The Friend Zone

chapter 1

"Nate we are so going to get caught." I tell my best friend as he pushes me over the wooden fence. He kicked his soccer ball over the fence to his oh so unfriendly neighbor's backyard. Nate has done this so many times that Mr. Johnson has popped every single one. Now his plan is to skip asking for it back nicely, and to push my butt over the fence with him to retrieve his dumb ball.

"Look Darc," Nate stated using my nickname he's used since we've became friends, "If you lower your voice, and run your pretty little heart out to the ball and back we will be perfectly fine. Mr. Johnson can get his seventy year old panties out of his ass and get over it. We aren't messing with his precious cat or flowers, just retrieving my ball. Besides he has popped half of them, and my mom won't buy me more." I saw his head poke above the fence as I'm already standing on the other side.

It's about 6 in the afternoon, Nate and I have been hanging out with each other all day. He decided we should play soccer, so when he kicked the ball a little bit too hard over my head, it went over the damn fence. Good one Nate, good one.

Nate gave me a smile and said, "You ready?" I nodded with a sigh and he started to count to three.

"One."

"Two."

"Three."

As Nate said three we sprinted over Mr. Johnson's fresh cut grass over to the patio where the soccer ball was perched upon. I grabbed the ball, and we started running back when the sound of a door creaked open from the small home.

"Nathanial Thomas and Darcy Wilson, what on earth are you doing on my lawn?! You filthy children, is that another soccer ball? I've had it!" Mr. Johnson's old voice yelled across his yard. I can imagine his grey eyebrows shooting upwards, and his wrinkly old arms shoot towards us with his red cane in hand swinging it around.

Nate starts laughing and says barely above a whisper, "Run faster."

So Nate and I ran faster, and he picked me up and threw me over the fence. He followed quickly after, and the old man's voice was faintly heard.

We sat on the grass with our back against the fence panting, trying to gather our breath. We looked at each other and I could see Nate's blue eyes start to crinkle which would happen before he smiled, and his brown hair in a mess. The smile broke out onto his face which made it contagious so my smile broke out. Laughter escaped our lips and soon enough we were rolling around clutching our stomach from laughing too hard. Soon the laughs quieted down, and we both just laid side by side by each other. I laid my head on his chest and could hear his slight heart beats. The beats of his heart stated to quicken. My heart fluttered, and I never know why I get this way when I'm around him. He is my best friend. I've known him for the past 4-5 years. I always take notice of the small glances he gives me when I'm not noticing or the way his heart quickens and how my stomach flutters at the way he reacts. Friends from school tell us how we are going to get married and how we are going to date, but it's been five years of a wonderful friendship. Nothing has happened.

The thing is, I used to like him. He had a girlfriend at the time, so I had to back off. Then I got a boyfriend and he got out of his. Now we are both single, nothing has happened.

Nate starts to twirl a piece of my long brunette hair around his finger, it comforts me. I trace patterns on his stomach as I listen to his heart beat. There's a slight wind in the air, the bright green trees sway lightly which looks beautiful next to the blue sky in front of us.

"You know Darc.." Nate starts to say. I look up at to meet his bright blue eyes. He looks deep in thought. I hum in response as I wait for him to speak again. In this moment you'd think Nate would start ranting about how much he likes me, and he would start complimenting me. But this is what he said...

"You're a slow runner. If we get in trouble it's all your fault, also if you just caught the ball before it went over the fence we wouldn't have had to go over there."

I punched him in the chest at his comment. He chuckled deeply then made an exaggerated "ow" in response. See this is what I an talking about, when he has the chance to sweep me off my feet (and not over the fence) he makes a comment like that! I mean come on now Nate, step up your game.

Our moms were best friends in high school. We didn't realize it till the seventh grade dance when our moms chaperoned. I was introducing my mom to him and his mom; it turned into a high school reunion. Turns out my mom was best friends with his dad and set Nate's parents together. Ever since then every Sunday we would get together for barbecues. I would say our families have grown close.

There were times Nate and I weren't close because of jealous boyfriends and girlfriends. I didn't want to date but whenever he would get a girl I had to stand off. To be honest I was lonely without my guy best friend, so I just dated to feel the presence of one. It never worked out however.

My feelings for Nate have been confirmed in ninth grade. I was sitting with him in our treehouse, and he was twisting my hair like he is now. He was telling me about his girlfriend problems while I sat with enormous jealousy stirring inside me. I told him to break up with her, but I never said what I really wanted to say. Be with me Nate we can last for years just us. sadly that isn't what happened. Nate told me I was too protective of a friend, and he would just play it day by day.

To be clear, they did not last long. Let's just say I might've did things intentional to break them up without making it noticeable. Maybe a throw back Thursday on Instagram made her mad ,but I was just being a good friend.

Ever since I admitted to myself the feelings I had for my best friend, I've wanted to tell him.
To be with him. I wanted simply to call him mine. However, the confidence and fear of rejection held me back. There's times he would throw little nicknames, like buddy, sis, homie etc.

Anyways, back to reality. We lay on the grass for another hour pointing out shapes in the sky and talking about the most random things. In the middle of laughing at cheesy jokes to do with animals, his mom blocks our view standing above us with her arms crossed. We exchange glances and try not to laugh knowing this is no good. Nate's mom, Carine, is a very pretty woman. She shares the same bright blue eyes and long eyelashes; Her natural light caramel waves cascade down her back; light freckles are spotted around her eyes and nose; the slim figure she's had with no effort is hard to miss. Oh did I mention she's a model? I'm hardcore jealous.

"I love you guys, but did you really have to piss Mr. J off so bad he decided to bang on our front door?" Mrs. Carine looked at us with raised eyebrows waiting on a response.

"Well?"

silence

Neither Nate nor I wanted to answer because simply we didn't have an answer.

"If neither of you are going to give me an explanation I'm going to make you both help me fix dinner." She threatened us.

Okay, cooking doesn't seem like a bad thing, but we HATED to cook. Both of us couldn't fix a sandwich if we tried.

Both of us sat up yelling with nonsense explanations to help our case.

She started to smile and giggle at our actions. Mrs. Carine held up her hand to silence us, which we immediately stopped talking.

"I'm just kidding, I wouldn't want it to be ruined anyways. Just don't do it again, but I do need help making the table."

Nate stood up as his mom walked back inside. He held out his hand that I took to help me up. I jumped on his back and he carried me inside. On the way, I told him more of my horrible jokes. As we laughed I noticed how I was falling for him.

But we are just friends right?