Know Your Enemy

Part 5

7 o'clock. I paced in my room. I had already finished my chores, ate dinner with my family, finished my homework, studied a bit for my final, and took my shower. I had nothing else to do until Billie got here at 12. I didn't bother dressing up, or putting on any makeup, Billie was my friend, and he didn't judge people based on their looks. Besides, he'd seen me plenty of times without any makeup on, and I was just wearing athletic clothes. I glanced at my book, thinking about reading it, and then knowing I couldn't get passed more than a page. Instead, I clicked on my record player, and laid on my bed, looking up at the ceiling. I counted the cracks I saw. Fun. I shut my eyes, and fell asleep.

•••

I woke up at around 11:30. Figures, all that pacing and panicking was making me tired. Only about 30 minutes until Billie was supposed to show up. My heart raced. What if he didn't want to be my friend anymore? What if he knew I liked him, and he never wanted to see me again? What if he was moving? Or dropping out? Then what would happen between our friendship? My heart started to pound harder in my chest as I thought about all of the things that could go wrong. I hid under my covers, and shut my eyes, trying to block out the nasty thoughts. Then I heard it.
*click* *click*
The familiar sound of none other than Billie, throwing pebbles up at my windowsill. Cliche, but actually effective. I glanced at the clock, 11:46. Billie was never late. I opened my window and motioned him in. He climbed the garden trellis like he always does, and like the one time I did it, and hopped into my room. I sat in the chair next to my bed, where he sat.
For the next couple of minutes we say in silence. He was wearing a hoodie, with the hood up, and his hands in the pockets. I was sitting on the edge of my seat, and when I knew he wasn't going to say anything to start this conversation, I started for him.
"Is everything okay? You said we needed to talk?" I said wearily. He looked at me in a way I hasn't recognized before.
"I do need to talk to you, but I don't know if everything is okay. Or going to be okay after I say what I need to say."
I could tell the last part he was mainly talking to himself, but I wasn't going t interrupt him.
He took a deep breath.
"Scar, I know..." oh god, he knew I liked him. He knew I liked him, and now he's coming to cut his ties with me. I only panicked internally, as he continued.
"I know... things have always been really good for us, and I don't want to ruin that, but..." oh no, I was going to puke...
"But Scar, I have feelings for you. It started the day I met you when you ran into me, and spilled my juice all over the both of us. I tried hiding the fact that I've felt like this for a long time but... I've talked with Mike about it, and he said I should tell you... so that's it. Ive got pretty wicked feelings for you, Scarlett."
When he finished I didn't know what to say. My heart was pounding in my chest, and it was making my stomach turn, and then I started to remember what I had for dinner, and I started feeling even more sick, remembering that my chicken was a little too pink...
And then Billie looked at me, waiting for me to say something. But then he said something,
"Scar? Are you okay? You don't look so well..."
I shook my head, and my forehead became sweaty, and my stomach was turning so badly... I could feel it coming up...
I started walking to the trash can at the other side of the room, but only sat on my bed as Billie got it for me, and put it in my lap. He then gathered my hair in his hands, quickly, not missing a single strand, and then I puked. Billie started rubbing my back, and I puked some more. When I finally stopped, he put the trash can down, and brought me my box of tissues. I blew my nose and he dabbed the sweat away from my forehead. Then I put my head in my hands, embarrassed.
"Frick." I whimpered.
Billie chuckled, "I'm sorry I made you puke. Not many girls like me back, but I've never had a puker."
I looked up at Billie. He was laughing, but he was hurt.
"Billie..." I started. "Me too. I have feelings for you too, and not just because you held my hair like a pro. I've liked you from day one. "
His eyes lit up, and honestly, just telling him that made my stomach feel a whole lot better.
He laughed again, "Then why did you throw up?"
"I had some questionable chicken for dinner tonight, and I guess just the slight panic attack I had earlier, and then when you told me... it just kinda all came out, so I had to get all of it out..." I said, embarrassing myself again. He noticed my embarrassment, and quickly comforted me by telling me a story about how him and Mike dropped acid. It was a pretty crazy story, and it made me feel better. Then Billie left my side to go look at my records and cassettes for the hundredth time, as I went to get rid of the trash can. I decided to shower, and brush my teeth, and as I was doing so, I couldn't stop thinking about how this night was such an unexpected disaster that actually turned out okay. When I got back to my room, Billie wasn't there, and the window was closed. There was a note laying on my desk. It read:

"Scar,
I didn't want to be creepy and wait for you to get out of the shower, so I took off. Get some rest and drink water, hope you feel better.

xx Billie."

I smiled to myself, and my heart raced. I stuck the note on my mirror, and crawled into bed. That night I slept peacefully, knowing that Billie had the same feelings I had for him, and I knew that for now, everything was perfect.