its about time

"I haven't meant to ignore, you." Sara felt a little uneasy about coming to the grocery store. But Max was nowhere insight. She'd came to see Hansen, who looked a tad mopey even if he was donning the usual Santa elf hat that was the seasonal attire at the grocery store this time of year.

She looked around. She missed this place. A couple of the cashiers said hello. She put on her best smile.

"How are... you doing? You, didn't call." She studied him, wondering what went wrong between them. They'd had such fun on the foodtruck, working together.

"So." He was being in different. "I know, you have things to do." His sleepy eyes fluttered. Honestly, she could stand here and watch him all day, even if he weren't in a good mood. She hated to say it, but he was getting to her. She wanted to blame it on the holidays. It couldn't be a rebound thing. She'd hate for that to be the case, but she really did like being around Hansen.

"Its not like I have some ceremony, or anything. They'll mail me a certificate." She shrugged about high school being practically over.

"Sorry." He sounded as if his voice might crack and he'd be in tears.

"What's the matter?" She really hated to see him this way.

"Nothing." He went to wait on somebody for pizza. He brought her a slice then and even got her a small drink.

"What are, you doing?" She winced as if it wasn't necessary to give her food.

"I thought that's why you came by." He went out into the dining area with her. It was snowing. Big fat snowflakes fell. It was a wet snow. Not a real chance of it being messy, yet.

"I came to see you." She sat down at a booth with him. He sat across from her.

"So are you doing anything, tonight?" She wanted to know.

"Not really." He sighed as if she didn't really want to know.

"Is everything, OK?" She winced, waiting for him to spill.

"I dunno..how to say this." He scratched the back of his head in thought, or maybe that cap was a wee too much Christmas for him. She watched his pink lips move.

"Say what?" She smiled as if she was tough enough to take it. Maybe he was with Julie, and he didn't want to tell her. But she could handle it. It would be OK. They could still be friends.

"Lets just forget it." He looked so sad.

"No, tell me." As soon as she said it, she was sure she was being too needy and clingy. She didn't mean to be, but he was her only real friend at the moment.

"I don't think we can be friends." He shook his head.

"What did I do?" She winced hard. Now she was on the brink of tears, but he was already crying.

"I like you." He sighed. "If you knew..how much..you'd ..you'd think it was weird. But ..I know..you don't think of me that way. I get that. Maybe..maybe I'm just not boyfriend material." He sniffed.

"I think.. you... are boyfriend material. I really do. Wish it hadn't taken me so long to figure it out." She looked at her pizza that was turning cold.

"Really?" He was a bit suspicious.

"Really." She grinned, as if he was the only positive thing in her life at the moment. She peeled a pepperoni from the slice and fed it to him. If they got snowed in, she was glad to be here with Hansen.