right under my nose

a long kept secret

Jason's pov

I grab a beer and sit on the couch tiredly. So much crap the last several days but I'm finally free. Miranda sits beside me. "What are you doing?" She asks, kinda confusing me. "What do you mean?" I ask. "You better not go overboard again!" She says wiggling a finger at me. I laugh. "I only got a six pack." I say. She rolls her eyes and turns on the tv. "I'm not going to get drunk. Especially with the girls here." I say. She nods. The girls finally went to sleep after crying over all this. "Those kids. Man, I know what it's like. I was 8 when my parents got divorced. It was hard. My mom said I didn't speak to her for months. I don't remember it though." She says. "I remember. You'd come to my house and yell about how horrible she was. You probably just blocked it out. That was the day I first heard you cuss." I reply smiling. She laughs. "You still remember that?!" She gasps. I nod. My cheeks go red. I remember everything about us. That's what makes us best friends. I don't know what I'd do without her. "If you weren't here helping me, I probably wouldn't have had the guts to leave her." I say. "Yeah, I'm just that good." She jokes. I roll my eyes and throw the beer bottle away. I'm tempted to get another but I promised I'd only get one. I stand in front of the sink, tired and stressed out. I didn't hear her come in and didn't know she did until I felt arms around my waist, hugging me from behind. I turn around and hug her too. "Are you going to try to find a girlfriend?" She asks, catching me off guard by the question. I shrug. "Who knows, maybe your true love is right under your nose." She says then leaves.

Miranda's pov

I go to my bedroom frustrated. How does he not realize I like him like him? I want us to be girlfriend and boyfriend! He knocks on my door. "What?" I call. "I don't know, you seemed mad when ya left. I wanted to see what was bugging you?" He says. I pull my knees to my chest. Should I tell him? What should I say? I can't tell him to go away but if I let him in, he'll see I'm upset and want to know why?! "Come in." I call. He opens the door and sits beside me on the bed. "I knew something was wrong. You forget since we know everything about each other, I always know when something is bugging you. So what's wrong?" He says, putting an arm around my shoulders. "You don't know everything about me." I whisper. His eyes go wide. "You obviously can't tell, can you?" I ask. "Can't tell what?" He asks confused.

Jason's pov

This is the first time she's ever not told me something. What's going on here? "Well, I'm just gonna come right out and say it, I love you Jason and I mean love like not friends." She says, completely shocking me. How could I not tell!? "How long have you had feelings for me?" I ask. " since that day in high school." She says. I know exactly what day she's talking about.

~flashback~

I just got home from school after catching my girlfriend holding hands with some guy. I downed like 4 beers and called Miranda. I knew she'd been through a heartbreaking breakup. I invited her over where we both talked out our frustrations and we drank a lot. "I'm never dating again!" She yelled. But for some reason, I wanted her to kiss me. I knew she wouldn't so I did and she kissed me back. I woke up the next morning in bed with her, a migraine forming from getting drunk. When she woke up, she quickly got dressed and we looked at each other for a long time. "We never speak of this." I said. She nodded and kissed my cheek then left.

~flashback over~

We haven't talked about that day until now. I don't know what to say or what to think. Do I feel that way about her? I've never really thought about it. She sighs and lays down on the pillow. "I wish you told me. Then maybe I could've had my best friend for a wife all these years." I say, rubbing her back. I pull her into a hug. "I've always loved you. When you married Jessica it completely broke my heart, that's why I wasn't at the wedding. I was never sick. I just never had the guts to tell you." She whispers, beginning to cry. I hug her tighter. "Don't cry." I whisper soothingly. She wraps her arms around my waist. "You've been here for me through everything, all the parties,you had to put up with seeing us together. Through my rants, you listened without interruption. You always knew what to say. I wish I could say the same." I say. She looks up at me. "No you listened to everything I had to say too, don't worry. I never showed that I liked you." She says. I should've been able to figure it out or at least try to figure it out. I lay her against the pillows and kiss her. Give her what she deserves. I put my arms up under her back as we kiss. I don't want it to go further than kissing though since the girls are in the house. My mind yet again flashes back to that night. How great it felt to be with her. That's what I feel right now. She's got the strongest grip on not only my neck but unexpectedly my heart as well.