LOVE!!! Has something deep inside me awoken?! [Part 3]

My early morning walk was an unmitigated disaster. Not only was I unable to clear my thoughts, but I also managed to make a fool of myself! I can’t believe I yelled “I LOVE YOU!!!” so loud that I flipped over someone’s truck!

“I can’t believe I did that!” I said, chugging a can of coffee, only to immediately regret it.

It was the most bitter thing I’ve ever tasted. My tongue immediately recoiled as my stomach churned, not wanting anything to do with this disgusting drink. However, if I didn’t want to pass out later this afternoon during class, I was gonna have to drink it.

That and I spent money on the thing. No way was I going to let it go to waste!

Putting on a brave face, I gripped the edge of the table and forced myself to swallow. The immediate aftertaste had me dying as I quickly shoved my breakfast sandwich to help get rid of the taste.

The coffee’s taste proved too powerful to be taken down by the sandwich. To make things worse, the effects of the hot sauce were kicking into high gear. Tears filled the corner of my eyes as I found myself trudging through the depths of hell, desperately seeking relief from the raging inferno in my mouth.

All I had to put out the fire was, sadly, more coffee.

I pinched my nose and downed the rest of the bitter drink.

The strangest noise escaped my mouth once I swallowed. It was a mixture of a cry, a sigh of relief, and a gag all rolled into one.

“Today’s the worst day ever,” I said, dropping my head into my arms.

Once again, the thoughts of my dream from last night came plowing through into the forefront of my mind, mixed with my declaration of love back at that old guy’s farm. The two would then be spliced together, with me standing before Jack, confessing my feelings.

No! Nonono! I’m not going there!

I shook my head, trying to ignore these feelings, which were on the verge of bursting from deep within. It’s not possible! There’s absolutely no way that I love Ja-

NO! I’m not even gonna finish that statement! The statement that’s so thoroughly FALSE that it’s statistically impossible for it to be true! Probably!

I don’t even make sense to myself anymore! Am I sick? Well, kinda, after downing that coffee and sandwich in quick succession.

I gripped my stomach, which was churning in fury from my abusing it.

“Get it together,” I told myself.

Instead of clearing my mind, I’ll just think of something entirely different! Man, that cupcake last night sure was good!

The one Jack gave me.

NO, WAIT! That road’s dangerous. Okay, new thought! Video games! Man, I sure do love video games! Especially old Japanese fighting games!

Like the one I played the other night with Jack, where I mimicked my favorite character’s victory pose.

NOPE! WRONG TURN!

New thought go: I wonder what I—

Jack was super cool at the mall yesterday when he held me in his arms.

GRAH! REVERSE! REVERSE!

It didn’t matter what I thought, my mind would connect the dots and bring Jack into the equation. It was like that Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon game, except with Jack, and I was able to make the connection with only one degree.

As my mind went in circles, my stomach felt even worse. The butterflies from my emotions had now crossed with indigestion, creating a whirlpool of discomfort and nausea.

“Hurk…”

I gripped my hand to my mouth as an acidic sensation went up my throat, only for me to force it back downward. Tears were now dripping down my cheeks, caused by the confusing feelings welling up inside me, and the discomfort from my upset stomach.

At any moment I was going to burst in more ways than one. I had to get out of the cafeteria and get to the bathroom, stat!

I picked up my backpack, selfishly leaving my tray and garbage behind. There wasn’t time for me to go and put that stuff away, lest I wanted to puke my guts out all over the floor.

Don’t tell me that I could’ve simply puked in the trash can. I know that! Just wasn’t thinking straight at the time!

Slowly, I staggered across the cafeteria, stopping every few steps to try and force back down my breakfast. Just had to hang in there a little bit more. Just a bit further and I could relieve myself in the privacy of a bathroom stall, where nobody could see me in my horrible messy state.

But then, just as I opened the cafeteria doors…

“Hey! You won’t believe what happened to me this morning!”

Before me stood Jack, soaked from head to toe. His clothing tightly hugged his masculine body like vacuum-sealed packaging. Nothing was left to the imagination. His pecs, his six-pack, his belly button… Everything.

