are bestfriends forever?

ch 8 | why didn't you

~A voice that says, I'll be here
And you'll be alright~

Bradley's pov

"What kind of explanation is 'i like someone else so i'm breaking up with you'? You had feelings for me until last week. What changed?", Mikeyla talks a lot in a row. It's hard to stop her and decide which question to answer to first. I guess this is what people mean by 'some things are beautiful from distance'.

"I told you, I need time to think and to sort things out."

Because I think my best friend has feelings for me which confused me about you that's why.

"Think about what? Your feelings for Bethany?"

"It doesn't matte... wait, wha.. why would you even think that?", I asked putting my coffee cup down at the table and almost spilled it which I didn't.

"Isn't it obvious that your so called best friend thinks of you as someone more than just friend."

"Who told you so?"

"She herself", she sighed, flipped her hair and looked outside the window.

Why would she?

"I.. I need to go I'll see you in school."

I said then stormed out of the cafe. Beth did not talk about her feelings with her, did she?

Whatever Ela talked about just made it clear that Beth feels something for me. Suddenly all the closed curtains, shut down conversations, stolen gazes started making sense.

I need to approach her.

I almost ran on my way home.

I did not stop until I saw Beth walking into the woods by the abandoned constructed place where we used to come as kids. I started following her. 

I tried tip toeing but the fresh sound of dry leaves failed me.

She turned around and jumped out of fear, "Brad what are you doing here?"

"I am sorry for yesterday."

"Yeah me too. Lili doesn't deserve that."

"See I had to ask something..."

"Ask away", she stood staring straight at face me.

"What did you mean when you told me that you loved me more than I'll ever know?"

She softened a little and started speaking,"I... Well, I just thought of letting you know. I thought you were having troubles sorting your feelings out", she crossed her arms against her chest, not finding any other lame excuse.

"And just to let you know I asked Mikeyla out because I thought you were going with Scott which you did."

A smile creeps out at the corner of her mouth. She takes a step forward to stand closer to me.

"What a shame because I said yes to him just because you were going with Mikeyla", she smirked and I chuckled.

"I should have known that you liked me when you asked my opinion on bestfriends to lovers stories."

"But I did not like you back then. At least I wasn't sure", why is her blushing right now driving me insane?

I swallowed dry air and stepped closer, "So, what made you sure?", what if I regret asking her this.

"When you told me about Mikeyla it felt weird. But I was not sure until the day after when you said you were no longer virgin. Your red cheeks assured me how much I wanted to be with you Bradley."

"Why didn't you come to me to talk to me?"

"You were finally happy with her",she loosen her hands and let them drop. Tears started gathering at the corner of her eyes. I walked up to her and hold her hands.

"And you thought I could be happier with you gone?"

"I did not know how to tell you this. You might have think that I've gone crazy. You might have tried to make me understand that I was wrong. You might have hate me."

"Why would I..."

"If Scott didn't ask me, would you have gone to prom w...", looked like she needed a lot of guts to finally ask it away.

"Of course, I would have."

None of us dared to speak for few straight seconds until she lets out a chuckle,"We need to stop cutting each others line."

I also laughed dryly.

"How did you get to know?"

"Why? Is there anyone else other than Mikeyla who knows?"

"No. I was thinking..."

"Well I kinda figured it out by myself."

"Bradley why did you want to take me to prom? Why did you go for her just because I went for Scott?"

"Isn't it obvious?", I took another step and there was barely an inch of gap between us. I don't care if I regret it later but I had to be close to her, her chest contacted mine with each breathe she took. "I don't care if this effects us but I...", before I could finish Beth stood up on her toe and reached for my lips with hers. I closed my eyes and realized the fact that her mouth was crashing mine.

I responded with the same intensity. I felt the friction of her palm against my neck and hair while trying to figure out how much she has wanted me for so long. I never thought of her that way but a part of me was so jealous when I heard she was going out with that perv from someone else.

It all started coming back to me when she sucked my bottom lip. She was out of breathe shortly so I let go of her. We did not dare to look into each others eyes. We didn't need to because she pulls me into a hug without wasting a second.

Had no idea I needed that hug until I was in her arms. I inhaled longer than usual in attempt to feel her and fill the gaps that we created in last few days.

I pulled away when I felt my neck getting wet,"Hey hey Beth stop crying. Please."

"God I've missed you", she almost groaned,"You have no idea Brad how much it hurt. I felt so pain not being there for you with all those things going on with your dad. I couldn't share what was going on my mi..."

"Beth come on that's fine. I haven't been a great best friend either."

I pulled her into another hug.

"Why did you break up with Mikeyla?", she mumbles in my chest.

"Why? don't you want to be with me?", I ask with my chin rested on her head.

She releases herself from me. Her wide eyes says it all,"You know very well Bradley I'd neve..."

"Yeah I know but I thought you'd like to try it out with me", I said in a serious voice.

"And what if it doesn't work out? What if we don't work out? What if I hurt you? It's going to ruin our friendship!"

I knew how much relationships scare her. She doesn't care if someone hurts her, she only cares about breaking someone else's heart. But her face looked real funny when I told her I broke up because of her.

"I was kidding Beth. We are far away from dating. I just couldn't make you watch me kissing another girl everyday", she blushed. "Plus she talks a lot."

"Oh my lord, I know right!!", we both laughed together after so many days. She forwarded her hand to hold mine and gestured to walk into the woods.

"If you didn't want to date then why did you kiss me?", I asked.

"I was curious about how your lips taste like", she paused and then spoke again,"...since I was 12."

God how did I never saw that!!