Till there was you (Fruk)

6

"I can't believe him!"

"Yup..."

"I mean! Who does he think he is? Saying something like that to me? I am a genuine person! It is him that isn't!"

"Mhmmm..."

"Pfft! That idiot! I can't believe him!"

"Right..."

"Isn't he the one that is supposed to have feelings for me? I am amazing, and he should throw himself at my feet!"

"Hmmm..."

"OH! And his stupid face! He was making that face he makes when he thinks he is right! With pursed lips and furrowed brows! I hate when he looks like that! I want to punch him in his stupid face!"

"Ahh...."

"I can't believe him! And he threw his cigarette on my floor! Now there is a mark! Unbelievable!"

"Hmmm..."

I turned to Alfred and Matthew, and they drank their drinks silently. They were still in Paris, and I'm sure they would be here for some time. "Why are you both making that face?" I asked. They were trying to avoid eye contact with me.

Alfred put down his soda, clearing his throat. "Francis, you know we appreciate you, and you are basically our dad in some weird way, but listen to me. Because I know Mattie won't say anything," he started. I lifted a brow at him, confused, tilting my head. "What?"

"Don't forget that you told us you liked him too. Do you really think that your feelings went away overnight? I mean, if you didn't like him, it wouldn't bother you so much! I mean, why do you care?"

Matthew continued to sip his tea, looking away with a smirk. "What? How could you even think that?! He insulted me in my own home! Who wouldn't be upset!? Besides, I still care about him! But it's more of a respect kind of thing! I respect him!"

"So you don't care?"

"What? I said I did—"

"Having respect for someone and caring for them are completely different things! For example! Did I respect Andrew Jackson? Yes, it is my duty to respect him and do what he says! But did I actually care about his well-being? No! I could care less if he died at the time! See! Two different things! If you respect him as a nation, then that's all it is! It is the same respect you have for any of the other nations you aren't close with! But if you care about him, that is different. It seems to me that you care about us more than him, which is surprising!"

"Oh, that's not true; I cared about all of you equally!"

"Well? Not anymore, it seems. I don't think I believe his sense of fashion was the last straw for you. Why don't you care? Really! What are you hiding?" Alfred added. Matthew looked at him, shocked, as if finally seeing him say something bright for once. "Mattie, don't look at me so shocked! I'm wise when it counts! But anyway! Seriously! Spill! What are you hiding?"

Eh?

I wasn't really hiding anything.

It is as I thought yesterday. I don't think I was actually in love with him. Maybe it was the idea of someone to spend my life with. However, I agree that his clothing would be an odd tipping point. Perhaps I already knew, but I finally accepted it once seeing him again.

"I'm not sure, but maybe it's for the best that we end trying to talk to each other. I feel like it's always something with us; maybe I should try making some other friends," I said. They looked at me, shocked and hurt, but I brushed it off. "WHAT? NO! The two of you have always been together! You can't give up!" Alfred spoke.