bestfriends 2.

It was just as he said.

The very next day, one of the most well known basketball players at school came up to her and confessed to her. Her blood turned could when he did, highly aware and warned beforehand the day before. It’s like his voice was on replay in her head, breaking her heart everytime she heard his very last words:

“…because you’re my best friend.”

What if they weren’t best friends? Would things be any different?

“Will you be my girlfriend?” The handsome countenance who stood in front of her said rather bluntly, disturbing her thoughts.

“Okay.” She simply replied without thinking.

She didn’t know what made her say that--mostly after being warned about his history. But since her mind was rather disturbed and unable to think quite right, her heart gave the answer. If her brain was too tired to think, how much more did her heart suffer? It was barely functioning right, just wanting it to find relief of all the pain it carried. So what will he do now? She smiled sadly. Will he even do something about it?

“You alright?” Her ‘boyfriend’ asked with genuine concern in his voice. He noticed the sudden gloom exactly when she gave him her approval. How strange. Why was her reaction so different compared to the girls he dated?

Something in him ached to reach her. She looked like she was hurting real bad, yet she was too fragile to touch. She was different.

She forced a smile as she nodded.

Her boyfriend, not thoroughly convinced, patted her in the head. It was soft comforting taps, something he did rather slowly, afraid he’d hurt her in some way. Her eyes widened in surprise as she looked up at him. He grinned widely, trying to cheer her up with his actions. She noticed his effort, and her heart felt warm because of his actions. She too, let a small genuine smile to thank him.

“Let’s go?” He ask, as relief filled him after he saw her smile.

She nodded, feeling much better inside. He reached out, asking for her hand. She, trusting him a little more, slowly and hesitantly touched his own hand. Without skipping a beat he held her soft doll like hands as they walked away.

-

He almost choked on his food when he saw her walked with him hand in hand in the cafeteria. Her smile, that same smile he thought that she shared only exclusively with him. For some reason a strange feeling of annoyance started building inside of him. Why is he feeling this way?

The guys in the basketball team who sat with him also stared at the couple in silence, and then looked at him to watch how he would react. He looked away, hoping it was only a bad dream and he wished he could wake up from it. From the irritation awhile ago, it changed to rage, rising within him. It was anger towards her for not taking his advice and anger towards himself for not trying harder to stop her.

“Damn.” He cursed under his breath, punching the table at the very same time, startling the other members.

“You didn’t know?” One of them asked.

“I do, it’s just…”

“It’s just what?”

“I never thought she’d say yes.”

The other members watched as he drowned himself in his thoughts, knowing they can’t do anything about it. It was a fair battle between two friends, and taking sides will just jeopardize their friendship.

“But he’s serious about her.”

The anger inside him soon shifted to self pity and regret. They really never fought like this and if they did, they’d talk about it and sort things out. But ever since that thing happened, he never really saw her around him, as if she was avoiding him. He just wanted to go to her, grab her and asked her what was wrong. That’s when he started recalling the things that happened--trying to find out what did he say or do to cause such a rift between them.

A rift that he didn’t like for one bit.

-

She liked his company. She liked how easy going he was, how open and how attentive he was. Most importantly how he easily detected her moments of sadness, and how he uses little actions to cheer her up. Those are the times are when she thought of a certain someone, and it still pains her to look at him.

Those times she also wished he’d come to her and just say a simple hello.

That day, she took a quick glance at her best friend during the basketball game later that evening.

Her heart ached. Just like as before.

-

Her boyfriend noticed how her glances weren’t focused on him.

Though he was quite hurt, he knew the past history between him and her, and it’s something he should be considerate about. It turns out he wanted her as much as him. She was a jewel, a prize, someone who could easily relate to him, though not directly but relate to him nonetheless.

He…was serious about her.

So serious, he found himself walking across the court, during the middle of a game and grabbing her by the arm and pulled her out the corner she was hiding from.

She looked startled, and even though she did he just smiled at her.

“I love you, a lot. And I’m serious.”

“Eh?”

“So please look at me.”

“I-“

“Will you kiss me?”

She gave a small understanding smile as she pecked him on the cheek.

And a certain person in the court just froze.

bestfriends.

“Good morning,” She yawned, stretching her arms up in the sky. As always, she was meticulously neat. He smiled at the familiar and comforting presence she radiates when she is with him. Besides, they don’t call themselves best friends for nothing.

