Another Romantic Tale

“Can I just tell you something? Please don’t get insulted or take this the wrong way or anything. You promise? Never mind. I’ll just tell you straight out. I…. I think you’re cute. There I said it!” She turned away, not wanting to see his expression.
     Being shy, once he heard her call him cute, he broke out in a blush and buried his head against her to hide it from her sight. “What….? Why do you blush? I didn’t know you blushed. I thought you were too…… handsome, too cute to blush.” He blushes even more as he cuddles close to her waist like a little kid. She brought her hands under his chin and raised his head so their eyes met. “Why do you blush? Have I hurt you or something?” He grabbed and kissed her hands, but didn’t say a word. She brought his hands to her cheek and rubbed his hand up and down her cheek. “Please tell me.” He could only gaze back at her shyly as his face turned a darker shade of red.
    “Ashley!” A commanding tone interrupted their exchange. “What do you think you’re doing with that…….imperfect guy? All you need is right here!” With that, he swept her in to a passionate kiss, away from the male who ‘seemed’ undeserving of her. His eyes looked away with an unfathomable sadness hidden in their depths. But after several seconds, he glanced a look in their direction. He noticed that she wanted to be away from him, that arrogant guy, but couldn’t do anything about it. She just wasn’t like that. And what could he do? He, just a wimpy guy, could do nothing to help her but watch helplessly. When the arrogant guy finally let her go, he turned and shoved the other one off the bench.
  “That was not necessary, Matt.” Ashley said as Matt pulled her away from Derek. “Yes it was, my dear.” Matt said as he kissed her cheek in such a way as for Derek to see. He just sighed as he collected himself and turned around to go to his class. Oh yay. Another class, more work. How fun. As he walked into his classroom, he inwardly sighed again.
     As he walked through the hallway on his way to his next class, he was shoved suddenly to the floor by Matt. “Watch where you’re going, Twerp!” Derek struggled to stand, but Matt grabbed his shirt and lifted him off his feet. “You mess with my gir again, I’ll make sure you never mess up with anything again!” Matt shoved Derek away from him so he skidded across the floor and landed in a heap. Derek looked for Ashley, wanting to tell her something before he left. Ashley, not knowing that Matt was watching them, fell to her knees to see if Derek wasn’t injured. When she helped him on his feet, he brought her close in an embrace and whispered, “I love you.”