Best Friend's Boyfriend

Chapter 6

               “Kelli, he was going to hook up with me,” I whispered to her.

            “Oh my God, I’m so sorry, I didn’t even realize,” she said. I’m sure she didn’t realize.

            “It’s alright,” I lied. We walked around some more and Mattie challenged Cody to a balloon darts game, the first to pop five balloons won. “Which one, Brooke? The pink dolphin?”

            “Yeah, how’d you know I’d want the pink one?” I asked, surprised he got it right.

            “It’s obviously your favorite color. The pink teddy bear yesterday, your pink bathing suit, pink nails, pink streak in your hair,” he said. “It’s cute.”

            I smiled, hoping he’d win the game. But instead, Cody had won, asking Kelli, “Which one?”

            “The pink dolphin,” she said. She hated the color pink. And that was the last pink dolphin there. “It’s so cute, thanks Cody.”

            “I’ll get you something else,” Mattie assured me. It’s not the prize that mattered, it was the fact that Kelli took what she knew I wanted even though she hated it herself. That was so childish.

            “It’s fine, I don’t care,” I smiled, letting Kelli know her attempt failed. We walked around some more, laughing and flirting around in a big group and having a good time. We got on the Ferris wheel line and I knew this is where Cody would finally kiss her and ask her to be his girlfriend. Maybe once he did she’d stop getting so jealous whenever there was guy attention on me.

            “He’s so gonna do it,” I whispered in her ear. She smiled at me and giggled, and I knew that mean she was excited. I whispered back in her ear, “I’m really hoping to get with Mattie tonight, do you think I can?”

            “Of course,” she said. “I’ll help you if you need.”

            “Help with what?” the guys asked. “You can’t just do that, you know, tell secrets in front of us.”

            “I’ll tell you guys after the ride,” I said, totally not planning on telling them. It was finally our turn to get on the Ferris wheel, when we had to decide who would sit with who. First Duke and Graham went on together, not caring that they went together. I knew Jace really wanted to sit with me but couldn’t say anything because he knew Mattie liked me. Carter said, “Come on Jace, go with me.”

            Jace listened even though he was a little disappointed. I didn’t want him to think he had no chance, because he did. I just wasn’t sure who I liked yet. And ever since that kiss with Carter, I’d been even more confused. Why not just test them all out while I’m at it?

            “They’re together,” I joked to the guy working the ride as Carter and Jace took a seat. “No, we’re not,” they tried to tell him as the guy pushed the next cart forward. I made Cody and Kelli go next so that they’d be in front of me and I could see when he kissed her.

            “After you,” Mattie said, letting me get in first, leading me forward by the arch in my back. We got on the Ferris wheel and Mattie whispered to me, “You know, I may be wrong, but sometimes I get the feeling that you and Kelli aren’t really friends."

            “What? No, I love Kel! What makes you think we’re not friends?”

            “I don’t know, it just seems like you guys are always trying to one-up each other,” he said.

            “No, it’s not like that at all,” I assured him. But mostly, I was just trying to convince myself. Mattie put his arm around me and we could see two carts in front of us Carter yawning loudly to get our attention and putting his arm around Jace to make fun of Mattie.

            “Oh my God, Cody’s going to kiss her,” I whispered excitedly to Mattie and shook his wrist out of habit, because that’s what Kelli and I do when we get excited.

            We watched as Cody leaned in, resting his index and middle finger on her jawline to direct her face towards his. Kelli leaned in too until their lips finally met. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier for her, because I know this is exactly what she wanted- exactly what she needed. A boy who would finally make her happy after she’d been so sad for so long.

            “I was wondering if you uh, wanted to…be my girlfriend,” I heard Cody ask her. She smiled so bright and her eyes lit up and she nodded and said yes.

            “Are you crying?” Mattie asked me.

            “I’m sorry,” I laughed. “It’s just like, if you ask one of us out you’re basically asking both of us out and I’m so happy for her and I don’t know, I’m a crier, don’t look at me.”

            He laughed, “No, it’s fine haha, I guess guys don’t do that for each other.”

            “Apparently not,” I turned away a little embarrassed, giggling nervously.

            “I think you’re really beautiful, Brooke,” he said to me. I smiled and leaned in, instigating the kiss. I guess I got too into it because I hadn’t even realized the ride stopped, and the guy who worked there was waiting for us to get out.

            “Sorry,” I laughed embarrassed, and hopped out of the cart. I knew what I had to do now- play hard to get. Show him that even though I kissed him didn’t mean I wouldn’t flirt around with the other guys. I liked when guys worked hard for me.

            “So, are you guys, like, dating now?” Graham asked Cody and Kelli who were off to the side holding hands.

            “Yeah,” Cody half smiled.

            “Gay,” Graham said. I hit his arm and yelled at him for his insulting response.

            “Now you can’t hook up with Brooke, Cody,” Graham said. Cody stopped walking for a second, caught off guard by the fact his friend actually said that. But he picked up again like it didn’t faze him. “Alright, I don’t care,” Cody laughed. “I have Kel, that’s all I want.”