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It had been two years. Two years since it happened, but he remembered it like it was yesterday. He had been rejected, he was sure of it. And yet…
Orange drifted into his memories. He remembered it clearly.
“Smorange.”
It was silly, but so, so nice. The memory of Apple, both hands on his, a smile on their red face as they told him that he was ‘totally awesome’.
He really wasn’t. But truth or not, it made him feel… strange. Nice.
His ruminating was stooped in its tracks by an alarm. He begrudgingly got up and checked his phone. 5:00 pm.
5:00.
Right! He had…
Oh. He had to talk to Apple.
Apple was strange, in the best way possible. Orange could not fathom how a fruit could possibly be so nice.
To leave behind a great party to seek out and include a nobody like him?
Anyways, no time for thinking. Apple was approaching, signature friendly smile on their face.
“Hey Ora! How’s it been?”
Orange turned… well, even more orange at the nickname.
“It’s been… good.”
The words were true, to some extent, as things had been better in the two years they’ve really got to know each other. He definitely couldn’t lie in front of the concerned red fruit. Along with being super popular, they were scarily perceptive. Did this apple have any flaws!?
Said apple sat down, patting the ground next to them. Orange sat next to them, almost a bit too eagerly. Apple didn’t seem to mind, though.
“That’s great” started the red fruit. “You deserve it.”
The orange didn’t really know if that was true. But it was… good to hear.
He still didn’t know why they did this. They had so many friends, so many things they can, they should be doing. But still, they always take a piece of their time. To see him.
Orange almost wants to believe they’re doing it out of obligation. But one look at their face swipes that idea away.
He didn’t know what time it was when they parted for the day.
“5:00 tomorrow?”
“5:00 tomorrow.”
Orange sighed as he sat in his bed. Apple, always the musical type, had began composing a new musical (with the help of their friend Pear) the day after performing the first one. Today was practice, and of course, they wanted Orange to attend.
He remembered standing there, almost in shock as Apple said something about ‘never being left out again’. Sometimes, he questions if they’re even real.
He tries to think about his part in the coming fruit musical, but his thoughts wandered to Apple every single time. He couldn’t get them out of his head.
A memory comes to mind, of them holding his hand, giving him what probably was the first boost in self-esteem in what felt like years.
He liked talking to them. He liked hanging out with them, he liked… everything about them.
He liked them.
He… liked them.
Oh.
It hit him like a bag of unripened pineapples. (poor baby pineapples in a sack)
He had a crush. On Apple of all people!?
‘That was ridiculous’ he thought, quickly removing the thought from his mind. He’d never have a chance with Apple!
They were an apple! He was an orange! Hello?? Him and them are like, the most incompatible fruits to ever rival each other!!
And even if that weren’t a problem, they were WAY out of his league!! They were famous, and he wouldn’t be surprised if they were rich, too! I mean, they’re practically the face of all fruitkind!!! They’re super popular, and he would still be a friendless, outcast, loser if it weren’t for…
…them…
…and they chose to be his friend.
…
He wasn’t as excited for practice that day.
“Look alive, fruits! Aren’t you excited!?” Apple was standing at the head of the crowd, Pear by their side. Orange was lost in his thoughts about his newfound revelation. He wasn’t paying attention for most of practice. Sing when you have to, stand when you have to, jump, dance, run when you have to. Easy.
Apple was how they usually are. Putting 110% of themself into every little thing they do. He wonders how they don’t get drained like that, he knows he would.
But there was another reason. He was torn. If he told Apple his feelings, would it ruin their friendship? What if Apple happened to be nice in every area except relationships? Were they even interested in a relationship? And even so, it wouldn’t be with someone like him, right??
He had sunk so far into his thoughts that he hadn’t realized practice was over until Apple was waving their hands in front of his face. ‘The same hands that held mine’, he thought shamefully.
Apple was concerned, like always. Always so nice, but they weren’t a doormat either. So… perfect…
“Hey, Orange? Orangeee? Ora? You alright?”
The orange shook imaginary dust off of himself.
“Y-Yeah, App. I’m good.”
Their eyes narrowed.
Busted.
“You know, Or… if you have anything to say… I don’t judge.”
Translated into Orange speak, ‘This is a warning, I suggest you tell me.’
“Well… you look like you have something to say too. You say what you’re gonna say, I’ll say what I was.”
It was just a quick, un-thought out response in his fluster. He didn’t expect the red fruit to look so taken aback.
“Okay… then.”
The red fruit seemed to turn… even redder? Was he hallucinating or were they…?
“I uh…”
Orange had never seen Apple so… unconfident because of anything.
“I know you like me, Orange…
You, haha, were muttering about it during break.
You don’t have to be embarrassed. I think you’re…really… smorange. And… no matter what you look like, what you are, how popular you are. I guess I like you too. I always thought of it as an unspoken truth.”
Orange couldn’t believe his ears. Apple, (probably) the most popular fruit in existence. Liked… him? Back?? Of course!! It was so obvious, why ELSE would they be so nice to him? I mean, what kinda friend would hold your hand and call you…”smorange??” What kind of friend… except for Apple. Apple… was so strange to him. So… different, yet so great for him. Despite their loud personalities… they both enjoyed this comfortable silence.
They were the same. Yet complete opposites. One nice, one not so. One popular, one not. But… they just clicked, I guess. Love works in strange ways, doesn’t it?
Both of them were… odd. They stand out. Them and others were so unalike…
comparing them would be like comparing… apples to oranges, wouldn’t it?