“Well, don’t you two look adorable.” Nicole mocks you and Aaliyah as she takes a seat in one of the open lawn chairs.
You and Liyah are sitting side by side in your own chairs while her legs are draped over yours. There’s a small campfire burning in front of you both while the cool summer air brushes across Liyah’s skin. Your hands are rested on her shins, your right thumb rubbbing up and down slowly, subconsciously.
“What?” You chuckled, looking to the singer before looking across the fire to Ananda.
“Oh, nothing... it's just, you two look adorable, that's all.” There’s a smirk dancing across Ananda’s face that makes Aaliyah glare at her.
She’s taunting the both of you and Aaliyah knows it. Somewhere, deep down inside she, she's always had this thing for You. Always and it has always been more than obvious. Between the stolen glances, platonic cuddling, the bushing of her hand against yours when she handed something to you. The banter that’s absolutely her flirting with you but playing it off as just the banter between friends when it’s brought up. Ananda knows she like you, and this is a taunt.
“We’re just friends.” You insist, rolling your eyes before reaching to the ground beside you and picking up an unopened package of marshmallows. “Want one?” You offer and Aaliyah nods.
You always says you’re just friends and maybe there’s a part of the starlet that’s just a little tired of it because of all the little small things you do for her. You even make the move first. You're always the one that asks if she wants to cuddle with you for movie nights. You're the one that starts the banter. You’re the one who pulled her legs on top of yours tonight. It’s almost always you that initiates it and you talk about how no other person has been good for the girl so far.
If you didn't like her more than a friend -- which is fine -- maybe you should step back. But Liyah says nothing.
She admires the way your fingers feel against her legs and she also likes how your body keeps her warm even on the hottest of summer nights. There’s something about the way you look at her that just makes her never want to say anything because what if you stop looking at the girl with those big expressive eyes that make all other eyes look so dull and lifeless? She like that she's the person you call when something good happens and when you just needs someone to talk to.
You're her best friend and she's yours. But that doesn’t make it easy sometimes.
“Yeah,” She clears her throat. “We’re friends, homies if even, but that's all.” Her eyes are locked with Ananda as if to be silently warning her to shut the hell up.
You flash her an oblivious smile with her words while you lean over her legs, marshmallow on a metal poker stick, and starts roasting the marshmallow for the woman. It hurts a little but what more can she expect? She's never actually told you, or really anyone, how she feels about you. And you two are just friends, according to the both of you. Aaliyah can’t very well expect you to deny being friends and expect something more. But that doesn’t erase any bit of the pain in her chest.
