Her eyes darted back and forth between Zita and Derf. The feelings of panic, flutters of love, and betrayal roared throughout her in a dizzying mixture. What was she going to do? She knew she couldn’t run. That wouldn’t work at all. Plus, they would both think she was crazy and Zita would probably tell him after she left. No. She would have to stay there and figure out what to say.

“Well, as Zita so kindly pointed out, I do have something to say to you.” Her dramatic emphasis on kindly wouldn’t have been missed. She eyed the fourth year then looked back to her Derf. However, just as she was about to tell him, another idea came to mind. This was not how she wanted to let her crush know how she felt, yet she had to say something. She cleared her throat in preparation for what might come.

“You see, my sweet friend, Zita, was telling me how much that kiss at the beginning of the year meant to her. She’s been up crying every night, wondering if you would ever kiss her again. I wanted to help her out, be a sort of buffer, and get the conversation started between the two of you.” She words sickened her as they rolled off her tongue. Every part of her wanted to scream ‘It’s me, I love you’, but she couldn’t put him on the spot like that. Not in front of Zita. It had to be alone at a time he could answer honestly and not under pressure from onlookers.

She took a small step back and away from Zita once she finished speaking, strategically positioning her body so Derf was slightly between them. She wasn’t sure what the older girl would do and she needed time to move if needed.