He whipped back his wet hair, flinging water droplets onto my face. A comforting smile spread across his face as he was glad to see me.

“I was walking to school, when all of sudden I heard this loud voice echoing around me like a sonic boom, causing a fire hydrant to burst and–”

Once he got a good look at my sickly state, he was absolutely horrified.

“Daniel! What’s wrong?! Ya sick or something?!”

He tightly gripped my tiny shoulders with his strong hands. He appeared to be worried as he continued to talk, but nothing he said was registering in my ears anymore. Despite that, I knew he desperately cared for me.

Ah… I truly love him, don’t I?

The contents of my stomach burst from my mouth and onto the floor. Seconds later, I collapsed, and everything was enveloped in darkness.

***

My brain was foggy as I tried to figure out what was happening. Just moments ago I was puking my brains out. But here I was, laying on the hardest mattress in the world, covered by the thinnest sheet in existence.

Looking around, I noticed some health-oriented posters on the wall, with stuff like the importance of eating healthy, and not slouching or else I risk permanently damaging my back.

Guess I was in the nurse’s office?

After realizing that, I sorta recalled collapsing. Did I pass out?

“Daniel!” shouted a worried voice.

Alarmed, I turned my head to the person who was calling me.

“J-Jack!!!” I yelled in shock.

Jack, in nothing but a bath towel, shot up from his seat and ran over to me.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Why are you naked?!” I screamed with a crack in my voice.

“Nurse is looking for some dry clothes for me, but forget about that.”

Like heck, I can!!!

He placed a hand on my forehead, checking my temperature. “You look red, but it doesn’t feel like you have a fever. How’re you feeling?”

Completely overwhelmed right now! Well, that’s what I wanted to say. Instead, I replied “O-o-okay.”

“Thank God,” he said, giving me a big ol’ bear hug.

My mind went blank as he wrapped himself tightly around me. Every breath I took had the aroma of his scent mixed in with the smell of alcohol-based sanitizer. To say I was excited by this turn of events was, to put it mildly. I was like a rocketship, blasting through the stratosphere and piercing the heavens. Angels came down tooting their trumpets, welcoming me.

I tried asking “What happened?” in regards to how I got here, but the only sound I could manage to pinch out of my vocal cord was a “wha-wha-wha-wha-wha-wha.”

Jack must’ve been a psychic or something because he managed to answer my question anyway. “You threw up and passed out in the cafeteria, so I carried you to the nurse’s office.”

“I passed out?” I asked. “Wait! I didn’t throw up on you, did I?!”

“Oh. You think that because I’m currently… Ha ha! Nah. You’re good, man. Unrelated incident.”

I sighed in relief. Not sure how I’d live with myself if I had thrown up on Jack.

My relief was short-lived, however. Further down the bed, standing strong and proud was my member. It pushed the thin white bedsheet right on up toward the ceiling, with ripples of fabric flowing downward.

All Jack had to do was turn his gaze just a few degrees to the left, and he’ll have front-row seats to Bonerama.

“Uh oh. Now you’re pale as a ghost,” Jack said. “That can’t be good. I better go find the nurse.”

Just as his head began to start turning toward the direction of Dicks Peak, I reached out and grabbed his face.

“Um,” he said, my hands squeezing his cheeks together. “What’re you doing?”

I DON’T KNOW!!!

“I-I-I… Um… Y-you can’t go out there looking like that! You’re just in a towel! What if someone sees you?” I said frantically.

“Good point,” he replied. “...So why’re you still holding my face?”

“Ah!” I chirped, letting go and immediately turning away from Jack. I pulled my legs in and clenched my stomach to mask my bulging member.

I listened to Jack walking back over to his chair and sitting down. The two of us sat in silence as I slowly managed to calm myself down.

“So,” Jack said, breaking the silence. “About yesterday...”

Oh crap! I never figured out what I should say! Guess I’m winging it!

“It sure was something!” I said, quickly sitting up and spitting out words like a rapid-fire machine gun. “Who would’ve thought we’d see Red Sandrea in person, huh?! And then Magical Knight Lune swooped in to save the day! Not that I saw much, to be honest. Whenever Red appeared, I bolted and ran away. I know I should’ve said something to you, but I was fearing for my life so much that I just kinda forgot to mention it! Sucks I never got to try that Princess Cupcake after you gifted it to me. Maybe next time. So hey! You stuck around, right? What was Magical Knight Lune like in person? I’ve only seen her mentioned in the news and such. Is she nice? I bet she’s a nice person, what with all she does around the city.”

