Finding Perfection [ON HOLD]

What Have I Done?

            Maybe I can run these feelings off. At least that's what I had in mind when I put my ear buds in the next morning and started running my usual path around town. Our city is really small; one of those places where everyone knows everybody. You could easily circle the entire town without getting winded.

I was about a quarter of the way around when I ran into Charlie walking her dog Ellie. We go to the same church and she was a senior in high school when I was a freshman. Last summer she put out her first novel and it was surprisingly great. She's one of the only people at church that isn't a hypocrite; well, her and her family. If I had one friend in this town it would probably be her. We only live a few houses away from each other. She always seemed so glamorous. Every summer she and her best friend Avalon would go to Paris and spend time with her grandparents. Then one summer she came back with her grandparents and her boyfriend Jules. Yep you heard me right. She went to Paris for the summer and instead of bringing home a keychain like a normal person she brought back a beautiful French boyfriend.

"Hey Steph how are you doin'?" I bend down and pet a very excited Ellie.

"Honest answer? Very confused." Ellie licks my face before she calms down and I can stand up.

"Aw I'm sorry. You wanna talk about it?" The sun is shining directly on her long blonde hair and the glare looks like a halo.

"Well you know Ethan right." We both start walking my route.

"Miller?" She tilts her head to the right just a little.

"That's the one. I'm pretty sure everyone knows that we used to be friends," she nods, "but then in eighth grade we had a big fight and I haven't talked to him since. Two weeks ago he said he missed me and wanted to be friends again."

"What did you say?" She asks.

"I said that if he could find out why I decided not to be friends anymore then I would give him another chance." We pass under a really shady oak tree and it's at least five degrees cooler. Everybody seems to think that Florida is paradise but that's only Disney World and resorts. When you live here year round it's like living in a sauna.

"Let me guess. He found out?" She says sarcastically.

"News travels that fast huh?" In a small town where everybody knows everybody nothing is really a secret.

"Yeah sorry. Everyone was talking about how you guys went on a date last night." She stops for a minute to let Ellie sniff around a tree next to the sidewalk.

"It wasn't meant to be a date. Or maybe it was. I'm not sure anymore." I kick a pebble across the ground as we resume our walk. "The whole reason I didn't want to be friends in the first place was because I kind maybe sort of started to have feelings for him and I thought he was going to ask me to the eighth grade formal but he asked Laura instead."

"Ouch." Her face scrunches up in disgust.

"I know. I thought I'd gotten over those feelings. For the last three years I've hated the guy but last night those feelings maybe sort of resurfaced." I can feel my face burst into flames.

"Aww! Steph! That's so sweet." She throws her arm around my shoulder and leans into me a little. I'm just now realizing that we're about the same height. "You should just talk to him. You two would make the cutest couple."

"That's easy for you to say miss 'I have a gorgeous Parisian boyfriend who's completely in love with me'." Now her face flushes.

"Well I didn't land Jules by not saying anything to him. You just have to talk to him." She smiles mischievously, "I happen to know that before your little falling out a certain Mr. Miller had a little crush on you."

"Yeah, he all but told me earlier this week when he won back my friendship. But there's no way he'd feel that way now after the way I've treated him the past few years." I hate how whiney my voice sounds.

"Boys are stupid," Charlie says, "If they really like a girl nothing that girl says or does will make that boy stop liking her. If anything it makes him more persistent."

"I don't know, maybe—" Ethan Miller is very crossing the street toward us with something in his hand.

"Good morning ladies. Hello Charlie," He nods at her and shakes her hand.

"Good morning Ethan." She smiles back and Ellie responds with a wagging tail.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt but do you mind if I steal Steph away for just a moment?" He illustrates the moment by holding up two fingers close together like he was holding a second of time.

"Anything you need to say to me you can say right here Ethan." I stand up straighter and cross my arms across my chest.

"Um, okay. My next game is Saturday and you know that the whole team gets a girl to wear their jersey the Friday before each game." He's worrying whatever it is he has in his hand.

"Will you just spit it out already?" I have a feeling I know where this is going and I just want to say no and continue my walk. This is so not the time for him to be here. Why couldn't he just wait until I have the chance to walk off my feelings?

"Oh well, I um, I was kinda hoping you would wear my jersey this Friday." He holds out his hand. He's been carrying his jersey this whole time. Oh this is so sweet. He came all the way here to find me and ask me to wear his jersey. Why does he have to be so darn cute?

"Oh like I'd ev—" Charlie puts one hand over my mouth and her other hand around my waist.

"I'm sorry Ethan but I need to steal Steph away for just a second." She starts pulling me backwards and you learn quickly with Charlie that it's best not to resist.

"What?" I snap.

" 'He couldn't possibly still like me.' He's asking you to wear his jersey and you were going to say no! You may not have a gorgeous Parisian but you have a hot southern gentleman standing right over there who obviously likes you and you just told me that you like him too. You'd be an idiot to say no and the Stephanie I know is no idiot." She's got a point with that one. Maybe giving Ethan another chance wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

"Ethan!" I call to him over my shoulder.

He snaps to attention, "Yeah Steph?"

"I'd be happy to wear your jersey this Friday." I give in and smile a little even though in my head I know I'm going to regret this.

"You would?" He looks genuinely happy, "Well um here," he hands me the shirt and nervously rubs the back of his neck, "Take care of it. I can't wait to see you wear it." He turns around and walks beck down the street into town.

"Now that's my girl." Charlie steps up behind me and throws an arm around my shoulder.

"Oh shut up." She laughs and we keep walking. I look down at the jersey in my hands. The number one is printed across the chest and MILLER is written across the shoulder blades. What have I gotten myself into? 

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Okay guys I hoped you liked this part! If you want me to keep posting just let me know. I've been working really hard on editing my other book but I'm getting kind of bored with that right now so I'm focusing on writing this more. I see you guys reading this book but I'm not getting much feedback. Make sure to comment and vote to let me know what you think and share it with your friends if you think they'll like it too. Hopefully I can post again soon. 

-Emily :)