Mark had been looking forward to a peaceful, lazy Saturday afternoon. He was stretched out on his couch, a book open on his chest, when the knock on his door came.
"Ugh," he groaned, not wanting to get up. But eventually, he sighed and hauled himself off the couch. He swung open the door to find his 13-year-old neighbor, Harry, standing on the other side.
"Hey, Mark!" Harry said, grinning up at him. "Is your parents home?"
Mark shook his head. "Nope, they're out for the day."
Harry's face fell. "Oh." He looked like he was about to turn away when he suddenly perked up. "Hey, do you want to play a game or something?"
Mark rubbed his temples. "I don't know, Harry. I'm not really in the mood for games today."
Harry pouted. "Please, Mark? I'm bored and I don't have anyone else to play with."
Mark rolled his eyes. "Harry, you're a big boy. You can find something to do on your own."
Harry looked hurt and Mark immediately felt bad for being so harsh. "Oh, come on in, kid," he said, stepping aside. "We can watch a movie or something."
Harry's face lit up. "Yay! You're the best neighbor ever, Mark!"
Mark chuckled. "Don't get too excited, it's just a movie."
As they settled in on the couch, Harry started talking about his latest crush, a girl in his class. Mark listened half-heartedly, not really interested in hearing about Harry's schoolyard romances. But then, Harry suddenly turned to him.
"Hey, Mark. Have you ever had a crush on anyone?"
Mark blinked, surprised. He hadn't been expecting that question. "Uh, well, yeah. I have."
Harry's eyes widened. "Really? Who was it?"
Mark hesitated. He didn't really want to get into this with a 13-year-old. But Harry was looking at him with such curiosity and excitement that he found himself smiling.
"Well, there was this girl in college. Her name was Sarah. She was smart and funny and beautiful. I was head over heels for her."
Harry sighed. "That's so romantic. What happened?"
Mark shrugged. "Nothing. She didn't feel the same way about me. We stayed friends, but that was it."
Harry looked disappointed. "Oh. Well, maybe you'll find someone else."
Mark chuckled. "Maybe. But for now, let's just enjoy the movie, okay?"
Harry nodded, snuggling closer to Mark. And as the movie started, Mark couldn't help but feel a warm, contented feeling spreading through him. It wasn't exactly the lazy Saturday afternoon he had been planning, but it wasn't too bad either.
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