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The fall air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of autumn leaves and distant rain. The streets of the Peanuts kids’s neighborhood were quieter than usual, with kids huddled indoors doing homework or watching TV. But not Lucy. Lucy was out on the sidewalk, pacing back and forth in front of Schroeder’s house, her arms crossed tightly across her chest as she waited for her “sweetie” to step out.
“Where is he?” she muttered under her breath, glancing at the clock on her phone. “He should be home by now. He always gets home at this time.”
Lucy hadn’t exactly accepted their breakup, not that Schroeder had really given her a choice in the matter. The conversation had been brief, awkward, and to the point: Schroeder had said he needed space. Lucy, ever the forceful personality, had accepted the “space” for all of five minutes before she decided that the idea of a breakup was just plain ridiculous. They were still together, she decided. He was just going through a phase. He always did.
Finally, the door opened, and Schroeder stepped out, his head down as he focused on the sheet of music in his hands. In his mind, he was wanting to go to the library for a study session.
He didn’t even look up as Lucy flung herself toward him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“Sweetie!” she exclaimed, her voice too loud for the quiet street. “I’ve missed you so much!”
Schroeder looked down at her, one eyebrow quirking up. “Uh… Lucy?” He glanced around awkwardly, as if hoping no one else was watching. “We broke up, remember?”
Lucy refused to let go, though. “Oh, sweetie, that was just a little misunderstanding. You’re just being stubborn. You don’t really want to break up with me.” She squeezed tighter, burying her head into his chest. “You love me, right?”
Schroeder paused, the smallest hint of a sigh escaping his lips. He had been expecting this, of course. But the truth was, as much as he wanted to get away from her clinginess, part of him… didn’t mind it. Not really. He had been playing the piano so much lately, losing himself in the music, but there was always something missing—something that made the whole process feel incomplete. He had gotten so used to Lucy’s presence, her constant interruptions, her loud, bossy, passionate personality that he secretly loved.
“I told you, Lucy,” he said softly, though he didn’t make a move to push her away. “I just… need some time to think. You know, space?”
She finally pulled back slightly to meet his gaze, a stubborn frown still etched across her face. “Baby, you don’t need space,” she pouted, tilting her head in a way that made her look impossibly cute in a frustrating way. “What you need is me. Don’t pretend like you don’t miss me. I know you do.”
Schroeder sighed, the tips of his fingers lightly brushing the edges of his piano sheet. He hadn’t been able to focus on his music at all since they broke up. It was like Lucy’s persistent presence was woven into the very fabric of his thoughts. Even though she drove him crazy half the time, a part of him appreciated her ridiculous confidence and her constant, unwavering love.
He couldn’t help but smile, the smallest of smiles, but it was there. “I missed you too, I guess,” he admitted, his voice low but sincere.
Lucy’s eyes brightened instantly, and her smile was so wide that it was almost overwhelming. “I knew it!” she said triumphantly, pulling him back into another tight hug. “You’re so silly, baby. I told you, you can’t live without me.”
Schroeder chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Maybe I can’t,” he said, his tone more tender than he intended. “But that doesn’t mean you get to keep calling me sweetie all the time.”
“But I like calling you sweetie,” she said, looking up at him with wide, adoring eyes. “You’ll always be my sweetie, Schroeder. It’s just how it is.”
Schroeder raised an eyebrow, feeling a strange mix of affection and exasperation. “You’re impossible,” he muttered, but there was no real heat behind the words. “I guess I don’t mind it that much.”
“Good,” Lucy said, pulling back enough to look at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Because I’m not going anywhere. And you’re still my boyfriend, no matter what you say.”
“Yeah, I’m starting to figure that out,” Schroeder said with a resigned smile. “I’m stuck with you, huh?”
Lucy grinned, her arms sliding back around his waist. “Yep. And you’ll love me for it.”
Schroeder didn’t argue. Instead, he took a deep breath and looked up at the sky, thinking about the melody that had been stuck in his head for days. Maybe it was Lucy’s constant chatter that kept him grounded. Maybe it was the way she could never let him go, no matter how hard he tried to push her away.
As much as she annoyed him, he didn’t want her to change. She was loud and bossy, always demanding his attention. But somehow, that was exactly what he needed.
“Alright, Lucy,” he said, his tone soft but with a hint of playfulness. “But only because you’re impossible to resist.”
She beamed at him, clearly triumphant, and kissed his cheek. “I knew you’d come around, baby.”
Schroeder chuckled, shaking his head, and let her cling to him for a little while longer. After all, sometimes it wasn’t so bad to be stuck with the girl who refused to let you go.
“Guess I’m yours, huh?” he muttered, mostly to himself.
“Always,” Lucy answered, and for once, the clingy, overbearing girl who never took no for an answer didn’t sound so bad.
They stood there for a moment in silence, Schroeder’s hand lightly resting on her shoulder, Lucy’s head nestled into his chest. The fall breeze swept past them, carrying with it the scent of change and the quiet realization that maybe they weren’t as different as they liked to think.
“I guess my trip to the Library is postponed for the time being..” Schroeder muttered as he let out a small laugh.
“Mhm! You’re paying attention to me now,” Lucy murmured back. Seemed like they were getting along just fine again.