Harvey

Eight

Eight
Friendship Over Love

I swear, I didn't know for how long I hid from Toby and Penny and now, hearing them call my name over and over again, I felt kind of bad, but my shame didn't let me dare show my face. 

Did I really like Toby? I asked myself as I laid hidden in the tall grass. 

Immediately those horrendous words escaped my mouth, we had all paused and I hadn't even known when I just broke off into a run. 

My shaky hands came up to touch my face. And Penny? What would she think? 

I hit my head and called myself stupid repeatedly. How could I have messed up like that? 

All of a sudden, I heard footsteps and I held my breath. It was Toby's. He stopped right under my head and crouched low such that we had upside down images of each other. 

He stared into my eyes and I stared back. I knew it was him, those green eyes belonged to no one else. 

I had seen green eyes, but never as pretty as his. They seemed to shine for some odd reason. 

Time seemed to slow down as we held each other's gaze and held my face. I caught my breath. "Harvey? Harvey, are you awake? We have to go home, it's late already". 

I almost laughed. He couldn't see whether my eyes were closed or open. 

I didn't want to respond. I was too ashamed. 

So, to my surprise, Toby carried me and put me on his back then went to call Penny. 

The ride home was filled with much talk and unknown to them, I was awake through it all as I lay in the back seat. 

"Oh my, she's so cute" I heard Penny say. 

"She is". The deep reply made me red with embarrassment. But wait, wasn't Penny angry? I had just said I liked her boyfriend after all. 

"And she likes you. You're so lucky. And here you were wondering if she liked you". 

I adjusted my position, becoming seriously invested in whatever they were talking about. What was she saying exactly? Now I was confused. He was telling his girlfriend that he didn't know if another girl would like him?

"I can't believe she said that", Toby chuckled. "And so loudly too".

I rolled my eyes, resisting the urge to pull his ear hard. 

"I'm glad she likes me". He laughed. "my anxiety was eating me up already". 

"It's funny how you're the one who's always looking after everyone's mental health yet you yourself still get so anxious all the time". Penny's voice had dropped to a whisper. 

"Do you think she'd mind?". He asked her. 

"...... that you have anxiety disorder?". Penny asked, and I felt my heart break. What had poor Toby been through? "No, this girl isn't like any ordinary girl you'd ever meet". 

I smiled proudly. And she was definitely right. I didn't give a flying pig if he had anxiety or not, all I knew was that I liked him. Now, I wanted to know the relationship between him and Penny. Looking back, I still can't place where my feelings for him stemmed from, or when I began to like him. All I knew was that I wanted to talk to him everyday, every single time and make sure he was always alright, the same way he always made everyone else feel alright. I almost barfed in my mouth at the realization that I actually felt that way for someone. Or was it just a dream?

But then I thought of Penny and sighed. I couldn't go through with it. I would tell them that I had meant that I liked him but just as a friend. I couldn't just throw myself in the middle of whatever Toby and Penny had going on. I mean, he seemed to always be with her and she seemed to be cool with him too. I smiled sadly. Another boy would come. Maybe in the future. I had my academics to worry about too so it would probably be a distraction. Ruminating on the matter, I silently decided that Penny was worth it. I liked her. And so far, she had been the only girl at this school who actually liked me for me and didn't seem to camouflage anything. She was real.

"She's like you in a way, '' joked Toby.  

"Ew. Why would you want to be with someone like your sister". 

I blushed. He wanted to be with me? But then, I paused briefly. Did Penny just say that she was his sister? My eyes widened as all the scenarios of them being together started to play in my head and I realized that I had never ever seen them act in a lovey dovey way before. They only talked all the time and sat together at lunch.

"Oh" I said out loud, instantly covering my mouth after. It was too late, though, and they were already aware of my presence. 

Penny immediately started asking if I was alright. They said that they found me passed out on the grass and asked if I could remember anything. 

I lied and said that I had felt dizzy and dehydrated. 

Toby instantly apologized, taking full responsibility and I felt bad. "No, no. It's fine. It's my fault, I shouldn't have run away like that". In my head, I was rejoicing at the revelation that they were siblings. 

A lot of things began to make sense to me now.

"So, you guys are siblings?" I asked excitedly. 

"I'm sure you'd like that, no?". Toby actually looked back at me for a second, his playful eyes sparkling. 

I frowned and looked away. "No," I responded. "And don't think much about what I said on the field, I didn't mean it". 

We pulled up in front of my parents' mansion and I got out of the car. Penny stayed by my side, thinking I might be dizzy still. I felt so bad for lying like that but I had to. I had faced enough shame already. 

Before I ran inside, Toby casually grabbed my hand and pulled me in for a hug. 

"Today was amazing, Harvey, you're amazing. Thank you so much for everything". 

"I should be the one thanking you", I mumbled back, but he couldn't hear me because of how tall he was compared to me, so he brought his head lower and asked me to repeat myself. My heart started to do aerobics and my stomach churned.

"Thank you too, you and Penny. You guys somehow managed to make today amazing even with all that happened". 

He hugged me tighter, a small smile playing on his lips and pulled back. I saw Penny giving us lovey-dovey eyes that made me literally run into the gates.

"Bye, Harvey!". 

"Bye guys". 

My parents had been watching us from upstairs and wouldn't let up with their interrogations here and there which soon started to get on my nerves a little.  They literally followed me around the house, interrupting everything I did, like little children. "Come on, Harv, who's the handsome young gentleman?", Mom said, her eyebrows dancing around the perimeter of her forehead playfully as dad mirrored her actions. I bowed my head with a sigh. These people were perfect for each other.

After much pestering, I finally told them about him and everything that happened today. 

Mom was surprised that I got detention but was even more surprised at what landed me in detention. 

She couldn't believe Maria could be so diabolical. 

"I had always had a bad feeling about that Maria girl", dad said. "ever since the attack and she didn't even try to contact you to make sure you were okay. She didn't even tell her parents to put a call across on her behalf even if she was preparing for tests". 

"Right?", Mom agreed. "I can't believe she was just using you. What kind of a child is that?". 

"Guys, it's all in the past. Let's forget it because we have other things way better to do". 

My parents gave me a surprised look and my mom came to give me a side hug, saying something about how grown I had become.