text: [Themes: love & dating, romance]
  
  "We've almost graduated!" you say to Andrew, one of your best friends.
  
  "Yeah. I can't believe it!" he exclaims, smiling his adorable smile. "Hey, do you think Incredibles 2 will ever come out?"
  
  You laugh at the sudden change of subject. Andrew's known for doing that. "I hope it does, but it's not looking good," you reply.
  
  "Ugh. Pixar needs to start doing better than Finding Dory!" he groans.
  
  "Hey! That movie wasn't THAT bad," you say.
  
  "Yeah, but it was for Pixar. Pixar can do better. WAY better."
  
  You snicker. Andrew's obsessed with Pixar and has all the toys from Toy Story. You wonder if he'll abandon them when he goes to college.
  
  Suddenly, Andrew's smile that always remains on his face vanishes. He stares at the ground. You're both on the roof of your house with your legs hanging off the edge. It's your favorite place to be.
  
  Andrew's ocean-blue eyes are still looking down at the ground, sadly.
  
  "Andrew. Is something wrong?" you ask, hesitantly.
  
  He stops. "Nah. I'm fine."
  
  You know fine doesn't mean fine though. It never does.
  
  > say Nothing
  You decide to say silent. Maybe Andrew doesn't want to talk about it now. You stand up.
  
  "Do you want to go inside?" You ask.
  
  Suddenly, he stands up and turns to you, his lips inches from yours.
  
  "I..." He starts to say. "Yes. Yes. Let's go inside."
  
  As soon as you get downstairs, Andrew grabs his stuff, says bye and heads out the door, leaving you alone and confused.
  
  The next day at school, you see him talking to LINDSEY. The skinny brunette who steals boyfriends. Surprisingly, she's actually been nice to you the few times you've talked. But she's just not right for your best friend. Not right for Andrew. What do you do?
  
  > YELL IN HER FACE!
  You stomp up to them, step in between the couple, and face Lindsey.
  
  You're panting and your face is crimson and sweaty. Lindsey has never lost her smug face before. But this time, she whips around and scurries away in her clumsy high heels.
  
  You turn to around to see Andrew grinning at you.
  
  Then he smiles. You love seeing him smile. But you're still seething.
  
  "I knew it," he murmured, now smirking.
  
  "Knew what?" you demand, almost yelling.
  
  "Nothing," he shrugs.
  
  Lunch time! You're starved and still a little confused. Where do you sit?
  
  > Alone
  You sit alone and avoid eye contact with Andrew. It isn't long before he comes to sit by you.
  
  "Hey."
  
  You look up from you lunch and mutter, "Hi."
  
  "So? Is there a reason you're sitting alone? Suddenly allergic to obnoxious teenagers?" he smiles. But it isn't his real smile.
  
  You manage a short laugh. You don't really know what's gotten into you. First the screaming, now the excluding yourself. Suddenly, Andrew moves closer to you, his eyes meeting yours intensely.
  
  "Do you want to go somewhere after school?" he whispers.
  
  > Yes
  "Yes," you reply, a smile lighting up your face.
  
  "I love it when you smile," he blurts out. Again with the random remarks. You want to say the same thing back to him about his smile, but you decide to wait until the "date" after school.
  
  You wait outside, clutching your bag. The sun is starting to set in the indigo horizon. Suddenly, somebody swoops you up and runs off with you. You don't bother to scream, since you know who it is.
  
  Andrew then sets you down and you two are on a bridge stretching over a creek. Weeping willows dotted with violet flowers surround the clear, rushing water. Diamonds begin to appear in the dark void above you.
  
  Andrew then pulls you close to him, his sapphire eyes gazing into you.
  
  "Can I kiss you?" he whispers.
  
  > You're sorry. You're Just Friends.
  "I'm sorry," you mutter. "We're just friends, Andrew."
  
  His smile vanishes. His eyes turn grey as a lifeless, black and white photograph. And in it, you see a picture of Andrew leaving you forever.
  
  "And I don't want to lose that friendship!" you quickly add.
  
  "Please. I can't live with you just as my friend. I love you more than that," he whispers, still holding you.
  
  "But I just don't want to date you. I'm sorry," you say, hoping he's not hurt.
  
  "Then why did you yell at Lindsey for flirting with me! I thought that was a sign that you for sure liked me back!" he says with frustration and confusion.
  
  "No, Andrew! It's because she's an idiot and you DO deserve better than her. I didn't want you to end up with a girl like her. Because I do care about you, but not in that way!" Why doesn't he understand?!
  
  "Maybe I SHOULD just go be with her," he mutters, pulling away. "Because she actually would date me."
  
  "Andrew!" you shout. "Just because someone wants to date you, doesn't mean they love you! It could very well mean they want to use you! And I don't want to date you, because I'm afraid that will ruin our friendship forever!"
  
  He pauses, looking down at the fine wood of the bridge.
  
  "I get what you're saying," he mumbles. "But I can't just be friends with the woman I love. Please. Go out with me, or we can't be friends."
  
  > Fine, you'll go out with you.
  "Fine. I'll go out with you. Happy?" you say.
  
  He raises his head and stares his intense eyes deep into your soul.
  
  "Even though you don't want to?" he asks.
  
  "Yes. Even though I don't want to," you reply.
  
  He hangs his head again. A howl hoots in the distance.
  
  The stars and moon seem to grow dimmer, and the world around you is like a dark and dreary castle having all the candles snuffed and all the light and life sucked out of it.
  
  Andrew speaks. "Can't do it. Just can't."
  
  He turns and runs off the end of the bridge that leads into the forest.
  
  He's gone.