Just Best Friends

Chapter Five

Interesting was one day to describe Wednesday.
The amount of "hump day" jokes I had heard even before third hour gym class bothered me. It didn't help that Amelia had gotten sick with flu because of her younger brother.
Stupid siblings. I love mine dearly, but other people's siblings were ruining my morning. Jessie just wouldn't shut up up about pissed she was at me for talking to Danny last night. I just kept rolling my eyes. I was surprised I hadn't seen my brain yet.
"Lyla what happened to you not giving him the light of day ever again? Do you have feelings for him again ever since the other day at lunch?"
"Hell no, Jessie. I was in public. I'm not gonna bitch slap a guy at the local Starbucks when he hadn't done anything really wrong!" I retorted.
"Whatever. You're insane. And also these uniforms don't look flattering on anyone." She sighed.
"Yeah. That's very true." I agreed. Everyone except Ryan that is. I had to prevent myself from swooning as he walked into the gym with his friends.
At around the same time Chase came barreling over and tackle hugged me.
"Whoa whoa what's going on?" I laughed.
"You know that summer camp I've been talking about?" He beamed.
"Of course! How could I not?" It's true. He had only been talking about it for weeks now. "Did you get in?"
"I don't know yet, but Mr. McAllister gave me the greatest letter of recommendation I could ever ask for!! He read my essay that I finished last night and said that if I sent that in along with the project I just finished that I'm sure to get in!"
"That's amazing!" I hugged him even tighter than I already was. "I'm so happy for you!"
"Well I didn't get in yet." He laughed.
"But I know you will." I smiled.
"Are you sure?"
"I've been sure that you would get in since you first started talking about it, but Mr. McAllister saying what he said proves it!"
"You really think so?"
"I know so."
He smiled, "Well I'm gonna go tell my other friends but I wanted to tell you first." He then walked off to tell his other friends. But in return, Ryan walked over to me.
"Are you guys, like, a thing?" He asked, gesturing towards me and Chase.
"Oh no! We're just friends!" I smiled.
"That seemed like a pretty friendly hug to me." He laughed.
"It did? Oh, well we aren't dating." I laughed.
"Oh? That's good." He smiled. "I mean, that's cool. That's cool!"
I nodded and pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. "Yeah it is. But we're too close to ever date. It would almost be like dating your sibling, you know?"
"Yeah! I get it." He smiled. "Well are you busy this weekend?"
Did he just ask me out?
My heart was ready to explode and my brain felt fried.
"Nope! I don't have any plans yet." I put emphasis on yet, trying my hardest to not seem lame.
"Well would you maybe wanna see a movie with me? You don't have to, but it could be fun." He smiled and awkwardly scratched the back of his neck.
He was asking me out. Ryan Smith was asking me out. While being adorably awkward and stuttering over his words.
Where was the overconfident, never awkward Ryan I knew?
"I'd love to!"
"Awesome." He smiled triumphantly. "I'll text you more about it later, okay?" He winked.
There he was!
"Okay," I blushed.
He then walked away to his circle of friends, getting a few high fives and an eye roll from Ruben.
Jessie pulled me closer to her. "Did that just happen?" She whispered.
"It did. That just happened." I whispered, still in shock.
She squealed. "What do you think of John?"
"John Hughes?"
"Yeah! Isn't he kinda cute?" She giggled.
"Yeah I guess. Wait, do you have a crush on him?"
"I think I might..."
"Oh my god! That would be adorable!"
"You really think so?"
"Totally!"
"Really?"
"Jessie, why would I lie to you?"
"You wouldn't. You never have."
"See?" I laughed. "I never have and I never will."
Then the gym teachers walked in.
"Today, class, we will be playing capture the flag."
I know it sounds weird to play in gym, but it's actually really fun because it gets so intense.
Even if I don't usually do much to help my team.
It's still a lot of fun!
They spilt us into two teams. I ended up on the same side as Jessie and Chase.
And sadly,
Danny too.
Ryan and his friends were on the other side.
He walked up to me before the game started. "So I have a wager."
"Oh do you?" I giggled.
"Yeah," he laughed. "If my team wins, you buy me ice cream after the movie. If your team wins, I'll buy you ice cream after the movie. Deal?"
I pretended to think about it for a second, "Deal." I nodded then laughed.
That's when the whistle blew.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My team won.
All three times we played.
Which kind of made my day because as soon as we got out of gym and on our way to math, which I also have with Ryan, we walked together. Then he said "So it looks like I owe you an ice cream, don't I?" He laughed.
"I think you do." I giggled.
"I'm so excited!" He jumped around like a child. Then cleared his throat, "I mean, it's gonna be LEGEND-wait for it-DARY!"
I gasped.
He just quoted my favorite TV show in the history of ever.
"You watch How I Met Your Mother?"
"Who doesn't?" He smiled.
Then he sat down next to me in algebra.
He never did that.
One good thing about Mrs. Smith?
She didn't care we sat.
At. All.
Chase was walking in behind us and was confused when Ryan was sitting where Amelia usually sat, then sat where he usually sat.
On the other side of me.
The rest of class was a tug of war between Chase and Ryan.
Ryan wanted to flirt.
Chase wanted to talk about the summer camp more and talk about bands like Walk The Moon and The Maine, which I had introduced him to.
I'm surprised that none of us got caught for talking.
When the bell rang and we all were walking out, I swear I could see Chase glare at Ryan and me before he practically stormed to his next class.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The rest of the day played out pretty much the same way.
Ryan even invited me to sit at his table at lunch!
It was kind of awkward though and I felt out of place. But Ryan tried to make sure I was included in most of their conversations.
He's so sweet I can't even.
Jessie was happy for me!
Chase seemed really pissed off. And I have no idea why.
Danny also seemed pissed. Which didn't really bother me. He was probably just jealous that I was dating someone who wasn't me.
Wait, Chase seemed just as pissed as Danny, if not more.
Did he have feelings for me? Was he jealous?
No. No way. He was probably upset that we didn't talk as much as we usually do.
Right?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When I got home, it was the usual.
I hung out with my dog.
Listened to music while singing and dancing along.
Told my mom about my day.
Then I sat on my bed and wondered whether or not Chase had feelings for me. My brain was having a tug of war with itself.
And it was giving me such a big headache.