REJECTION

Amy closed her eyes. Some minutes later Archie put a blind fold across her eyes and she gasped in surprise. Archie took both her hands and murmured softly,"Trust me and just let me help you walk." She pouted but obliged. After some moments they both came to a halt. Archie said,"OK now! You can take off the blind fold." She did so and the sight she was truly unexpected.

The old but beautiful and evergreen tree was covered in white florescent fairy lights. It was such a beautiful sight to watch at night. They were standing under the tree and fairy lights were hanging from the branches illuminating their surroundings. Rose petals were scattered, on the ground they were standing on. Amy's eyes widened and she stood there in shock.

Archie was kneeling down on one knee with a bouquet of red roses in hand. Blush was creeping up his neck and cheeks making him as red as a tomato. He cleared his throat and looked at Amy who was not able to recover from her stupor.

Still staring in her eyes, Archie said,"I know this might be a little old style but I couldn't think of another way." Her face was blank and she was giving nothing away so Archie just continued,"I have gathered a lot of courage just to say this to you and it took me long enough to realise.... what I was feeling and then some more time to gather the strength to say this out loud and I found the perfect opportunity to say this, today. A-Amy I really like you, as in more than a best friend. Since the day we've entered that classroom, I though of you as queer yet attractive and then we became friends and then best friend and I want to know more about you. Gradually I started developing feelings for you. I want to protect you, fight for you.... and with you. Will you do me the honour of being my girlfriend?"

Amy still stood there like a statue. Mind blank but at the same time racing with a million thoughts. She murmured slowly and quietly,"No." Archie stood up and took a step towards Amy saying,"A-" but was cut off by Amy who took several steps  back and put a hand up to stop him. She said,"No no no no! Please,stay where you are. No!" Still Archie tried to speak,"Hey Amy-" but again he was cut mid sentence  by Amy,"No Archie... no, this is so wrong. So wrong. You- oh my god I don't wanna think. I... I- I can't. I'm s-sorry. I can't. I'm so sorry. No. No!" She turned around and ran away.

Archie stood their stunned, processing all that just happened. Did he do something wrong? Did he make some mistake? Was he fast in making the proposal? Should he have waited? Moments passed but it felt like hours. Dropping the bouquet, he went towards the apartment.

Feeling heartbroken, he made slow steps towards his own apartment where they all had to meet. He knocked on the door and it opened to reveal his four best friends looking at him with hope in their eyes... or was it expectation? He wasn't sure.

Seeing him their faces dropped. Archie asked,"Has Amy arrived?" His voice was merely above a whisper. Brow ceased together in worry, making her frown, Em replied,"No Archie, she's not here. We thought you both will be coming back together." Archie rubbed the back of his neck absent mindedly and looked at the ground saying,"Uh... you... she -umm.. she left,uhmm.. before me. So I-I ..." he then looked up again at his friends and said,"You guys wait for us. I'll- I'll just.. you know... call her and I'll just be a minute." Em replied,"Of course honey. Take your time. We'll be waiting." He went across the corridor slowly with cautious steps.

Once back in the living room they all sighed. Em said sadly,"Poor Archie. I feel bad." Draco said,"Me too." Steph said,"But what could have gone wrong?" Ed snapped,"Can't you see that!" Em replied,"Of course! But I never saw this coming. I thought - thought... oh! Nevermind. Its all my mistake." The boys took her in a hug as Em sobbed softly. Ed said,"No Em. It's not your mistake. We just never saw this coming. We all ignored Amy." Em said still sobbing,"Did you- did you look at Archie? He was so down. It was all evident on his face." Steph replied,"We all feel bad for him Em but maybe sometime, if it is written in their fate, they'll come around. Now hush! Stop crying. Calm down." Everybody hummed in response and Em took deep calming breaths.