Roller Coaster

1: Boy Crush

So, this is the continuation of Aidan, Jeffrey and Francis' story. Although one book could live without the other, I suggest checking their history out for the sake of keyboard smashing. Hohoho.

Francis and Aidan where seated beside each other on porch of the Domingo's new apartment building. He had helped them move their things from her old boarding house to a more spacious location. After four years of companionship, the two boasted a Facebook status that read single.

Aidan had turned twenty-one recently, while Francis celebrated his 23rd birthday with Aidan and Jeffrey separately. Although having two best friends had its perks, having to celebrate his birthday twice just took too much of his time. Why did he have to be caught in their crossfire? Because he was Jeffrey's wing man? Because he was in-love with Aidan?

In-love with Aidan...

That fact was no longer a secret. Francis was in-love with Aidan. He just never imposed an ultimatum. Aidan, being preoccupied with school, didn't have time for boyfriends anyway. To put it more bluntly, they had both chosen to nurture a platonic friendship, rather than a romantic one.

"Captain America 2 is showing now. Wanna grab a pizza and watch a movie? I'm sure Tita Anna will be thrilled to cast you out of the house while she reorganizes her stuff." Francis chuckled at the thought of Aidan and her mother bickering about where her stuffed animals will be stored. Mrs. Domingo wanted them in an open cabinet in front of her bed. Aidan, on the other hand, would prefer them kept safely in a box tucked under her bed.

"Seriously? She got to you, too. Why don't my mom and I switch best friends?" Aidan teased. "I'll deal with Ate Maureen's four-year-old son, while you deal with her obsession to micromanage everything." Ate Maureen's pregnancy at a young age had been one of the catalysts that broke-up her relationship with Jeffrey. Now, they were neither friends nor gaming buddies.

Francis stood up from the porch and offered her a hand. When she reached for it, he pulled her up. Aidan was a very clumsy person. For the past four years of their friendship, she had broken two vases, five plates, two glasses, and more than a dozen eggs—he counted. "Why don't we go back up? I'm sure your mom preparing your favorite."

"Ugh! That's not a joke," Aidan said dryly, taking a whiff of Tender Juicy hotdog frying on their ten-year-old frying pan.

As she stepped on the stair's edge, her slipper lost traction. Francis, who had been standing a step below her, instantly caught her.

Staring at him with innocent doe eyes, Aidan blinked twice. She was once again in his strong arms, cradled close to his chest. It should be romantic, right? I should feel something for him, right? He's the nicest guy in the whole universe, and I can't fall in-love with him.

Reading her mind, Francis said, "Could you...for once...fall for me... not on me?"

Aidan made a gulping sound. Her lips twitched to prevent the surfacing of an embarrassed smile. He was too familiar with her body language. In fact, if she had been a type of rare species, Francis would be an expert on her. Aidan Domingo, the Aidan species of the Domingo Kingdom. Outstanding genetic traits include clumsiness, large puppy eyes, and an insane hatred for hotdogs.

"I—I—I'm happy you're always by my side." She gently touched his cheek. Francis' face was hard. Tense lines of desire had made its way to his neck. "I—don't know." Her message sounded cryptic, and only he could understand it.

She didn't understand why her crush on him never accelerated to love. He was a nice guy. Mrs. Domingo liked him. Although she and Mrs. Gou weren't close at all, she had that feeling that Francis' mother had accepted her as his friend.

It felt cruel that Francis' had always stuck to her side, and she couldn't return that passion in him for her. With a heavy sigh, she closed her eyes. Francis had slightly lowered his head to hers. "Aidan..." he whispered gruffly.

Her eyes flew open as she felt him move slightly. "Oh, shit." She wrapped her free arm around his strong neck and raised herself to stand properly. For a brief moment, their lips had almost met. "Please don't tell me I did it again." She was now leaning on the stair rails for support.

And just like that, Francis' expression changed from passionate to playful. "I thought you'd make my arms fall off this time," he joked. Aidan threw him a playful punch, but he covered her fist with his own hand. "Seriously? After all this years, you're still trying to punch me with those teeny-weeny hands of yours?"

"Cut me some slack, will you!" She tried to punch him again with her free arm. "Unlike you, I don't work out." Aidan eyed his biceps and mentally drooled. Francis would have a field day if he knew she wanted a piece of it. The thought of kissing him—being intimate with him—had crossed her mind. However, best friends with benefits was another level for another time.

That being said, she wouldn't want him to assume that just because she wanted him in her bed, she also wanted him in her heart.

Her best friend of four years smirked at her triumphantly. "Aidan, you're doing that look again."

What look? Alarmed by his comment, her defences instantly went up. She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "What look?"

"The one where you look like you're going to devour me?" Francis bit his bottom lip, his expression sheepish.

Was I that transparent?

Before she could reason out, the swivel door on Apartment Nine swung open and Mrs. Domingo's head popped out. "Children, dinner's ready."

Ironic how mothers never get over the fact that their grown-up daughters are no longer innocent, little children.

"Yes," Aidan chirped, before rushing through the stairs and into the door, leaving an expectant Francis behind. Her heart made sudden back flips just as she settled on the white plastic chair on their temporary table.

"Aidan, where's Francis?" Mrs. Domingo put down the plate with steaming, red hotdogs. At the table's center was a large plate of rice, two scrambled eggs, and a pitcher of cold iced tea. Her mom must really like Francis. She could talk about him all day, and Mother Dearest would listen attentively. It's like talking to a friend about a boy-crush! "He's coming..."

Note:

Thanks for reading Chapter 1. Did you like it so far? I have a few chapters in draft, so yes, updates will be done on a bi-weekly basis.

If you like this chapter, please don't forget to comment, vote, star, and/or Add to you Reading List. Thanks again!

This very  first chapter is dedicated to clumatic for being the first keyboard smasher of this story. Thanks sa support, Cass.