Girlfriend's Best Friend

Chapter 14

         She looked completely confused, thinking it wasn’t possible that I’d liked her first since I was into Kelli from the beginning. I explained to her that I knew who she was before that because I’d seen her around. But I hadn’t told her the full story because I was afraid she’d be weirded out.

            The first time I’d ever seen Brooke was last year. I was walking down the hallway to the main office because I got called down in the middle of math class to be questioned after my ex-girlfriend and the girl I cheated on her with got into a fight. I was walking passed the gym when a kickball flew out the door and hit the side of my leg. Brooke came running out to get the ball. Her curly brown hair was pulled back into a high pony-tail and her cheeks were a little rosy from the hot gym.

            “Sorry,” she laughed, picked up the ball and went back into the gym. I completely froze, unable to say anything. That was so unlike me—I was great with girls. I watched her make her way back to the gym, stopping at the door to look back at me one last time before giggling and finally disappearing into the chaotic room.

            I’d asked my friends about her but they didn’t know who I was talking about—there were over a thousand girls in our school. I’d seen her around town plenty of times, but never again in school. I thought maybe I had the wrong girl. But now it makes sense—it was her.

            “Kelli liked you! I couldn’t flirt with the guy she liked, of course I was going to help her get with you! I so would have gotten with you but from the beginning you made it seem like you liked her! That’s why I didn’t even try,” she admitted. I shouldn’t have cared because I had a beautiful girlfriend who loved me, but I was kicking myself right now for losing out on Brooke.

            “I guess we both messed up then,” I ran my fingers through my dirty blonde hair, forcing myself to look away before I did something I might regret—I already learned that the hard way with my last girlfriend.

            “How did she find out you liked me?” Brooke asked.

            “Carter. Fucking asshole thought it would be funny to tell her that I liked you first but of course she didn’t. She cried and cried and cried and I had to explain to her that I had no feelings for you anymore and really liked her.” I replayed that day over in my head, wincing every time I felt about how sad Kelli had been.

            “Maybe we shouldn’t date if you’re so in love with Brooke,” Kelli had told me right after Carter told her.

            “Kel, that’s not true! I don’t love Brooke—I love you!”

            “But you did love her,” Kelli had cried.

            “No I didn’t! I thought she was pretty and had a great personality and that’s because she is pretty and she does have a great personality!” I had said.

            “Oh my God!” Kelli had bawled. What did I say wrong? I was just being honest—I thought that’s what she wanted! “You know that you could have any girl you want, Cody. And Brooke could have any guy that she wants so why don’t you guys just date each other? You’re perfect for each other!”

            “I could have any girl I want, and I chose you, Kelli. Not Brooke! Stop getting so caught up in everything Brooke’s doing—I’m not interested in her. I’m only interested in you!”

            “You’re not allowed to hang out with Brooke,” she had told me.

            “You don’t trust me?”

            “I don’t trust her!”

           Had I known then what I was about to do now, I wouldn’t have blamed Kelli for saying that.