“Yo,” He waved, as he takes a closer look at her, and since she moved next to him, he continued to study her. He sniffed, noticing a difference in her scent.

“You okay?”

He nodded, “Did you change your perfume?”

She laughed, “Yeah. I can’t believe you notice that too.”

“Uh, having you by my side for about seventeen years is enough time to know what you use.”

“Oh really now?”

“Yeah,” He stuck his tongue, “Based on your slightly crumpled polo, it looks like you woke up late and didn’t have enough time to iron it well. And considering you up so late is probably because you’re studying for that Physics finals you were complaining about a week ago.”

“As expected,” She grinned, “I swear, if you weren’t my best friend, I’d consider you a major stalker.”

Both knew each other since they were babies, with the photographic evidence of both of them in the bathtub together. Their parents were high school friends too, so that alone set basis for them to be friends. Best friends, they say, but people always mistaken them as a couple, considering how close and attached both of them are to each other.

“Did you watch…”

“…the basketball game?” She asked, “Yeah I did. Guess what…”

“…yeah, I know, my team won.”

Yes, they continue each other’s sentences.

“Isn’t it cool?” She grinned, “It’s your fault that I’m into this game of guys going after some ball like dogs.”

“Excuse me?”

“You’re excused.”

“Whatever.” He huffed, “Aha, now I know why you slept late.”

“Why?”

“You watched the game before you studied for your finals.”

She was silent for awhile, and nodded.

“Let’s hurry, classes is gonna start.”

“I was about to say that,” She stared at her watch, “My finals!”

-

-

-

“I swear, you two match.” Her friend didn’t fail to vocalize her thoughts, “I mean you two knew each other since you guys are fetuses, now you like whatever he likes, and basically inseparable pair of fools who probably don’t notice that you’re in love.”

“I told you, it’s nothing like that.”

It wasn’t. Isn’t it?

“Oh?” Her friend raised an eyebrow of suspicion.

“Really.”

“I don’t get you two.” Her friend raised her hands up in surrender, “Whatever, but the whole school campus is convinced that you two are really going out.”

“That’s not new.”

“So…what’s stopping you both for being more than friends?”

She smiled sadly back to her friend, a smile that made her friend notice one thing. That smile just told her everything.

She loved him.

The question is, did she even know?

-

-

-

“You’re seriously not going out with her?” One of the guys of the basketball team asked.

“Yeah, what’s with the silly questions?” He retorted, “Isn’t it obvious?”

“No way.”

Then one of them grinned, “I kind of like her. I mean, she’s like down to earth, smart and likes basketball right? Hey, is it okay for me to have her if you don’t want her?”

-

-

-

“Hey,” He waved, “How was the final?”

“I think I passed it.” She grinned, “Physics principles affect any action, including movement in the court.”

“Nerd.”

“Jock.”

Both found a comfortable silence between them, and then both of them laughed all of a sudden.

“Hey, I’m warning you in advance,” He spoke up, in a whisper, “Someone in the basketball team likes you.”

“What?”

“No, I’m serious.” He looked at her straight in the eye. She felt the intensity of his gaze paralyze her that moment, as if she was looking at another person, not the person she knew for seventeen years.

“What I’m I supposed to do about it?”

“Well, he’s a player and all. I don’t want you to be hurt.”

“When did you become my father?” She asked.

“Listen.” His voice is almost pleading, “It’s not that…I’m just…”

She felt her throat tighten, her heart beat twice as fast. Was this the moment she’s been waiting for her whole seventeen years? A time when the person she denied her feelings for time and time again for the sake of friendship will finally tell her that…

“…jealous?” She whispered.

To her surprise she found herself in his embrace, her heart almost giving out. She breathed in his scent, so familiar yet so unfamiliar at the same time. Yeah, they embraced each other, as friends, but this time it’s different. She could feel the intensity, the way his muscles tensed, almost as if he was scared.

To lose her.

“Damn yes.”

She stiffened in his reply.

“I’m so damn jealous. And I’d beat the crap out of him if he ever hurts you. And I know he will, because I know him. Your mine I won’t give you to such a person. Because…”

His voice resonated in her ears as she took a deep breath.

“…you’re my best friend.”

It was a bond and a wall that she cannot break.