Closed Secrets are Better Kept

[Addison Beckett]

Addison was having an... interesting semester. She'd done it. Finally. After talking to Lucas, she had decided to send Augustus a note. She hadn't signed it, thinking by now he should know her well enough to know it was from her. It had taken her a week to write it, and another week to slip it into his bag during class. She was in the student longue now, curled up on the couch and cuddling a throw pillow, running her fingers idly through the tassel as she watched the fire. Would he like it? Like her? She sighed, lost in thought as she considered her feelings for her best friend.

Spoiler: Note Said

Intelligent eyes, bright and blue
Ebony hair and a height thats new
My heart beats fast when you are near
Do you know that I hold you dear?

 

[Augustus Westwick]

It wasn't often that Augustus encountered a real-life mystery. He liked reading about them and solving them in theory, but in practice, it was mostly confusing. The note that had appeared in his bag had completely stumped him. Though he had a few theories. The most likely one being it all being one big mistake. He decided to talk to Addison about it. She was smart and also knew a lot more about this sort of thing. He was glad to have found her in the student lounge and he sat down on the couch, tapping her on the shoulder nervously. "Hi, do you have a moment?" He asked her, feeling weirdly embarrassed about all this. He was fidgeting with the note in his other hand, though it was folded up now so no one could read it.

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addison nearly jumped when there was a sudden tapping on her shoulder. She looked up to Augustus, wide eyed, and without thinking curled up a little bit more behind her pillow. "Augustus, hi," she greeted shyly, her heart thundering in her chest. Could he hear it? "Of course." she replied, swallowing nervously.

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus gave Addison a nervous smile, fidgeting with the paper more. "I uh, found something strange." He told her, swallowing nervously. "What do you make of this?" He handed her the note. "I... have to assume it's some sort of mistake." He added quickly, feeling his cheeks heat up. "Right? Someone put it in the wrong bag, I think." He mumbled

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addison took the note, trying to look casual as she read it. "No, this is definitely for you," she told him, letting her hair cover her face as she ran her thumb over the note. Had he recognized her handwriting? "This is a love note, Augustus," she told him, offering it back. "Someone admires you," she peeked up at him, trying to gauge his reaction.

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus winced when Addison said the note was definitely for him. He honestly had hoped it wasn't, but the evidence was too strong. Who else had blue eyes, dark hair, and had just grown a lot? But it still didn't make any sense. "I... believe it has to be a joke, then." He said quickly, taking the note back. "Forget I ever mentioned it." He mumbled, embarrassed.

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addison's heart twisted at the look on his face, and she turned quickly. "What? No, Augustus," she ducked her head, trying to catch his eye. "Why does it need to be a joke? I think you're a great person, is it really so hard to think someone likes you?"

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus flushed and shrugged, ducking his head. "I don't know." He mumbled. "I just don't think- I'm not-" He made a helpless noise and shrugged again. "Can we change the subject?" He asked quickly.

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addy's heart sank further and further the more he spoke. She sighed softly and reached to place her hand over his. This hadn't gone at all how she had hoped it would. She gave him a gentle smile. "Alright, Augustus, what do you want to speak about instead?" She asked, trying to be understanding.

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus looked at Addison's hand on his own and took a deep breath, feeling himself calm down just a bit. He glanced at her expression and gave her a tentative smile back, full of gratitude. There was a simple comfort in being with his best friend, she always understood him. Though it did little to ease his bewilderment about the note. Augustus briefly considered tossing it into the fire, but something stopped him. He folded the note up and put it in his breast pocket, glad to have it out of the way. "I don't know." He admitted. "How... are you doing with your homework?" It was an awful change of subject and he knew it, but at least he had tried.

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addy gave him her best smile, quietly tucking away her disappointment. "Horribly," she giggled softly. "But you knew that. Do you want me to tell me the new facts I've been gathering instead?" She asked, giving him a knowing smile. She liked to read through dictionaries in her spare time, learning new words.