Nightshade: A SimLit

September 05, 2018

Nightshade: A SimLit | Chapter 13: Unfamiliar Feelings

It was the night of Harvestfest, and like every other night, Onyx and Amelia decided to sneak out together. They returned to the local park, and were conversing as they walked toward the playground.

"Sorry your power was out today," Onyx said. "My mom will be home from her second job in a few hours, and then I'll get to spend some time with her, if I'm not too tired." He sighed. "I wish she didn't have to work two jobs..."

Amelia frowned. "Hey, I know you don't really have any family to spend Harvestfest with, and you won't have much time with your mom, but..." she paused. "You have me, right?"

Onyx smiled. "Yeah, I do. And I'm really thankful that you're my friend."

"Really? I'm thankful for you, too, Onyx. You're my best friend."

Onyx stopped walking, and everything went silent. 'I'm her best friend?' he thought. 'But... why? There's so many other... normal... people she could be best friends with...'

Amelia stopped walking as well, and gave a concerned glance to her friend. "Onyx? You okay?"

"You really see me as your best friend?" Onyx asked in disbelief.

"Of course I do," she replied.

Onyx smiled, and there was a warm feeling deep down inside of him that he couldn't describe. "You're my best friend, too."

Amelia's heart skipped a beat, though she didn't know why. "I'm glad."

Amelia was quiet for a moment, before exclaiming, "Hey, we're moving too slow, at this rate we'll never get over to the playground!" She grabbed Onyx's hand and ran toward the playground. "C'mon!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!"

"Hey, let's play on the swings!" Amelia suggested. "You like swings, don't you?"

Onyx nodded. Although he had a fear of heights, he didn't want to disappoint Amelia. "Yeah, the swings sound fun!"

Amelia sat on the seat eagerly, but Onyx stood in contemplation for a moment. "Hey, Amelia, do you um... do you want me to push you?"

"Don't you want to swing?" Amelia frowned.

"No, it's fine, really, um..." Onyx tried to think of an excuse. "I just thought I'd have more fun pushing you on the swing."

"Okay!"

Onyx, feeling a little relieved, walked behind the swing she was sitting on. "Ready?" he asked, getting in position.

She looked over her shoulder and grinned. "Yeah!"

He gave her a push, and she only complained. "Push it higher!"

"Okay, okay!" Onyx laughed. "Aren't you scared of going up that high?"

"No, not at all! Are you?"

"Um..." he paused. "Yes."

"So that's why you didn't want to swing!" Amelia said. "Well, that's okay, because this is fun! You're really strong to be able to push the swing this high, you know..."

She swung back, and he caught the swing to give it another push. Their eyes met, and Amelia's heart skipped a beat again.

He blushed. "Um... you really think so? It's not that hard... I thought it was just gravity?"

"Maybe. I don't know." Amelia chuckled softly. "Ask Alexander, not me. He's the one into all the logical explanations. But I think you're strong anyway."

"But not as strong as you," Onyx replied. "After all, you're the one that beat the snot out of Vance."

"I guess so! But strength doesn't always have to do with how good you are at beating people up, Onyx. Sometimes strength is within."

Onyx smiled. 'Sometimes strength is within?' he thought. '...You're right.'

They continued in silence for a few minutes, and then stopped because Onyx's arm was getting tired from pushing the swing. He laid on the ground and stared up at the stars, deep in thought.

She laid on her stomach beside him, smiling. "You okay? You got really quiet."

"Yeah, I'm just thinking is all..."

"About what?" Amelia asked.

"Um..." Onyx paused. "Just stuff... like how lucky I am to have met you. You're the best friend in the whole world, you know that?"

"Really?"

"Really."

"Well," Amelia began, "you're the best friend in the whole entire universe."

Onyx giggled. "I guess I can't beat that one, huh?"

"Hey, um... your mom will be home soon, right? I guess we should go home..."

"Yeah, I guess," he sighed. "Hey, um... is it okay if I walk you home?"

"Yeah, of course!" Amelia said. "I'd like that."

The two friends walked to Amelia's house together, though neither of them said much the whole way. Their minds were buzzing with many unfamiliar thoughts, and their hearts were full of many unfamiliar feelings.

"So... I guess this is goodnight," he sighed. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah," she replied, turning to face him. "I..." her voice trailed off, and without warning she pulled him close in a hug. "I don't want you to leave!"

He smiled softly. "I wish I didn't have to leave, but I have to go home..." he wrapped his arms around her in a hug. "I wish we could see each other more, instead of having to keep all of this a secret..."

"I know you have to go home. I know that..." Amelia said quietly. "But I miss you, you know...?"

Onyx's smile faded. "I miss you, too..."

"Onyx, I..."

Amelia acted without thinking. It's as if she had no control; her emotions were controlling her. She leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

His eyes widened as he froze in shock.

Suddenly, the moment ended, and embarrassment hit her like a ton of bricks. 'What am I doing!? This is so awkward, like... the romance stuff parents do to each other!' She pulled away and, without a word, raced for the door to her house.

'I'm so stupid!' she thought. 'He's going to hate me now!'

"A-Amelia..." Onyx stuttered, barely able to form a sentence. "Wait..." He placed his hand over his cheek.

She didn't listen and ran inside.

He stood like that for awhile, unable to move, his heart pounding in his chest.

The next day at school, she was a total wreck. 'I can't believe I did that! He's never going to talk to me again!' she thought.

Spotting Amelia in the hall, Onyx approached her. "Hey, um, Amelia..." he said shyly. "I need to talk to you about something..."

She panicked and walked briskly towards the classroom.

"Amelia, wait!" He called. "Please..."

Amelia turned around to face him, but couldn't make eye contact. "Onyx, what if they catch us together?" She asked. "I-I can't talk to you right now..."

"I know," Onyx replied. "Which is why we're playing hooky."

"Hooky!?" she exclaimed, a little too loudly. "What if we get caught!?"

"I-I know, but I have to talk to you, okay?" he said, feeling guilty for what they were about to do. "Come with me..."

"O-Okay," she reluctantly agreed.

They sneaked out of the school, and to a nearby park. Once they were sure they were a safe distance away, they walked under a tree to shelter themselves from the pouring rain.

"Listen, Amelia, I..." Onyx began, but was cut off before he could even get started.

"I'm sorry!" Amelia exclaimed. "I don't know what I was thinking, I... I just... I really care about you, and um... my dad says that you kiss people you really care about, you know? So I wanted to do that..." she struggled to find the right words. "...because I really care about you..."

"I understand if you don't wanna be my friend anymore," Amelia continued. "You probably thought that was really weird..."

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. "You ran off before you even gave me a chance to say anything. I didn't mind it. Actually, it was... nice?"