Perfect For Me

CHAPTER 13 (Liam Williams)

Almost a month had passed since we had been assigned to organise the homecoming ball. Today was Sunday and I had already gone to church. What? I was gay and believed in god, so what? The Christians aren't as homophobic as most people may think! Not all of them at least.

After church I had brought Ethan to a friend's house. It was a birthday party and many children from kindergarten would be there. Luckily the parents explicitly told everyone to NOT bring any presents. And it lasted till six o'clock. The perfect day to do a good catching up with my best buddy.

I was currently walking towards the park opposite Fanny's café. Nate and I had decided to meet there so I could easily get to work at two. But for now, I didn't have to think about that. I really was looking forward to talking with Nate. Due to the ball I had spent most of my free time lately with none other than Ryan. But I came to realise that I somewhat even liked his company. We kinda had the same sense of humour and he was just easy for me to be with.

If someone had told me two months ago,  that I would get along with my biggest rival this well, I would have laughed right at their face. Things change I guess...

After looking left and right I quickly crossed the street. As I was a little bit late, Nate would probably already be waiting. Preferably with two cups of coffee in his hands. I turned my head before I spotted him sitting on a bench, looking at his phone, probably texting....someone. Just now I realised I still didn't know the name of the mysterious brunette girl I saw at the mall last time.

I sneaked closer as silently as possible and tried to inconspicuously look over his shoulder to catch the name on his screen. I wasn't very successful because Nate noticed me and jumped in surprise, sadly spilling one of the coffee cups he, as predicted, had gotten. "Are fucking insane?! You can't just sneak up on me like that! I almost had a heart attack!" I just started laughing so hard I couldn't stand straight anymore. "Y-You,... you sh-should have se-heen your face! It's hi-hi-hilarious!" I wasn't able to stop my laughing until tears were streaming down my face. All the while Nate just stood next to me, looking pissed as hell.

"Okay, okay. Not funny. I got it. We-well it wa-was a little fu-funny though!", I exclaimed when I had calmed down again. My friend continued to just look at me. I sighed in defeat. "Okay, I will go without coffee this time. You can have the one you didn't spill." Wasn't I generous? I had to admit though, it kinda had been my fault that he even spilled on in the first place...

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"Oh yeah, Ryan said that too!", I commented on my best friend's last opinion on the newest movie. Nate looked at me in a funny way. "This has to be at least the third time you've said this in the last hour and a half. How come?" "Oh, is little Nathan jealous? But you don't have to be, you know I only love you!" I teased him and pretended to blow kisses at him. 

"No. Little Nathan is not jealous. But he thinks you have a crush on the bad boy of west-Waterfield high school..." In shock of his thoughts, I choked myself on my own spit. "Wait what? Why would you think that?" Nate gave me an unbelieving look and rolled his eyes. "You are commenting every second sentence of mine with a thing HE said. And you ARE spending a lot of time with Ryan lately. -Even if it's not volunteering. You even picked up his habit of running a hand through your hair when he is excited." "How do you know this about him? You sure it is me with a crush?" "Seriously? I'm straight." He deadpanned. Come on! Why is it always me who is accused of something like this? Me, LIKING Ryan Lander. I could barely tolerate the guy. I could never imagine kissing him. Even though his lips did look quite soft....

Shocked by my own thoughts I stood up. "You sure have to overthink your theory. Because I never felt and will never feel anything more than friendship for Ryan. And even friendship is debatable if you think about it... Anyways, I have to go to work. See you tomorrow in school!"

Just when I entered "Fanny's café" I noticed that I, once again had forgotten to ask for the name of Nate's mystery girl.

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But still what Nate had said didn't leave my mind all day. Even when I laid in bed after trying to to go to sleep for over an hour, I thought about what Nate had said. I mean he was right. I DID spend a lot of my time with Ryan. And usually, I liked it. I liked him. But not like THAT. We weren't even friends, probably less than that. And it would stay this way. Not that I would want to change that. Right? Right...