His Rival

Shadows of the Past Part 1

Hey guys, Jess here!

This chapter is my longest one yet (45.5 pages/ 15,920 words)! It's quite the roller coaster ride, so please take breaks as needed.

If you have any questions or comments about this chapter, let me know; I'd like to hear from you!

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

(C.P.R)= Current place of residence

(F/I)= Favorite ice cream flavor

"Really?" Keith breathed as he tilted his head to the side, staring at you intently. "Are you sure you're ready for that?"

"Yes, I'm ready Keith" you replied, looking back at him straight in the eye. "So, ask me whatever you'd want to know."

"Well... everything I guess, so just start at the beginning" he directed, laying back against the pillows as you began delving into the origins of how it all came to be.

"We met back in the beginning of sixth grade, but of course you already know that" you cracked the slightest of smiles as you remained eye contact with him, remembering just how much of a pivotal role he had in the formation of that friendship. If Keith hadn't thrown that milk carton at you that day, who knows how different things would be between you and James?

"Right, I was around you two a lot, so I saw how your relationship changed and developed over the years. But I don't think I got the full picture, especially considering how private you two were. I mean, I didn't see any sort of PDA or anything, besides hand-holding." With the way his eyebrows were knitting, he seemed to be worried about something else along those lines, which you were quick to reassure him on.

"Yeah, things didn't really go any farther than that" you answered in one quick breath. "We hugged and ended up in compromising positions sometimes, but it wasn't anything intimate, at least physically." You couldn't help but turn your head away as those thoughts resurfaced, fidgeting with your fingers as you pulled them into your lap.

Gosh this wasn't easy to talk about, especially with Keith of all people. You weren't sure if it was from disgust, grief over what you had lost, or just the sheer awkwardness of your situation, but your stomach was doing loops and your chest felt compressed, like there was some weight on it. You just felt weird all over, but nonetheless, you still persevered onwards. Keith of all people deserved to know the truth about everything. "No matter how close we seemed, we never actually kissed."

"So, wait, was I your first kiss?" as soon as he made that connection, he eased up a bit, cheek glimmering in his eye.

"Yes-but it's not like you're in any position to tease me about that either" you retorted, some of the tension dispersing from your shoulders as you got right back at him.

"Heh, fair enough. So, is that why you say you never dated him?"

"Yes, that and he never explicitly asked me to be his girlfriend or anything." Your tone grew flat as you made that specification, getting back to the facts. "He'd always say that we're friends, even when we're holding hands and walking through the hallways together, which was probably for the best anyhow." As much as you would've complained back in the day about the complicated status of your relationship, it was really just another thing to be grateful for in the long run.

"Sounds like 'Mr. Perfect smarty-pants' was really just a chicken" Keith scoffed. "Who knew?"

"Pfft..." you snorted, your voice softening as his comment brought another perspective to mind. "But there might've been more to it than that. He might've just been too afraid to make things official because he didn't want to risk losing me as a friend. You know what they say, lovers come and go but friends are for life, or at least they're supposed to last much longer."