Change my Mind-- Chapter 2
Title: Change my Mind
Author: Sportafan
Rating: PG-13 for a bit of mild language and some possible innuendo, both of which will be in future chapters
Summary: Stephanie has always admired Sportacus, but when she begins to develop a crush on him, Sportacus pushes her away. Hurt by the rejection, Stephanie is able to find comfort, and eventually, love in an unexpected place.
Author’s Notes: I don't think I'm as pleased with this chapter as I was with the first one. :\ I was sort of in a rush, since I've been bombarded by plot bunnies for later chapters and am really anxious to get on with it. xD Hope you enjoy it anyway.
Chapter Two
Stephanie took a long drink of water, hoping to buy herself a bit more time.
What did Sportacus mean? Explain what? She thought she’d been clear. “I love you” wasn’t difficult to understand, was it? There was no way it could be misconstrued.
When the bottle was empty, Stephanie turned reluctantly back to Sportacus. “I love you,” she said for the third time, wondering at how the words were easier to say now. “I can’t see how that needs an explanation.”
Sportacus hesitated. “You mean you love me like a father, right? Or a brother?” His eyes begged her to say yes; to take the way out that he’d provided her.
Stephanie suddenly felt very angry at him for trying to belittle her feelings. “No, Sportacus!” she cried, and her eyes began to water again. “That’s not what I mean at all!” She took a deep breath to steady herself and wished the tears would stop blurring her vision. “I’ve always admired you, but somewhere along the way, that admiration developed into something more. I’ve had a crush on you for almost six years!”
Sportacus showed no emotion. “Six years is a very long time, Stephanie,” he said softly.
“Don’t you think I know that?!” she snapped back. “When I went away to the university, I was certain that my feelings for you would fade. That I would meet someone else and fall for them. But every guy who approached me failed to meet my expectations. In my mind, I had the image of the perfect man; the man I wanted to love.” She gave the superhero a hesitant smile. “It was you.”
Sportacus was silent for a long time. When he finally opened his mouth to speak, Stephanie almost hoped he would yell at her. Ask her why she was unable to move on with her life. Ask her the same questions she asked herself on a regular basis. If he was going to reject her-and he was, Stephanie was certain of it-could he at least do it without feeling sorry for her?
But he was Sportacus, and the only time he raised his voice was to call out greetings to people, or to give commands to his airship.
“I’m flattered, Stephanie.” Are you? she wanted to interrupt, but her throat had closed up. “But I just can’t see you as-”
He trailed off, obviously at a loss. Stephanie swallowed and managed to finish it for him, though she couldn’t keep her voice from sounding harsh. “As anything more than a child.”
Sportacus nodded. Stephanie gave him a small, bitter smile. “I understand,” she said tightly.
“I’m very sorry.” He sounded sincere, but Stephanie felt no better for it. “We can still be friends, right?”
Stephanie looked away, blinking hard. There it was. That infamous line. Stephanie had never known how much damage it could deal until now.
She suddenly felt guilty for ruining their relationship. And it was ruined; Stephanie didn’t try to disillusion herself about it. The trust was no longer there, nor was the closeness. Even if she got over her heartache and moved on, there would always be an awkwardness between them. A broken glass may be mended, and perhaps even used again, but the cracks will always be visible, the fragility gone forever.
Stephanie was tempted to refuse. Did Sportacus really expect them to act as though nothing had happened? He could probably pretend, but she couldn’t.
But storming away now and ignoring him for the rest of the summer would be pointless, Stephanie told herself, not to mention immature. She grimaced. Then he’d think even less of me.
She took a deep breath, let it out slowly, then turned back to Sportacus. He seemed anxious, and Stephanie suddenly hated him a little for caring so much. It would have been so much easier if he had walked away.
Easier, she thought with a sigh, and so unlike him.
“Of course we can,” she replied, smiling a little too widely and giving herself away.
Sportacus didn’t seem to notice. Instead, he looked relieved, almost happy. Stephanie hated him for that, too.
