Best Friends?

The Only Reason

Luke

Why wouldn't she just say it? The one thing I ask of her in eighteen years, and she can't do it. Maybe she didn't feel the same at all. Maybe she doesn't want to hurt my feelings...except it will anyway.

As much as I love the feeling of her lips on mine, I pull away, forcing her to voice her feelings, "Just say it. I need to hear it as much as you need to say it. If you don't feel the same, then don't lead me on, but please say something."

As she breathed heavily, she zoned out for a few seconds before whispering the words I thought I'd never hear, "I love you."

"What?" I asked excitedly.

She looked up to meet my eyes as a sly grin worked its way across her mouth before saying, "I love you. I'll always love you. That's what I wanted to say."

"You're sure?"

"Yes."

"One hundred percent sure?"

"I am."

"You love me? Your best friend? You are in love with me?"

She giggled and wrapped her arms around my neck. "Yes! I am in love with my best friend." She leaned forward and rested her forehead against mine and muttered, "I love you," before kissing me once again.

Before I knew what I was doing, I lifted her up by her waist and twirled her around. Her laughter filled the air as her hands rested on my shoulders and gripped tightly to my shirt. I laid her down on her bed, smiling blissfully when my lips found hers once more.

"I love you," I said against her mouth, "I always have, you know?"

She pulled away, looking me in the eyes, saying, "Why didn't you just say anything? Why'd you date other people then?"

"I thought you didn't feel the same. I didn't want to be rejected and make it awkward between us." She just smiled and laced her fingers through my hair.

"I felt the same way...but what changed?"

"What do you mean?"

"What made you decide to kiss me at auditions?" she asked as she sat up.

I shrugged. "I guess I did get caught up in the moment, but once I started I couldn't stop until you pulled away. Then later, in my room when I kissed you, you kept trying to stop me, so I assumed you just didn't want to kiss me."

"But I did want to kiss you, I just didn't want you to cheat on Tiffany. Wait, what about her? Did you tell her we kissed?"

I shook my head and replied, "I broke up with her right before I came here. As soon as we got out of rehearsals, I talked to her. I promise, she won't be an issue anymore."

The smile that lit up her face could've outshone New Year's Eve in Times Square.

"Good," she said bluntly, "Not to be rude or anything, but she was kind of horning in on my action." She winked.

"Oh," I answered lightly, "What about Liam?" I didn't want to open this up, but it really did bother me more than I would like to admit that she talked to him so openly, so quickly, just after a day without me.

She pursed her lips and shrugged her shoulders calmly, "What about him? I don't like him like that. I mean, I may think he is attractive, sweet, and easy to talk to," I rolled my eyes trying not to gag, "but I happen to think that you're more attractive, beyond the sweetest any person has ever been to me, and know me better than I know myself. I'm not in love with him. You, however..."

We smiled at each other before I engulfed her in a hug. I never want to let her go. Although I know I have to physically, I know I'll never feel this way for anybody else. It's her, only her, that I will always be in love with. No one could ever replace her. She's the only reason I can be who I want to be.

Wait... The only reason...

"Where's your guitar?" I ask her randomly.

Her eyebrows furrowed together before she answered, "By my desk. Why?"

Instead of responding, I leave the bed, grab her guitar case, and pull it out. I sit back down at the foot of the bed and begin playing a tune I know is unfamiliar to her ears.

Then, I start to sing...

"Don't talk, let me think it over. How we gonna fix this? How we gonna undo all the pain?
Tell me is it even worth it? Looking for a straight line? Taking back the time we can't replace?
With all the crossed wires just making us tired, is it too late to bring us back to life?
When I close my eyes and try to sleep, I fall apart I find it hard to breath. You're the reason, the only reason.
Even though my dizzy head is numb, I swear my heart is never giving up. You're the reason, the only reason."

Mazy scooted up next to me, watching my face intently, as I continued.

"I feel you burning under my skin. I swear I see you shining brighter than the flame inside your eyes.
Bitter words spoken, everything's broken. It's never too late to bring us back to life.
When I close my eyes and try to sleep, I fall apart I find it hard to breath. You're the reason, the only reason.
Even though my dizzy head is numb, I swear my heart is never giving up. You're the reason, the only reason.
Don't talk, let me think it over. How we gonna fix this? How we gonna undo all the pain?"

When I face her again, Mazy's mouth has formed a slight 'o' shape, and her eyes are locked on mine.

"When did you write that?" she asked quietly.

I smiled slightly. "That night we fought at rehearsals..."

"You did that in one night?" she responded, astounded. I nodded. "Oh my... That's really good. You must've been really upset..."

"I was... I don't like it when you're mad at me."

"Well, I'm not mad anymore. In fact, I'm in an amazing mood now. Thank you..."

I smiled my dimply smile at her and said, "No problem, Mazy Wazy."

Once again, her quiet giggles met my ears in a heavenly way. We kissed until her Mother called us down for dinner, and I had to go home to explain to my Mom why I hadn't been answering her calls for the past hour.