The Answer I Gave
599 Words
I didn’t see her again that day.
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Not in the library.
Not in her usual spot.
Not even near her classroom.
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She was gone.
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The only thing left was the letter.
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I read it again.
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And again.
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Not because I felt something—
but because I needed to decide.
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She was waiting for an answer.
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And I already knew what it had to be.
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If I was going to go through with this—
I had to accept.
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Not just for her.
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For me.
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I needed to understand relationships from the inside.
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And this—
was the perfect chance.
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She had already confessed.
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That meant I had the advantage.
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Something I didn’t have before.
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So I made my decision.
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I would accept.
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Learn what I needed.
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And when I was done—
I’d walk away.
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Simple.
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At least—
that’s what I told myself.
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It was Thursday.
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I didn’t respond.
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I let it sit.
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Until Monday.
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First thing in the morning—
I looked for her.
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Nothing.
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Then I finally saw her.
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And the moment she saw me—
she ran.
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Again.
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I frowned slightly.
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Not this again.
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Monday passed.
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Then Tuesday.
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I tried to talk to her.
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She avoided me every time.
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I texted her.
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No reply.
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This wasn’t going the way I planned.
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Maybe I waited too long.
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Maybe I should’ve answered earlier.
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Thursday.
Friday.
Even the weekend.
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But I wanted to say it in person.
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Now—
it felt like everything was slipping.
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The next day after school—
I saw her again.
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And just like before—
she turned and ran.
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But this time—
I didn’t stop.
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I chased her.
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It didn’t take long to catch up.
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When I did—
we were both out of breath.
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Standing there.
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Silence.
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I didn’t have a plan.
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Not this time.
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But the words came anyway.
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“Why are you avoiding me?” I said.
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My voice was steady.
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“You’re breaking my heart here.”
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A lie.
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But it worked.
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I saw it instantly.
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Her eyes shifted.
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Softened.
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Then—
they filled with tears.
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“I thought…” she started, her voice shaking.
“I thought you were going to abandon me… like everyone else.”
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She struggled to finish her sentence.
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“I thought you’d say no… and I didn’t want to hear it…”
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Her words came out uneven.
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Broken.
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I stepped closer.
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Gently placed my hand on her head.
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“It was always yes,” I said.
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“From the start.”
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That wasn’t true.
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But she believed it.
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I could see it.
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The relief.
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The way her shoulders relaxed.
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The way she looked at me—
like I was something she had been waiting for.
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I stayed there.
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Comforting her.
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Saying the right things.
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Doing what I had learned.
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And in that moment—
I understood something clearly.
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There was no going back.
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Not after this.
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I had chosen this path.
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And now—
I had to play it through.
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No hesitation.
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No second thoughts.
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Just forward.
- Writer
