Francis And The Saga Of Boys From Hazelville

I've never felt so hyped up in my life until Dubby says, "He's taking you to the dollar store for candles. That's profound. Really."

"What's wrong with that? And besides, that was a good riddle," I say.

Dubby doesn't look at me, just at his phone.

"Hello?"

"Yep," he smiles, "Literally Google riddles, this is the first that comes up."

"Doesn't," I say, snatching the phone out of his hand. It's actually top five, but I'm not sure if that's really an argument in my favor. It's the effort that counts and him being head over heels for me.

"Probably is Sheldon Brown."

I give him a death stare. "He's so gross and dumb, he wouldn't be able to navigate his way around a woman, let alone a quest." That boy just boils my blood.

He laughs. "I'm liking savage Francis. You're no match for Bunny, but I'm liking it nonetheless. But if something ever happens that makes you wanna talk about me like that, just do me a favor and kill me."

"I'd never talk about you like that. We're best friends, we'll be best friends forever." I smile, but he doesn't do the same back. I can't understand why.

"There are no absolutes in this world, Francis. Forever is never a promise you can make."

I just stare at him, what he's saying hits me in a way I don't like. "In case you have to return it?"

He doesn't look at me. "Yeah, and many other things too, you know?"

I don't know, not really. But something about the thickness of the air tells me I shouldn't press on it. Don't ask questions you don't want the answers to unless you are strong enough to take it. The thought of Dubby not being my best friend stings so hard, that I feel a lump in my throat. Maybe this is a conversation for another day... or never.

Dubby drives me to the dollar store, but the whole ride there, neither of us say anything. Silence, even with the soft play of the radio it's silent. But the unspoken words ring way too loud. It's awkward, and I don't really understand it or know what to do. The best thing for me right now is to follow the clues and force everything else out of my mind. This questing requires focus.

I go into the dollar store, and it eases my mind, I love everything about it there. I know where everything is mapped out so carefully in my mind. I head for the candles. Dubby lags behind. I wish I understood what's going on with him, but I can't think about that right now. There would be too much in my mind, I'll explode.

I reach the candle section and there are so many colors, such pretty colors. I look over all of them and a whole shelf has just candles with letters on them. Dubby comes behind me.

"They all have letters, look?"

He looks. "It's meant to spell something."

I start bringing all the candles down on the floor. Dubby steps back and doesn't help. I'm making too much commotion for him. I try to arrange the letters, but there are too many. A woman comes and tries to get past us, stuck up and staring at us. Dubby feels uncomfortable, and I just care about figuring out what the letters spell. Whilst also being impressed by how cool and smart my secret admirer is.

How can I be getting attracted to an invisible man? I literally know nothing about him but his epic ability to create quests. That's not enough to feel the connection I'm starting to feel. I hope this isn't like one of those apps where the game gets harder and harder until I have to give up because I can no longer figure it out. Would he reveal himself then? If there's no other option? Probably not. What would I do, put up missing invisible man who could love me, on posters? It'd just be a blank face. I can't even guess.

They say never meet your idol, maybe that rule applies to secret admirers too. Better to be loved from afar than ruin the fantasy and things being just fine up close. Or maybe hopefully everything falls into play and it will be beautiful. Even with hardships, it's worth fighting for.

Dubby gets restless waiting for me. "Figure it out yet?"

"No." I literally got nothing.

"Nothing at all?" I shake my head. "Here, let me help you, because I play those word games, I'm literally like the best player in the world." Sure he is. *scoff*

He gets down on the ground and starts arranging letters back and forth like he actually is the best player in the world. A ye old regular, Rachel Riley. He spells the word 'honey'. Hmm, I think. And the rest can only spell out 'moon'.

"Honeymoon," I stare at it. "Dubby?"

"Yeah?" He stands up, looking down at it.

"What's that mean?"

"It means that since I'm helping you so much, I should be entitled to find a secret admirer too."

"But seriously?"

"Honeymoon is the name of that old motel that closed down. It's got that real Instagram, Pinterest vibe aesthetic," he continues. "He clearly wants you to go there."

"Wow," I exclaim.

"Wow, what?"

"How you did that, you should be on a game show." He smiles at what I say. "And also, can this guy get any cooler?" And his smile fades like a kid who got his lollipop snatched off him. "So," I grin at him. "Can you take me?" I should've buttered him up first and not diverted my affections. I don't stop smiling. Dubby taught me that, smile when you want another driver to let you out. Who can resist a sweet smile towards them and then turn them away?

"It's like an hour away," he replies.

"Please, Dubby Dubster? We can make a whole day of it? A whole fun day by the ocean." I get excited, and he can feel it, it's infectious. "Come on, come on. Road trip! Road trip!" He slowly, then all at once, gives in. We buy the candles too for good measure.