Half Relationship

Chapter 1

I pulled my head out of the water gasping as my lungs burned from being denied oxygen. 45 seconds. I actually suck at this. Why can't I hold my breath longer? I looked around but I couldn't spot him. "Jake? Did you already get out?" I yelled looking for him, when suddenly a head popped out if the water in front of me. "Looking for me loser?" he said flashing his gummy smile at me. I didn't think twice before smacking him straight in the back of the head.

"Ouch! Someone's a sucky loser. I told you you'll never be able to hold your breath for longer than me. I've been a swimmer for years. It's a lost cause."

I smiled inspite of myself.

Oh by the way I forgot to introduce myself. Hi! My name is Gale. Im 21 years old and I'm an absolute loner. Like quite literally. I have no friends. Except one. Jake Matthews.

He's my best friend. We do quite literally everything together. He's the total opposite of me. He's tall, well built and an athlete. With beautiful brown eyes and a bright sparkling smile. I could probably describe him better than i describe myself. I've looked at him far more in my lifespan than I have in the mirror.

It's not surprising though. My appearance is unassuming to say the most. I have straggly brown hair, a thin weak ass body and panda like dark circles that i think I was born with.

I still wonder what exactly took over Jake when he walked over to me in cafeteria that day and started talking to me like we've known each other for years. At first i thought he was an arrogant jerk and probably came over because of a bet like go and talk to the loser kid in that corner over there.

But well flash forward 2 years and we're here. Trying to see who can hold their breath longer in the ice cold water of the bay like a bunch of morons.

I mean we probably looked like an odd pair of friends. One being in your face handsome and ridiculously popular, and the other looking like hes been sleeping in the back of his car. But ive always been grateful for him despite my initial skepticism at this strange friendship.

Till date i live in constant fear that this whole thing will turn out to be some kind of dumb bet or joke. Either that or my insecurities that had been stacking up over the years woukd explode in his face like a coke bottle that someone drops a mentos into. Okay that's a pretty shitty analogy but that's honestly how much power he holds to influence my moods and emotion

If he's happy I'm happy, if he's sad I'm sad, if he's hurt im on my way to punch someone's teeth in, it's that simple. I may be the the weaker one of the two but I'd do anything to protect him. And at the risk of being the most unromantic sentence that has ever been put down on paper.... Wait for it.... Drumroll............

"He is my mentos."......

Okay fine that sucked but honestly thats the best way i could put it. He is the one that has absolute power over me. He can make me or absolutely shatter me. And that scares me. But i know that I'm past the point of no return. He's already become the single most important thing in the world to me. Quite literally my everything.

As i lounged on the beach i just watched him run around on the sand. Blissfully happy without a care in the world. Smiling bright as the sun.

My eyes followed him and I believe that at that moment if there was anyone around and they looked at me the expression on my face as I looked at him and the sparkle in my eyes would be a dead give away to an obvious fact. One which I did my utter best to hide.

I was absolutely and unsalvageably in love with my best friend...

"So...... Are you just gonna continue to stare at the screen or are you gonna actually start typing at some point. Your eyes are so glazed over they remind me of a dead fish. Wake up you asshole. We have to submit this project tomorrow or we'll be in deep shit' Jake said flinging a very heavy if i may add Psychology textbook straight at my face with a very intentional trajectory right towards my nose.

But me having the amazing reflexes that i do moved my head to the side only to get smacked by another book straight in the gut. "Ugh" I groaned doubling over. "What was that for you little bitch?" I growled at Jake.

"Your reflexes are alright but you can't see for shit" he smirked, making me want to punch that face and then kiss it. Wait... what am i thinking? Nope think sad thoughts... Dead puppies, dead puppies.. I can't think like that. I have to get over this pointless crush before it becomes an issue. But how can i do that with him sitting there fmbeing all gorgeous and perfect. Oh no. I'm doing it again. I guess the saying is true. Love does truly make you blind.

"Fine smartass. Help me finish this portion before we get kicked out of class tomorrow."

He stretched lazily and crawled over to lay down beside me squinting at the screen trying to rack his brain for additional points.

He was close enough that I could smell the slightly sweet smell of his perfume and the lingering smoke of the cigarette he just sneaked on the balcony when he thought I wasn't paying attention to him.

I tried hard to focus on the bright screen in front of me and not his warm body which was now nuzzling into my side as he tried to get a better look.

"Maybe we should try changing the conclusion. Anyone who reads this will be able to tell that's its utter bullshit....". The words continued to flow out of his mouth but I couldn't hear a thing. My mind went absolutely blank as my eyes without me even realising it crept over his face to rest on his lips as they moved to shape words. He really had beautiful lips. Full and tinted slightly pink with the lip balm he probably took off his sister's dressing table.

He was so near yet so far away. I wondered if this is how Sissyphus felt as he kept going up with that boulder knowing he'd never be able to reach the end. He suddenly whipped his head around and his expression turned to one of puzzlement, probably surprised to see me look at him that way.

Oh my God! I just got caught off guard. I can't let him becomes uneasy because of this. I have to hide it.

I turned his face back towards the screen and said," Well then dont just talk about it. Go ahead. It's cool with me." He laughed, nodded and continued to type, thankfully oblivious to everything.

That was close. Too close. I can't slip up again.

I can't lose him. He can never know...