Just Friends

Chapter 14

So far this book has been in Maria's point of view but this short chapter is a little bit different. We're going to see Colm's take on things. Enjoy (and please don't forget to comment)

Colm POV 

Colm reached for the bowl of popcorn, as he moved forward he noticed Maria had fallen asleep. He didn't want to wake her. He sat back and tried to move her so she could lay a bit more comfortable but instead she turned into him and snuggled into his arm. Shit, if her parents walked in now this was not going to look good.  He was going to try move her again but decided against it when he looked at her and saw how peaceful she looked. He'd move her later, for now he was going to sit and watch the rest of the movie and let her get some sleep.

He found himself looking at her a lot more than he should, during the movie. He was worried about her. He really wanted to punch that idiot Keith when he was at the door tonight. He should have...but then that would have upset her and he really didn't want to upset her. Maria and her family had saved him. Maria didn't know it but her Dad stood up for him and took him under his wing when he was a stupid teenager and couldn't stop getting into trouble. Maria was about 13/14 at the time and she hated him at first but they've been getting along so much better now. She was 17 now and heading to college this year, he knew that he was going to miss her. 

Maria stirred in her sleep and he instinctively put his arm around her to settle her. She relaxed into him straight away and he smiled. She was growing up quickly, he had always thought of her as someone he could annoy and who annoyed him back but now that she was maturing and they were actually spending time together...he found himself feeling differently.  He hated that she was hurting because of some silly boy. Keith was an idiot, how could he cheat on her. She was everything you could ask for in a girlfriend. She was beautiful, funny, kind, courageous and tough when she had to be. Probably too tough sometimes. He was surprised when she broke down crying earlier. He never wanted to make things better for someone as much as he wanted to for her. She didn't deserve to feel like that. He sat and wondered what had he gotten himself into.

He laughed when he thought back to her Mam asking him what his intentions were. He assured her that he didn't think of her that way and honestly...he didn't think he was lying. Now that he thought about it more though...maybe he did have a bit of a crush on her...He mentally scolded himself. He was 21 in two months, way too old for her...and her Dad would kill him. He decided there and then that he was going to need to squash any sort of feelings he developed for Maria... other than friendship of course.