He looks me straight in the eye then turns around to leave again. I put my hand on his shoulder and stop him. "Look, I am very sorry for whatever it is I've done to make you THIS upset! Maybe I was rude or annoying, I really don't know, but I'm honestly sorry.
I hope you can forgive me and we can try and be friends, especially because I am also friends with Lucas so we're going to see each other quite often too. Let's get over this awkward situation, please."
"You really don't get it, do you?" he replies.
Now I'm confused. "Wait, get what?"
"The reason why I avoid you is because it's hard to be next to you, knowing you will never like me back. I'm in love and I have been since I first saw you. I get so nervous when you're around and I never know what to say, afraid I'll sound like the dumbest boy on Earth.
But you're in love with Lucas, I see the way you look at him. What can I do? He's my bro, and I'd never hurt him. So I kept these feelings a secret, trying to avoid you as much as possible and get over it. But it's been more than 7 months since we met and I'm still not over you."
I am absolutely shocked, speechless. This was the reason why he didn't talk to me?! Only one thing runs through my mind right now, obsessively, so I look at him and say: "Marcus, I only think of Lucas as a friend and nothing more. Never have and never will."
His face lights up - with eyebrows raised in amazement and beautiful brown eyes, Marcus finally smiles at me, possibly for the first time since I met him.