In the heavy silence that followed, Stephanie realized that every conversation with Sportacus from now on would end this way. Unspoken words, promises, might-have-beens, confessions, and guilt would fill the emptiness between them until it became unbearable and they would have to rush off somewhere to escape it. Hardly the outcome Stephanie had imagined when she’d thought of finally opening up to Sportacus.
“So,” Sportacus said at last, “I’ll see you around.”
“Yeah,” Stephanie replied softly. “Sure.”
He waved farewell and executed a series of complicated flips, no doubt off to save the town from its usual complications.
As though nothing happened, Stephanie thought sullenly.
She returned to the sports field and found that Stingy had joined Trixie on the wall. Seeing the couple holding hands and conversing in low voices with heads bent close, Stephanie couldn’t help the acute pang of jealously that hit her almost as hard as Sportacus’ rejection.
“Hey!” Trixie said, looking up when Stephanie approached them. “How’d it-”
Stephanie snatched her bag from the ground and shook her head. “Not now, Trixie.” She paused, then amended: “In fact, never. We won’t discuss him again.”
“Stephanie…”
Trixie’s voice pleaded for her to stay and talk through it, but Stephanie wasn’t sure she could bear it. The last thing she wanted to do was relive the devastating incident.
So she ignored Trixie and hurried away from the sports field, determined to find someplace, anyplace, that wouldn’t remind her of Sportacus. Easier said than done, she thought bitterly. There were childhood memories all over the town, and not a few of them involved the hero.
And suddenly it came to her. No one would ever look for her there.
I might even ask Robbie for some ice cream, Stephanie thought absently to herself as she started towards the edge of town. Not that he’d share…
She snorted a little at the irony. Paying a friendly call to Robbie Rotten? Had anyone ever done that before? Stephanie’s eyes widened at the thought of never having visitors over. Why, he had to be lonelier than she felt now, though he’d never admit it.
I’ll do it, she resolved.
~
“Think she’ll be alright?” Trixie asked, turning to Stingy.
“Yeah,” he replied as he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “I know she’s liked Sportacus for years, but she just needs to give someone else a chance. There’s bound to be a guy out there who will change her mind.”
Trixie smiled and rested her head on Stingy’s shoulder. “I’m sure you’re right,” she said.
Author: Sportafan
Rating: PG-13 for a bit of mild language and some possible innuendo, both of which will be in future chapters
Summary: Stephanie has always admired Sportacus, but when she begins to develop a crush on him, Sportacus pushes her away. Hurt by the rejection, Stephanie is able to find comfort, and eventually, love in an unexpected place.
Author’s Notes: I don't think I'm as pleased with this chapter as I was with the first one. :\ I was sort of in a rush, since I've been bombarded by plot bunnies for later chapters and am really anxious to get on with it. xD Hope you enjoy it anyway.
Chapter Two
Stephanie took a long drink of water, hoping to buy herself a bit more time.
What did Sportacus mean? Explain what? She thought she’d been clear. “I love you” wasn’t difficult to understand, was it? There was no way it could be misconstrued.
When the bottle was empty, Stephanie turned reluctantly back to Sportacus. “I love you,” she said for the third time, wondering at how the words were easier to say now. “I can’t see how that needs an explanation.”
Sportacus hesitated. “You mean you love me like a father, right? Or a brother?” His eyes begged her to say yes; to take the way out that he’d provided her.
Stephanie suddenly felt very angry at him for trying to belittle her feelings. “No, Sportacus!” she cried, and her eyes began to water again. “That’s not what I mean at all!” She took a deep breath to steady herself and wished the tears would stop blurring her vision. “I’ve always admired you, but somewhere along the way, that admiration developed into something more. I’ve had a crush on you for almost six years!”
Sportacus showed no emotion. “Six years is a very long time, Stephanie,” he said softly.
“Don’t you think I know that?!” she snapped back. “When I went away to the university, I was certain that my feelings for you would fade. That I would meet someone else and fall for them. But every guy who approached me failed to meet my expectations. In my mind, I had the image of the perfect man; the man I wanted to love.” She gave the superhero a hesitant smile. “It was you.”
Sportacus was silent for a long time. When he finally opened his mouth to speak, Stephanie almost hoped he would yell at her. Ask her why she was unable to move on with her life. Ask her the same questions she asked herself on a regular basis. If he was going to reject her-and he was, Stephanie was certain of it-could he at least do it without feeling sorry for her?
