A Proscriptive Relationship

:A Proscriptive Relationship: 30

"Holly, let's go swimming!"

I looked up at Casey as she hovered over me, her hands on her hips. I raised an eyebrow.

"Right now?"

"We've been here for four hours, and all you've done is sit there and be depressed," she accused.

"I haven't been depressed," I accused, frowning. "What is there to be depressed about?"

"Hmm, let me think," she started, putting a finger to her chin. "Could it be that Mr. Heywood isn't here?"

"What? No! I-I... it isn't that," I stuttered, feeling my face heat up.

Casey rolled her eyes. "I don't see why you don't just tell him you like him."

"Shh! Lower your voice!"

"Sorry," she said, quieting voice. "But if you like him, I think you should just tell him."

"I can't!" I cried, my eyes widening. "Casey, you don't understand the situation."

"What's the situation?"

"Oh, I don't know... he's a teacher and I'm a student?"

"And?"

"That's illegal, Casey."

Casey waved her hand. "You're a senior. It shouldn't matter."

"He doesn't even like me," I continued, digging a hole in the sand with my bare foot and burying it in it.

Casey heaved a sigh, shaking her head. "You don't know that."

"He's got a girlfriend."

Casey's eyes widened in surprise. "Did he tell you that?"

"Well, not in those words," I responded, biting my lip. "But lately he's been going on dates."

Casey rolled her eyes. "Holly, it sounds to me like your making up excuses not to like him."

I gaped at Casey, unable to think of a reply. She frowned at me, crossing her arms.

Was I making up excused not to like him? No, that wasn't it. I was just being rational. Yeah!

"I'm just being rational," I explained, furrowing my eyebrows. "I don't want to get my hopes up."

"Well, even if he doesn't like you, there's something special about you to him," she pressed. "Why else would he keep making you stay after school?"

"Because he's a black mailing devil," I muttered.

Casey sighed. "Holly. C'mon."

I glanced up at her with a frown. "Casey, let's forget about it. It's wrong, and impossible, and I just don't want to think about it anymore, okay?"

"Fine you keep on making up excuses," Casey responded, her face serious. "But when he stops chasing after you, and you lose any chance you have with him, don't come crying to me. You need to stop thinking of wrong and right, Holly, because when it comes to love there's no such thing. When you love someone, nothing should be able to come between the two of you. You're just going to be hurting yourself thinking along the lines as 'he can't like me, it's impossible'. Nothing is impossible."

And with that, she turned and started walking away from me. I watched her walk away, my mouth hanging open slightly.

My best friend had just scolded me about love.

Her words sunk in to my mind, and I knew she was right. I groaned, putting my head in my hands.

I was making up excuses. But it wasn't that I didn't like Mr. Heywood, no, I knew I liked him, loved him. But what was there not to love? He had beautiful grey eyes that seemed to pierce right into your soul. His somewhat messy, brown hair could make him look boyishly cute, or look like a young handsome man. Sure, he had a split personality, but it was sort of a charm point.