She approached his locker. She had a couple of things for him. She hoped that Slaughter would like them. They were years old but that didn’t mean that the meaning was lost. As she stepped into his space she waited for him to notice her which usually took a shove but somehow he responded before then.
“Hey Denise.” Slaughter’s voice was muffled behind the locker door.
“Slaughter!” Denise couldn’t help but blurt out her joy. “I have something for you!”
And so do I… Slaughter wanted to say but decided against it.
“Oh, really? What is it?” He said. Still looking at his locker behind the locker door.
Denise rolled her eyes. Well, you going to face me you brute? “It’s something you have to see, silly! Look!”
Slaughter still didn’t move. Instead, he responded with, “Hold on a second.”
She did. Denise honestly took the time to wait—until a certain point. When she finally couldn’t take it anymore Denise forced the locker door out of Slaughter’s right hand and swung it open. Annoyed, she scrunched up her nose and forced her eyebrows downward.
Slaughter’s right arm fell, and forced him to step to the right. The locker door was now against other lockers. Turning, Slaughter looked at where his arm was and Denise. As if by instinct, Slaughter took his right arm and placed it on Denise’s right side and faced her. Even if she was angry, she looked cute. Slaughter smiled and looked into her eyes. Moments later Denise finally realized how close the two were.
“What—“ Denise started then paused, “Are you doing?”
Slaughter blinked. I’m showing you something. “I. Don’t. Know.” Slaughter replied in surprise.
Awkwardly, Denise stepped back.
“I wanted to give you this, I drew it back in Freshman year and here’s another from sophomore year. I was just to chicken to give them to you.”
The drawings were of them. He already knew. He knew that she had a crush on him in those years but he was going out with people so it was a no every time. Had he known she would be the most loyal in the end he would have accepted her a long time ago but he was foolish. Now the two were friends. Or at least that’s what he wanted to believe.
“Thank you.” Slaughter said with a smile.
“You’re welcome!” Denise grinned back and gazed into Slaughter’s eyes.
Did he do what I thought he just did? She questioned herself as she stared.
He stared back. Thinking to his own heart’s content. You should tell her. It pushed.
Tearing away from her gaze he thought to himself. I can’t.