But he was Sportacus, and the only time he raised his voice was to call out greetings to people, or to give commands to his airship.
“I’m flattered, Stephanie.” Are you? she wanted to interrupt, but her throat had closed up. “But I just can’t see you as-”
He trailed off, obviously at a loss. Stephanie swallowed and managed to finish it for him, though she couldn’t keep her voice from sounding harsh. “As anything more than a child.”
Sportacus nodded. Stephanie gave him a small, bitter smile. “I understand,” she said tightly.
“I’m very sorry.” He sounded sincere, but Stephanie felt no better for it. “We can still be friends, right?”
Stephanie looked away, blinking hard. There it was. That infamous line. Stephanie had never known how much damage it could deal until now.
She suddenly felt guilty for ruining their relationship. And it was ruined; Stephanie didn’t try to disillusion herself about it. The trust was no longer there, nor was the closeness. Even if she got over her heartache and moved on, there would always be an awkwardness between them. A broken glass may be mended, and perhaps even used again, but the cracks will always be visible, the fragility gone forever.
Stephanie was tempted to refuse. Did Sportacus really expect them to act as though nothing had happened? He could probably pretend, but she couldn’t.
But storming away now and ignoring him for the rest of the summer would be pointless, Stephanie told herself, not to mention immature. She grimaced. Then he’d think even less of me.
She took a deep breath, let it out slowly, then turned back to Sportacus. He seemed anxious, and Stephanie suddenly hated him a little for caring so much. It would have been so much easier if he had walked away.
Easier, she thought with a sigh, and so unlike him.
“Of course we can,” she replied, smiling a little too widely and giving herself away.
Sportacus didn’t seem to notice. Instead, he looked relieved, almost happy. Stephanie hated him for that, too.
In the heavy silence that followed, Stephanie realized that every conversation with Sportacus from now on would end this way. Unspoken words, promises, might-have-beens, confessions, and guilt would fill the emptiness between them until it became unbearable and they would have to rush off somewhere to escape it. Hardly the outcome Stephanie had imagined when she’d thought of finally opening up to Sportacus.
“So,” Sportacus said at last, “I’ll see you around.”
“Yeah,” Stephanie replied softly. “Sure.”
He waved farewell and executed a series of complicated flips, no doubt off to save the town from its usual complications.
As though nothing happened, Stephanie thought sullenly.
She returned to the sports field and found that Stingy had joined Trixie on the wall. Seeing the couple holding hands and conversing in low voices with heads bent close, Stephanie couldn’t help the acute pang of jealously that hit her almost as hard as Sportacus’ rejection.
“Hey!” Trixie said, looking up when Stephanie approached them. “How’d it-”
Stephanie snatched her bag from the ground and shook her head. “Not now, Trixie.” She paused, then amended: “In fact, never. We won’t discuss him again.”
“Stephanie…”
Trixie’s voice pleaded for her to stay and talk through it, but Stephanie wasn’t sure she could bear it. The last thing she wanted to do was relive the devastating incident.
So she ignored Trixie and hurried away from the sports field, determined to find someplace, anyplace, that wouldn’t remind her of Sportacus. Easier said than done, she thought bitterly. There were childhood memories all over the town, and not a few of them involved the hero.
And suddenly it came to her. No one would ever look for her there.
I might even ask Robbie for some ice cream, Stephanie thought absently to herself as she started towards the edge of town. Not that he’d share…
She snorted a little at the irony. Paying a friendly call to Robbie Rotten? Had anyone ever done that before? Stephanie’s eyes widened at the thought of never having visitors over. Why, he had to be lonelier than she felt now, though he’d never admit it.
I’ll do it, she resolved.
~
“Think she’ll be alright?” Trixie asked, turning to Stingy.
“Yeah,” he replied as he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “I know she’s liked Sportacus for years, but she just needs to give someone else a chance. There’s bound to be a guy out there who will change her mind.”
Trixie smiled and rested her head on Stingy’s shoulder. “I’m sure you’re right,” she said.