Anastasia

Fifteen

Anastasia remained still as her face grew terribly warm and her heart did a foreign flip.

"Oh my, he is very sweet," She murmured with a soft dreamy smile and walked back to her desk.

Something was off.

This wasn't normal.

She was still warm from his hug.

"What's the matter with me?" She whispered, entirely confused.

It was only Austin.

He was her friend.

Good, sweet, kind, wonderfully thoughtful, surprisingly lovely, and silly.

She rested her head on her desk and sighed.

It didn't even make sense how they became friends. It simply happened.

She would never regret befriending the unusual man.

Austin was a light.

But still, it didn't explain what was wrong now.

"I may have made myself sick," She reasoned, lifting her head.

With all the crying she'd done in the last two days, it would be right.

Whatever it was, she hoped it would go away.

She didn't get sick often and she didn't want it to meddle with her life.

If she was sick, she'd have to stay away from Austin until it passed.

"That sounds rather unpleasant," She scrunched up her nose and checked her schedule for the upcoming tour.

Unbeknownst to Anastasia, the sickness she felt were butterflies, frazzled nerves, and warmth from Austin's kiss radiating from her forehead.

"Life goes on,"

-

Austin felt like his heart was in his shoes.

Anastasia was going to hate him. Or something.

He wasn't sure.

Not at all.

He was torn.

Kissing her forehead was a natural action. It was second nature like walking.

Still, he never wanted to be a man who took without permission. He didn't want to be like Bradley in her eyes.

However, if he slowed down and thought, Anastasia would've said something had she been uncomfortable. She spoke her mind with him.

A smile grew on his face.

She was something.

"Man, that chère is," He paused.

What was she?

What wasn't she? That was the real question.

He sat on the steps of the museum and looked at the people passing by.

Were they falling in love with a friend who could never love them?

His eyes shot wide and he shook his head.

"I am not falling in love with her." He said firmly. "I just ain't. I can't." He added.

He stood up and walked to his truck.

He had to get somewhere private to hash this mess out.

It couldn't be true.

It wouldn't be true.