I'm in Love with my best friend

🔸twenty seven🔹

"Yeah," he whispered in an unusually soft tone that sounded fond, almost. I was just coming by to see how you were before I got busy with getting ready. Amanda told me you had a very honest talk with her last night, and that there was something you wanted to say to me.

I inwardly rolled my eyes. God damn woman, getting me into awkward situations that I could live without. I don't know what she was talking about. "You know, Mandy, she's getting old, her head is all," I pointed to my forehead and waffled my finger, insinuating she was losing it.

"Yibo, don't be rude." He scolded. I groaned, rolling my eyes as I cursed Mandy's name.

"Did she tell you, you owe her a hundred dollars?" I massaged my forehead with nervous fingers, trying to push away the awkwardness.

"Yes." There was a slight nod as he spoke.

"Dad," I interrupted, hauling myself up into an upright position.

"Me, you and these kinds of talks don't really go well together." I was smiling. I didn't mean it offensively. "We're just two awkward sods when it comes down to it."

He nodded, agreeing.

Alright, that's true. " He chuckled quietly. "Just, I want you to know that no matter what, I will always love you. I know, I know. "he put his hands up in surrender. "That's a cheesy thing to say, and I don't want to embarrass you, but it's true. It'll be no different. No matter what. He stressed the last few words. I knew what he was getting at.

"Thank you." I replied in the most sincere voice I'd ever heard myself speak. I didn't know what else to say or how to react. He's never said anything like this before, and it was really exciting to hear it.

"Thank you." I whispered for the last time.

He nodded once, looking me in the eye for a moment before patting his knee awkwardly and standing up. "I'll see you when I get home tonight. Get some sleep. You've got a few hours left. "

As he was turning to walk away, I had the sudden urge to ask a question that had been playing on my mind since my talk with Mandy.

How do you know when you love someone? For example, what made you so certain that Mom was the woman you wanted to marry? He pursed his lips in thought before saying, Because when I looked at her, no matter what was going on in my life, good or bad, I knew that as long as I had her, everything would be okay. I needed nothing else in my life to be happy. She was my happiness, and she will always be.

I guess that was the moment it hit me, really. That's exactly how I felt whenever I thought about Zhan. As long as he was around, I didn't really need anyone else. I mean, having other people would be great because, shit, a break from Zhan every now and again doesn't do any harm. But when it came right down to it, if I had to choose anyone, it'd be him I'd want to spend my life with.

I stayed in bed until I heard the door close as my parents left for work. I'd hit the over-tired stage where you feel this sort of high come over you. I was full of energy as I was getting ready for school, right until I was walking into my first class, and that's when my sleep deprivation kicked in. It was like I'd just been dragged backwards through a dozen fields at fifty miles per hour.

"Y'all right there, Yibo! Ji Li shouted as he came bounding over, throwing me into a hug. I groaned, my eyes half-closed. It was a fight to keep them open. Ji Li pulled away but kept his hands on my shoulders. You look rough as hell, man." I groaned again. With a quick scan around the classroom, I noticed Zhan hadn't arrived yet.

"Are you looking for your soulmate?" He teased as usual, pulling me against his side with an arm around my shoulder. He gave me a little shake, which just got me irritated, really.