielle is my friend. I don't want much. I just want to be happy."
Reuben's red face slowly faded. He reached for the box, tearing into it slowly. He pulled a pale blue bracelet. Nothing fancy but nothing simple.
"Lilith be with me. Even if the year ends soon and I'm heading to High School, I'd still want to see you."
<The last time I got a gift was from Tony...but who knows if he'll ever come back....>
"Ok."
"Hey Lilith do you wanna hang out?"
"...what...?"
Reuben pulled her aside flashing his coy smile.
"Come on. I've been asking you for a month now, it's time to let go of Tony. Besides I want to take you out before the school year ends"
<I don't think of Reuben like this. Hell I hardly know him besides a friendly hello and hug time to time>
"Just as friends?"
.......
<Friends...?>
.......
<Tony would hate me.>
.......
<Tony...>
.......
"Meet me at this restaurant tomorrow at 5. I'm not taking no for an answer now"
.
Lilith waited out front of the restaurant. Wearing a shirt that Tony bought for her birthday, her mind clouds...
<I can't be with anyone else. Why would Reuben want to be around me anyways, his groupies should keep him occupied. I just wanted to show up to have him stop bothering me and tell him I'm still hung over Tony...>
"Lilith!"
A giant squeeze wraps around her waist.
"Reuben! Please stop"
Lilith turned to punch his gut when he grabbed her hand and gently rested it to her side. A bright colorful arrangement caught her eyes. Flowers. Next to the flowers he held a box wrapped with ribbon.
"Lilith I got this for you the week after I met you, but since Tony was possessive of you I couldn't properly hand it to you." He handed her the box.
"Reuben. Why? Why did you do this?"
"Well after meeting you isn't it strange that I also quit the football team so that I can hang out with you and Danielle? Strange that during pep week I made sure the colors we used were the colors you liked or the theme is something you liked? That every girl looks at me the same except for you. You... you look at me like I'm nothing special. You're not intimidated by me, the fact that every girl wants to have me but even after Tony left you still want nothing to do with me. Well you know what? I like you. Lilith. The shyness, the awkwardness, your honesty and above all your loyalty."
<Awkwardness?>
The silence was broken by Lilith's laugh.
"Reuben. I'm just me. I don't see myself worried about looks or popularity. I;m happy that someone liked me as sincere as Tony, or that Danielle is my friend. I don't want much. I just want to be happy."
Reuben's red face slowly faded. He reached for the box, tearing into it slowly. He pulled a pale blue bracelet. Nothing fancy but nothing simple.
"Lilith be with me. Even if the year ends soon and I'm heading to High School, I'd still want to see you."
<The last time I got a gift was from Tony...but who knows if he'll ever come back....>
"Ok."