Only friends

Katie, Katie are you listening”? I shake my head to take me from my daze.

“Yea of course I’m listening”.

“Well than what’s your answer”.

“My answer to what?” I ask.

“The question you dummy”.

“Oh yea my answer is um… what was the question again”. I put my hand behind my head and give a big toothy smile showing my embarrassment over my empty headedness.

“Geez pay attention because I’m not going to tell you a third time, is there anyone that you like”?

“W-What kind of question is that o-of course I don’t like anybody”. I wave Jamie off trying to make it look like I had no interest in her question, but the brightness of my face says otherwise. I shift my eyes to left to see my friend Alex sitting next to me. I was kind of hoping that she would have a bummed look on her face because of my answer to Jamie’s question, but she just sat there with her cute little smile that she always has. I shift my eyes back to Jamie who is sitting across from me.

“I think you’re lying” she finally states.

“Am not” I reply in anger.

“You are to lying, you stutter and your face gets red when you lie”.

“Shut up Jamie, at least I don’t twirl my hair when I talk to someone I like”.

“Yea but I can actually talk to the person I like”.

“I can talk to the person I like I do it every day”.

“Ha so you admit it you do like someone”. I open my mouth to object but realize that she got me. “You say you talk to this person every day, but the only people I see you talk to are us and I am pretty sure you don’t have a crush on any of…” Jamie stops before she finishes her sentence and looks at me with an astonished look. I turn my head to hide my embarrassment and so that Alex doesn’t see my rosy cheeks.

“I’m sure Katie doesn’t want to tell us who she likes because someone in our group would go blabbing about it later”. Bri puts her eyes on Jamie and gives her an intense stare.

“I have no clue what you’re talking about”. Jamie crosses her arms and sticks her nose in the air.

“So you’re telling me that you have no clue about how you told all of Lucy’s crushes that she likes them”.

Jamie lowers her head and uncrosses her arms “it’s not like I meant to tell them it just slips”.

Lucy giggles “it slipped out for every guy”. Jamie pulls her head up and puts her right arm in the air.

“I Jamie promise to never tell another guy that you like him, Cheekets honor”. Our freshman year when we became good friends Jamie called us the Cheekets to symbolize our friendship or something like that. Bri stand up and high fives Jamie’s hand.

“There is no such thing as Cheekets honor”. Jamie gives us a slanted smile then we all burst into laughter over Jamie’s devotion to change. “Since you are so dedicated to change how about you do something in return for your slip ups” Bri concludes.

“Yea, I will do anything you ask”.

Bri puts her finger to her chin and searches her brain for a task. “Oh.” Bri puts her finger in the air. “You can be our servant for a whole day”.

“And you have to where a maids outfit” Lucy chimes in.

“What, isn’t that a little much”?

“Nope” I reply with a little revenge in my voice.

“Besides you did say you would do anything” Alex reminds Jamie.

“Fine, but I’m not going to be happy doing it”.

“Now that that’s settled” Bri exclaimed, “Do you have anyone you like Lucy”. We all shift our eyes toward Lucy who seems to know her answer right away.

“Tyler Maze”.

“Pff Tyler, why would you like him” Jamie screeches.

“Well he’s cute, tall, strong, smart”.

“And annoying” Jamie interrupts.

“Just because you didn’t hit it off doesn’t mean we won’t” argues Lucy.

“Why do you care anyway Jamie” I say “you have your boyfriend Brock remember”.

“Yea and he is amazing and treats me like a lady.”

“How about you Alex are there any girls on your radar” asks Bri. Alex looks up at the ceiling and ponders her mind.

Alex has always liked girl’s, at least that’s what she tells me. I met Alex in middle school when she transferred into my class in the 6th grade. She transferred schools because she was being bullied for only liking girls. None of the girls at my school seemed to want to talk to her either and called her weird. I didn’t mind since I didn’t have many friends either because I was a tomboy, the other girls didn’t want to hang with me either. We have been together and inseparable ever since then, 5 years to be exact. I fell in love with her in 8th grade and can’t get her off my mind.

I turn my head to see that Alex was ready to reply to Bri’s question. “Well there is Hannah” Alex answer’s. I’m not really surprised that she likes someone, but it still gets on my nerves when she does.

“That girl that helps out at the library” Lucy asks.

“Yep” answer’s Alex.

“Isn’t she a junior” Jamie puts in.

“Yea she is but that’s ok, she’s only a year older than me”. “If she was three years older than I would get a little worried” Alex giggles. I watch Alex to see that she is fidgeting, which is what she does when she talks about the girl’s she likes.

“So that’s why you have been staying after school and going to the library” Bri explains.

“Yea, I have talked to her for a while now; she’s tall, intelligent, nice, caring, and beautiful”.

“Don’t you think you’re getting a little carried away Alex” I say in a harsh tone. “You tend to do this a lot when you start to like a girl”. “Remember when you liked that girl Sara and then she ended up breaking your heart and started talking about you to all her friends”. “You fall in love to hard and too fast and end up hurting yourself in the end, don’t you think it’s time for you to give it a break already”. The room goes completely silent and then I notice what I had just said to Alex. I want to take it back but I know it’s too late to. I take a look at Alex and see that her head is bowed and her hands are clenched into fists. Alex lifts her head towards me and smiles.

“You’re right Katie, I should forget about her”. Alex stands and walks toward the bedroom door. “I’m going to go outside to get some fresh air I will be right back”. Alex walks out and shuts the door behind her. I have never seen Alex that sad when she gave me that smile. I need to fix this. I get up and run to the door.

“I need to fix this I will be right back”.

I run down the stairs and see Alex standing out on the back patio staring up at the stars. I look at her for a moment to see her beautiful long chestnut colored hair sway in the breeze and her beautiful white skin glisten in the moon light. I walk out onto the patio and stand next to Alex. I take a look at Alex and notice a tear drop gliding down her cheek. I didn't mean to hurt her. I bow my head and squeeze my eyes shut to keep me from crying. I don't want to make Alex cry, I don't want to be the reason she is sad. I finally lift my head and speak to Alex.

“I’m sorry Alex; I didn’t mean any of that”.

“It’s ok Katie, your right I do fall in love to fast.”

“I just don’t want to see you get hurt again Alex.”

“I know”.

“I don’t want you to give up on love I just want you to be more careful is all”.

“I am more carful Katie, that’s why I know Hannah is different”.

I look at her as she stares into the night sky with her declaring eyes and sigh,“fine, if you really think she is different than I guess I can’t just let you deal with this yourself”.

“What do you mean”?

“Well you’re going to need help to find out if she likes you back”.

“You’re going to help me with Hannah” Alex squeals. “Oh thank you, thank you, thank you”.

“Yea, yea it’s no big deal”.

“Katie”. I look over to see Alex who seems to be glowing. “I’m really glad that we are friends”. I give her the best smile I can, even though I’m sure it looks faked. “We will be best friends forever”.

“Yea, of course” I reply.

“We should probably get back inside to the slumber party, the gang might start to get worried about us don’t you think Katie”.

“Yea, I will be up in a minute, you can go on without me”.

“Ok” Alex gives me a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek before she goes back inside to the slumber party. I let out a deep exhale and looked up at the stars.

“What am I getting myself into” I tell myself. “I’m doing something this stupid just to get closer to Alex even though it’s going to hurt me in the process”. “I guess I would rather see Alex happy than have my own happiness and Alex’s sadness”. I turn and head back inside. Now I have to come up with a plan to get the person I love into a relationship with the girl she loves.