"So…um…will you go out with me?"

"Uh…"

Jack's mind was racing. He didn't know what to do because he had never been confessed to before; at least not so openly or directly. Excuses and stories and talking his way out of bad situations came easily to him. Words were his weapons; his tools with which he artfully weaved tapestries of tales with which he felt he could conquer the world. At this very moment, though, he had no words. They had failed him, leaving him speechless and scrambling for something to do or say in response.

The girl looked up at him with doeful eyes. She wasn't ugly by any means. In fact, she was probably considered stereotypically good-looking by society's standards. Jack didn't think he was asexual or homosexual, but he didn't feel like trying to sort out his sexuality just now. He just knew he wasn't attracted to this schoolmate of his. He hardly even knew her, so how could what could she have even liked about him?

Well, could be my appearance, he considered calculatingly. Or maybe she's the sort that goes for guys with the carefree, confident demeanor I give off. No way she could know what I'm really like, though. Frowning, Jack finally opened his mouth to respond.

"Listen, you're cute. Really. And I'm sure any guy who was just going after looks would love to go out with you. But that's not what I'm into, okay?"

The girl blinked, taking a moment to process what he had just said. Clearly this wasn't the answer she had expected to hear. Maybe she wasn't used to not getting what she wanted. Jack doubted she was used to even being told 'no' by anyone.

"So…is that a 'maybe later'?" the girl asked slowly. "If we go on a few dates and get to know each other, then you won't have to like me just for my looks, right? And I already know what you're like, so…"

Jack sighed. Evidently she wasn't the sort that was going to give up easily. Some were sensitive enough to get offended or embarrassed at the slightest hint of rejection, but no such luck this time. This was going to be harder than he thought.

"Look, you may think you like me, but we're in middle school. Most of us haven't even started puberty yet. How do you expect to know what liking someone like that even means? It could just be an infatuation or an obsession. What makes you think you know me? Do you watch me? You know my favorite color? Big deal. If you wanted to hang out as friends, that's fine, but don't come to me telling me you've got a crush when you don't know the first thing about what I'm like." His hazel eyes were hard. "You have no idea. The only thing you know is the side I show people on purpose. The fact you think that's all there is just shows me you're as shallow as they come."

There were the tears. Right on que. The girl began to sob and call him names as she turned away, running in shame and humiliation.

The boy sighed again. He knew he had no right to be so horrible to a girl who had just plucked up the courage to confess her crush to him, but he knew of no other way to discourage her. From his experience watching others in the past, trying to let them down nicely usually ended up only making them pursue their infatuation stronger and more determinedly than ever, convincing themselves utterly that what they felt was love. Jack had no desire to head down that road.

There was a reason he had no true friends, though, and he doubted he would ever have a romantic relationship with anyone. His fear of their betrayal was too strong. He had hurt too many people in the past not to be wary of getting hurt himself and if there was one thing he knew from watching countless shows and reading endless love stories, it was that love hurt. That girl had been brave to confess her feelings to him, but bravery to Jack was synonymous with stupidity. If she didn't learn that early on, her naïve heart would only be more fragile and vulnerable when she next decided to bear it to the world. For all she knew, he was doing her a favor by toughening her up now, while they were still young.