Best Friends In Love

Chapter 6

Grace

I quietly hum to myself as I sit in the library, turning the page of my favorite book. My gaze wanders and I smile as I look at the rose bracelet in my hand and my chest warms as I remember last night. Just the thought of slow dancing with him at the dance makes me blush. In the past I always went alone. Sarah and Shane always had dates. I would want to dance with him but his dates always got jealous. I would just leave halfway through the dance.

The bell rings signaling the end of lunch. I haul my bag of strawberry licorice with me to my locker. As I round the corner, I stop in my tracks. I spot Camille and Shane laughing and joking together. It's a lie if I say I'm not jealous. I slowly approach them.

Shane sees me first. "Hey Gracie"

I smile, watching Camille, who's gaze is heavily focused on Shane. "Hi Camille" I interrupt her thinking.

"Oh, hey Grace" she acknowledges me but keeps her eyes on Shane. "So. . .do you want to come with? It'll only be for a while? Nothing to drastic."

He nods. "Yeah, sure."

Her whole face lights up. "Great! Please be there at 8! I'll see you later then." She finally makes eye contact with me smiling very wide. "Bye Grace."

I wave at her as she departs.

"Gracie, how's your day?"

"It's good" I open my locker and stash my licorice away. I then take out my books. "So. . . where are you going with Camille?"

He leans against the locker next to mine. "Why?" he smirks "are you jealous?"

I frown at him trying to ignore the light blush now coating my cheeks. "Me? jealous? No. I just want to know where you're going."

"She invited me to dinner. I told her I'd go."

I nod. It's only dinner. Maybe she just wants to be close friends with him. Or she might like him as more than a friend. Shane has never really had a real girlfriend. Unless you count Eva Bennett who moved in junior high. They dated for a week before she left.

Shane snags my books from my hands. "I'll carry these for you" he cheerfully states.

I jokingly push him, but thank him as well. We walk side by side in silence to my next class. As we approach the door, Sarah rounds the corner covered in paint. Every variety of color splattered on her skin.

Shane and I take a quick look at each other before we burst out laughing. We lean on each other as we die of laughter. It's not until Sarah stands there with a sour expression her face and Shane drops my books that we stop laughing.

I cough, trying to hold my laughter back. "What- what happened?"

"Jay is what happened!" She uncrosses her arms as she glares at the people around her. Seems like we're not the only ones thinking she looks hilarious. She angrily wipes some pink paint off her eyes. "I hate art."

Shane snickers, straightening, from recollecting my books. I elbow him in the stomach. He shuts up pretty fast. "You should get cleaned up" he suggests

She looks at herself. "Yeah. . .I think I'm gonna go do that now." Frustrated, she departs to the bathrooms.

Once again, we burst out laughing after she's gone. Unexpectedly, Shane lays an arm around my shoulders. I immediately stop my laughter. I gaze up at him and watch as he smiles. He really does have a nice smile.

"She's gonna be so angry at us for laughing." He notices me watching him. I look away.

As we stand there, I look at him out of the corner of my eye. He's staring at me now too. To avoid my anxiety level rising I walk into class and find a seat. He, like always, follows me. One thing is for sure as we sit next to each other. I just realized that I don't like him and I never have. I just realized that I love him and I always have.

~|~

I wave goodbye to Sarah as I walk inside my house. I enter the living room and quickly notice my parents cuddling on the couch.

I roll my eyes, but smile anyway. I'm lucky enough to have parents that aren't divorced. Even though they might show their love to each other more often than most parents, which makes me cringe most of the time, I do wish that in the future I have a love like there's.

"Hi sweetie!" My mom says "How was school?"

"It was good." I collapse on the couch opposite them. "Same as always"

My dad chuckles. "You don't seem so enthusiastic. It's okay kiddo, I never really had fun in school either."

"Until I came along" My mother comments

My eyes widen. "Okay. . . I'm gonna go" I point to the stairs. "See ya. . . " I rush to my room. There's no point in sitting with them if they're gonna be all gross like that.

For the rest of the day I do my homework. I usually do the easiest work first and the hardest work last. Before dinner I look at colleges I am going to apply to although non of them really catch my eye besides one. NYU. New York University. It's the university I have always wanted to go to ever since sixth grade when I learned I love the magic of writing stories. You don't only get to disappear into another world but you get to create one.

"Honey!"my mom yells "Come down here we have a surprise for you!"

"Coming!" I close my laptop and plug in to charge. When I'm near the door my phone dings. I pull it out from my pocket and open the message I received. It's from an unknown number. As I stare at what's before me, my chest starts to ache. I need to sit. I need something to keep me stable. I walk to my bed all the while keeping my eyes on the picture of Camille and Shane. Camille is in her cheerleading outfit while Shane is in his football gear. He's behind her with both arms around her waist. Worst of all, they're both smiling at the camera as if they were a happy couple.

I'm in shock. Does he like her? What if he loves her? I shake my head in denial. No I'm just imagining things. They're just friends Shane would tell me. He's told me in the past who he likes. He would tell me now.

"Grace!" My mom shouts.

"I'm coming!" I take a deep breath and slowly let it out. I'm overreacting. Yes she's beautiful and probably perfect for him but, she probably just wanted a picture with him. Lots of friends take pictures. Anyway it's just that. Just a picture. I pocket my phone as I walk down the stairs. I can't help but feel that I'm slowly losing my chance to tell him how I feel and if I don't get over my fear of confessing I might just lose my chance forever.