Unchanging

Chapter 2

"Seth!" Wendy greeted him with a huge smile on her face. "How was the defense?" He stood still, his face expressionless the moment their eyes met. "Hey, what's wrong? How did your defense go?"

A smile slowly creeped up his face as he shot both of his hand up in the air, "we did it!"

Her hands made up its way to her mouth as she tried to stop shrieking. "Congratulations!" Wendy threw her arms around Seth's neck as he pulled her close by the waist, "I knew you could do it!"

He spun her around and held her tighter as his excitement got the best of him. "I'm sorry," he said as they laughed while she struggled to stay on her feet because of the dizziness she felt. Seth had his hand cup her head and had it fall on the crook of her neck, "thank you," his eyes trying to explain more than what he had uttered.

She giggled and gave him a light knock on the chest, "it's not really a big deal to give you support, you know."

"It is for me," he smiled. "I've been busy these past few weeks, should I make up for it and go home with you today?"

She nodded like a little child, "I'd be very pleased," she chuckled. "I can't wait to tell you things!"

"Things?" Seth tilted his head in confusion, "what things?"

"Lots of things," Wendy giggled as she made her way out of the auditorium. "I'll just get my stuff then let's meet at the school gates," she said as her head peeked through the door, and Seth nodded as a response.

Every step was like a beat to Wendy's humming. She was happy for some reason Seth wasn't aware of, but he didn't mind because he liked seeing her that way. All he could do was watch her and smile; he didn't stay beside her because he felt guilty of the nightmares he felt he had caused, not because he was her best friend, not for the shape of her silhouette nor for the rhythm of melodies she was humming. He stayed because he was immeasurably in love with the being that she was.

"Do you remember Xander?" Wendy turned with a big smile on her face.

Seth snapped back to reality as her question answered everything he didn't know. "Why?"

She shrugged and started walking again, "I just feel happy whenever I'm with him."

"What do you mean?" Seth's hands balled into a fist inside his pockets, nails digging deep in his flesh.

"It's just that," she looked up as if the answers she was looking for was there, "I've never had anyone make me feel this way. The way he looks at me, it's like I can see every explanation I need even before I could ask him questions that form in my mind. The way he makes me feel safe – comfortable – whenever I'm with him. The way a single touch can send shivers down my spine; how I can get intoxicated with his presence, it's just..." Her face was calm – happy – "it's exhilarating."

Seth had stopped walking even before he realized it; a frozen deer caught up in the headlights. He wanted to be happy for her, but he knew it would be hard. It was like there was a big lump on his throat that made it hard for him to take in the air his body needs; he felt cold and feverish at the same time.

She was a meter away when she stopped to see that Seth had stayed behind. "What's wrong," she asked full of bewilderment.

He looked at her with empty, expressionless eyes as he smiled, "nothing." He started walking to lessen the gap that he had created between the two of them. His expression was blank, eyes showed of his shattered heart that Wendy couldn't even tell. "I'm just happy for you."