My Best Friend

Chapter 9

"We'll have two cheeseburgers, a huge order of fries to share, one strawberry milk shake and one chocolate please." Glen ordered, flashing a smile at the waitress before she took over to give our order to the cook.

I could feel her watching me as I remained looking down at the table, playing with a straw. She let me go on for a few more seconds before pulling my attention to her.

"Claire, what you said back at Prom-"
"Let's just forget that." I cut her of, a panic attack starting to form again.
"No. Let's not." She said rather forcefully.
"I- I wasn't thinking. I think I was getting a second hand high off of the stoners dancing next to us." I lied so horribly, almost making her crack a smile but she remained focus on her goal; getting the truth.

"Enough of the bullshitting Claire, we both know better. And sides, the stoners were across the gym from us. Now.. Is it true?" I look away and keep my head down.
"Is what true?"
"Do you like me. As in, more than a friend?" Even she had trouble saying it aloud, I could hear the hesitation in her voice.

I didn't respond for awhile, maybe I took to long, maybe I was to fast to reply. But when I finally did, her expression was a great relief on my shoulders.

"Yes, Glen.. I like you.. I think maybe even love... But it doesn't matter. I know you like guys. Guys that are smart and dorky. And it's alright because hell, I might just be confused- wait no. Fuck that." I stop and look at her straight in the eyes, mine solid and hard, locked on hers.

"I'm not confused. Even when I was dating Philip there was always that certain little tick in me that knew something didn't feel right. And don't get me wrong, I loved him. But after what happened, it was slowly dying; shriveling up into nothing, to the point I felt nothing." Her eyebrows started to furrow, a sad frown growing across her face.

"But that nothingness lasting no longer than a second because when I saw your face the moment I woke up from crying myself to sleep in your arms, I felt something. I felt a new type of love growing. And then I realized from the moment we had kissed at that party, that love I had been growing for my best friend was in fact a type of love I had been raised to believe only happened between a man and woman. I love you Glen, and I can't believe it took me until now to realize it." I finish, painting from the lack of air after that great speech I had given.

The first thing I had notice it her eyes was the shine from tears starting to form. The next was how her lips were starting to form a smile but tightening from keeping back a sob or two. I wasn't sure at first to what she was thinking, but her actions cleared that up.

She got up from her seat slightly, leaning across the table and grabbing my face with both hands, pulling my face to hers, meeting lips. I took me a moment to process before getting up as well, meeting her half way.

It was a throat clearing itself that made us break the moment. Our waitress stood awkwardly with our plates in hand at the end of the table, looking for a place to set things. The waitress grew red, quickly setting things down before leaving quickly. As for Glen and I, we returned to our seats and pulled our plates in front of us.

Glen pushed my milk shake in front of me then grabbing her own, lifting it slightly up. She looked me in the eyes and smiled.

"To new beginnings."