The cafe - ever since then, for a couple of weeks now, I've been having this dream every night. I wake up, standing in the sky as the sun sets, and when I turn around, Cassandra is there waiting for me, and I can't help but feel happy at the sight of her.

“Hey, Belly, nice to see you again.” Cassandra tells me with a warm smile.

And when I have these dreams, her and I would hang out together. We’d talk; play videogames; eat yummy food; watch our favorite shows and movies; or simply just stare off into the beautiful sunset and watch the clouds shift ever so peacefully across the sky.

And… honestly… when I have these dreams… When I get to be with Cassandra… I'm the happiest that I can ever be—

But then my stupid alarm clock goes off, and I wake up. And I remember that it was all just a wishful dream. Not real. And As I glare at my alarm clock, contemplating how I should kill myself, tears begin to fall on Saturday.

I remember the time Cassandra cleaned my face and the words she told me back then. I can't believe it, I think to myself, I've really fallen for her bad.

I turn to look at my calendar as it reads Get up, time to train, Bitch! And I remember, Arpie High’s entrance exams… they’re nine months away…

“... This really sucks balls.” I whisper to myself.

And while this is happening, Cassandra as always is secretly waking up on one of the beds of our middle school nurse’s office.

As she lies there on her bed hugging a pillow and giggling, she can't help but say to herself, “Mmwu, geez, Belly! Why are you always so weird and awkward to be around? And why did you wake up so early on a Saturday again? Hmph. Jerk. Caring more about your work out than me.”

As I run along my town’s beachside, I can feel my heart beating faster and faster at the thought of Cassandra. My breathing gets heavier and heavier, and my body grows more and more numb for every second that passes.

I stop in my tracks, looking around first to make sure no one’s around, and I let out a mighty scream, “Aaahh! Quit thinking of her already! You creep!” But of course, a few pedestrians still hear me, and a mother even pulls her daughter away from me.

I fall on my knees, and am completely exhausted after running for almost an entire day. As I catch my breath and look out into the sunset, I remember one of the nights I spent with the Cassandra in my dreams.

We were both eating cheesecake while binge watching Gurren Lagann on Netflix. And, surprised, Cassandra asks me, “Wait-what~? You-You started working out… for me?”

Embarrassed, I confess, “Y-Yeah, you see… I sort of… I sort of promised you… Cassandra, that I'd start believing in myself, and quit moping around. To actually do something about my sappy life…”

Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

Cassandra looked at me with glistening eyes. Her heart began to beat faster and faster, and even her face began to turn red. She thought to herself, That's… so adorable.

I go on to say, “I-I want to become a knight that Cassandra can be proud of. Because she's the first person in my life to ever believe in me… and I don't… I really don't want to let her down after everything she’s told me.”

Cassandra smiles, and tells me “Well, I'm positive that you won't, Belly. And I'm sure that if Cassandra were to know you're doing this for her, she'd be really proud for how much you've changed already.”

My breathing gets heavier again, and I think to myself, C’mon, get up—run! Run until you can't feel your legs anymore. C'mon! You got this. You got this!

But for some reason, I remember Joshua and his friends making fun of me as I struggled to lift a sword. I heard the girls laughing in unison at me, too. Even Cassandra was there looking at me with sympathetic eyes. But I couldn't do anything because I was too weak.

I start to tear up, and it gets harder to move.

C’mon, get up, you stupid weakling! Get up already and run! Quit being such a disappointment and do something for once! I try to stand, but my body just won't allow me to.

“Why… Why? Why am I always such a failure? Why can't I ever do anything?” I whisper to myself, “I can't do this… I can't win against Joshua… I'm sorry, Cassandra.”

In that moment, I lost all the little confidence I had only a few seconds ago. All I had to look forward to, was a hand reaching out towards me, offering help for me to stand up.

“Wow! So the rumors are true!” That voice. I look up to see Cassandra standing there right in front of me.

Surprised, I fall backwards, quickly wipe away my tears, and ask her, “Ca-Cassandra? What-What are you doing here?”

She giggles at my shocked face, “A little birdie told me that an awkward, little boy had recently begun running around the beach like an idiot.”

Flustered, I say, “What? Really? Aww, geez. That’s so embarrassing. I hope Joshua doesn't find out.”

Cassandra chimes, “Also~, I've decided to start training here at the beach, too! We are applying to the same prestigious high school after all. So c’mon! Let's run together, Belly!”

Cassandra, offering her hand to me once more, gives me the most confidence I have ever felt in my entire life.

With a bright smile, I accept her invitation, “Okay!”

As the two of us run along the beachside, two siblings who attend the same middle school as Cassandra and me happen to notice us. Cely and Kyle.

Curious, Cely begins to say, “Kyle, Kyle! look, look!”

Disinterested, he replies, “Hmm?”

Goggling at us, she tells him, “That cute couple over there! Isn't it adorable how they're running together?”

Observing me, Kyle responds, “Yeah… It's cute.”

“So romantic~! Must be nice.”

Still observing, he says, “Mhm… yeah… I can definitely run ten times faster than that guy.”

Annoyed, Cely complains, “Geez, Kyle, you're so competitive! Only caring about showing off your skills! No wonder you don't have a girlfriend!”

He retorts, “But you don't have a boyfriend neither, Cely. And me being single is by choice… Not so sure about you though.”

Embarrassed, she cries, “Wha-! Sh-Shut up! You don't know that!”

He sarcastically replies, “Oh~ Cely, but I do.”

Teary eyed, she insults Kyle by calling him a jackass.

Cassandra and I are still running, and I'm beat. But while we run, I also can't help but notice how beautiful Cassandra looks. And as I gawk at Cassandra, she catches me in the act and we make eye contact. I quickly look away embarrassed, but she can't help but giggle at my expense.

And as I look straight ahead towards tomorrow, I confidentially think to myself, Yeah, I got this.