Falling in Love with my Best Friend

Chapter 1: Questions

The sun bathed my face, light dancing across my tan skin in a strange and comforting rhythm. The breeze stirred my soft brown hair against my face and I smiled at the gentle feeling it gave me. The soft smell of grass and sunshine pressed against my nose and I sighed in relief.

Getting up slowly and almost unwillingly I shoved myself off the soft, damp grass and walked towards Jake's house. He lived right across the street from me and I was always over there with him and his family. Don't get me wrong, no, we aren't dating or falling madly in love with eachother. I can't stand him! He's too arrogant, too flirty, too childish and rude. I smiled at the ridiculousness of my own internal monologue, kicking a stray rock on my way across the street. But then I have to admit there is another side to him: the side I loved. The part of him that had the innocence of a child and yet the maturity of a wise man. The half that brought me tea and flowers when I was sick and listened to me talk about my dreams for the future. He really was my best friend, but I couldn't admit it to anyone but myself. People would start getting it into their heads that we would eventually fall in love and get married and there was no way I had the intention to fall in love with him.

I got to his lawn and figured that he wouldn't mind if I just happened to go through the back instead of knocking and waiting for someone to invite me in like any polite girl would. Jake knows me better than that.

The familiar sound of crude comments floated towards me and I almost laughed when I realized that the guys must be over here swimming in the pool. 'The guys', as I called them, consisted of all my best friends. Sure I had friends that were girls to, but I have to admit that guys are a lot more fun.

I opened the small wood gate and called out, "Hey guys, what's up?"

Kyle, Owen, Matt and Lance were all there and the only one who wasn't greeting me with a huge smile was Matt who looked uncomfortable and guilty.

"Hey, Stace." Kyle smirked, looking as if he was in on the biggest practical joke ever. I gave him a confused look and turned to Matt.

"What's wro-" I was cut off when Jake came running out of nowhere, crashing into me with a thud. I started to yell at him when I realized that I wasn't falling onto solid ground like I had been expecting. Instead my body was slapped against the cool water of the swimming pool with Jake on top of me. The water splashed against me, soaking my body and engulfing me in the clear liquid. Looking around with a startled face I saw the sun shimmering on the top of the water. I pushed up and surfaced with a gasp, looking around shocked and infuriated. The guys were going crazy with laughter and all I could do was shout at the top of my lungs.

"JAKE! YOU ARE SO DEAD!" I screamed, chasing the tan back that was swimming towards the edge of the pool.

He chuckled and pushed himself out of the water, I was only a step behind. My feet slapped against the hard concrete and I cringed when my foot slipped slightly beneath me, causing me to lose speed.

"I so hate you, Jake Mathews." I mumbled under my breath. His dark figure disappeared around the side of the house and I followed, hoping I wouldn't lose sight of him for too long.

I got to the front of the house and realized I was just inches behind him now. If I just surged forward far enough... My feet kicked off the ground, my arms extended and a huge smile spread across my face. I hit him with enough force that his feet slipped out from beneath him and we both crumpled onto the grass in a heap. As soon as I landed on top of him I was laughing.

"Got ya!" I giggled, rolling off of him and lying on my back. He was smiling too as he leaned over and whispered in my ear.

"You're shirt is completely wet," he paused and I looked at him in confusion. Of course it's wet, I just got pushed into a swimming pool. Idiot. His eyes twinkled back at me, holding a joke in his mind that I was clearly not in on. "And see-through." He finished, a smirk plain across his face.