Jack was taken aback by how quick and energetic I sounded. He then crossed his arms and looked toward the window, scratching his nose. “She’s cute.”

I hid underneath the sheet to hide the red face I knew I was about to have after he called me cute.

“Brave, too,” he added.

I shivered in excitement.

“And strong,” he tossed onto the pile of compliments.

“Is she your type?”

I covered my mouth with my hands, immediately regretting that I asked that. I didn’t want to know! Well, I kinda did. But I also don’t. But do! Also no! Do! Don’t!

There was some internal conflict, as you can see.

No point in trying to deny it any longer. I’m in love with Jack. Being just his best friend wasn’t enough for me. I wanted more. For the two of us to become a couple. To live the rest of our lives together to old age.

But what if Lune wasn’t his type?

Sure, Lune was a separate identity when I act as a magical girl, but she was still me. I am Lune. There isn’t a Daniel and also Lune. The two were a singular entity: me.

Hence my fear of hearing his answer.

Jack wasn’t the gay type. Not that he’d ever had a girlfriend, mind you, what with him never being in a position to have one. But if he had more free time, I’m sure he’d totally have a girlfriend.

But a boyfriend?

And it being me?

No way! Absolutely, positively, one hundred percent never gonna happen! How awkward would it be for me to confess my love to him as Daniel? His childhood best friend! It’d be awkward! Heck, it could potentially strain our friendship! Even ruin it! I wasn’t gonna let that happen.

Lune, however, could. There’s no history between Jack and Lune. No nearly decade-long friendship shared between em.

It’s impossible for a Jack x Daniel pairing to exist. But a Jack x Lune pairing? There was a chance.

Hence the source of my fear of hearing an answer from him.

What if Lune wasn’t his type? That would mean I’m not his type. That means even if Jack were gay, then he still wouldn’t be interested in a relationship with me.

A definite rejection.

I plugged my ears, not wanting to hear his answer. It hasn’t even been an hour for me to finally accept my true feelings for him. To come out and embrace this love I have for him, only for him to immediately go “Nah, lol”? Talk about a world record speedrun for loving someone, only to get rejected and fall into an endless pit of despair.

“Hm…” Jack said.

Man! Dude! Stop! Where’s that nurse? Is she still having trouble finding dry clothes for Jack to wear? Can’t she barge in here and interrupt him in some comedic fashion? Completely throw off the scene so I don’t have to hear his answer? Just let me live in ignorance! I’d prefer to live the rest of my life unsure whether there’s a chance or not than having a definite rejection!

“...Yeah. She is,” Jack answered.

She is…

She is!

I AM!

I’M HIS TYPE!

I shot up from the bed. “I–”

The door swung open, revealing the school nurse. In her hand were a gray sweatshirt and sweatpants that she got from the athletics department. She handed them to Jack, instructing him to quickly put them on and head to class, and to come back later in the day to return them for his clothes when they were fully dry.

Doing as told, Jack slipped them on and headed for the door, but stopped and turned toward me. “Feel better soon. Alright?”

Feel better soon? Heck, I feel great now! Like a million bucks! Can’t remember the last time I had ever felt this good. Probably never! This was peak!

Course, when the nurse asked how I was feeling, I told her I still wasn’t feeling all that good. Because I had thrown up, that was an automatic “you can go home” card, which I took advantage of. There was no way I was going to be able to focus in class today after all that happened.

Once excused, I walked off campus, transformed into Lune, and flew high into the sky! I danced amongst the clouds, doing loop-de-loops as I giggled and cheered in excitement. Round and round I went, soaring around the city

“I’m his type!” I yelled.

But then my adrenaline rush wore off, and my lack of sleep finally caught up with me. All that flying sure didn’t help.

I flew home, went up to my room, and collapsed onto my bed with a huge smile.

“I’m his type,” I said one last time before passing out.