I Fell in Love with Hope - Lancali

“I’m sorry.”
“Stop apologizing, I–” Neo stops again, interrupted by his own
observation. Since I can’t see C’s face, it takes a sniffle and squint
from Neo for me to understand what’s happening. “Are you crying?”
“A little.” It sounds like more than a little.
“Why?”
“Don’t you remember? You’re my English partner.”
“That’s why you’re crying?”
“You’re so mean, Neo.” I won’t argue with that statement. “But we
both know I wouldn’t have passed last semester without you.”
Neo may be mean, but he isn’t past recognizing someone genuine.
Weakness and gratitude with it pour from C like a dripping faucet.
“I’m sorry I didn’t do anything. I swear I don’t even really know those
guys.
They’re just on my team, and I didn’t want to–”
“It’s fine.” Neo drops his head.
“No. It’s not fine,” C says.
“No, it’s not, but what the hell do you want me to do?” Neo’s wound
energy from the moment he laid eyes on C locks his muscles. The
past dances across
his eyes, but it’s not the same past C recollects. It’s half of the bigger
picture.
“Just go to your room, Coeur,” Neo sighs. “Go hang out with Sam
and Sony. I don’t care. Once you’re normal again, you can go back