Lonely

.3

"Jay, we've been friends for 6 years now, I know you better than you know yourself."
I didn't know what to say at this point. Questions roaming in my head wondering when and how he figured out. My face become pale as I sat there staring at the steering wheel.
"Jay, it's okay. No need to be embarrassed, darling," he almost whispered while putting his hand on top of my thigh. My breath hitched as I looked over at the incredibly attractive boy sitting to my right.
"Braden, how long have you known this? And why didn't you say anything? I'm so embarrassed and I just-"
"I always thought you liked me, but I never knew for sure. Over the past few weeks it's been becoming more noticeable. But, Jay, between you and me, I've always had a crush on you too," he said giving me a slight smile. I blushed looking over at him shocked at what I just found out, "How about we ditch today and go to the park and play like we used to?" he said.
"I would love that," I smiled at him and started pulling out of the drive way, his hand still on my thigh making it hard to concentrate.
~~~
We had been at the park for about 2 hours talking about pointless things and swinging while playing "Fall in Love" by Barcelona faintly in the back ground.
"It really hurts me how people treat you at school, Jay," he stated slowly in a concerned voice.
"It used to get to me and hurt me a lot, but they can only say so many mean things to you before they're just repeating the same things to you over and over, you know? It still hurts when you have people saying the things about you but I can't stop them, and I'm not giving them a reaction so they'll stop, but I'm fine, Braden, I promise," I said assuringly.
"I know you say that, but are you? Are you really fine? I want to be the one you tell everything too, Jay. I know you don't tell me everything and you save it for your pillow at night, but Jay, you mean the world to me, you're my best friend. Let me help you. Let me be the one you call at 3 in the morning because you had a nightmare. Let me protect you from the people at school, I want to do that for you," where was all of this coming from? I wanted him to be my 3 o'clock call, I wanted him to protect me, I wanted these things more than he did.
"Braden, I want that too, more than you do. But aren't too afraid you'll get made fun of? You'll be called names for doing that for me and I don't want you going through what I have gone through," I couldn't imagine him getting made fun of, it would hurt me worse than me getting made fun of.
"Jay, I don't care. I'm going to do this for you, and there's nothing you can do to stop me," by this point I was an emotional wreck. Its barely noon and I've already had my crush of years tell me he likes me tells me he wants to protect me, plus he had his hand on my thigh.
~~~
It was now 5 p.m. and we were still at the park chasing each other around, talking, and listening to the faint notes of the music. I got a little cold, so he gave me another one of his jackets. Another to add to the collection I thought as I slightly laughed at my thoughts.
"What's so funny," he said giving me the smirk that could kill.
"Nothing I was just thinking," I giggled. I just giggled. My face going bright red at the though of my horrendous giggle. His laugh boomed through the park making me giggle even more.
"As I was going to say, before you let out that incredibly adorable giggle, what were you think about?" he said and gave a little laugh.
"One, that giggle was not adorable, it was hideous," as I let out a slight laugh, "and second, I was just thinking about how I always take your jackets on purpose and keep them, because they remind me of you when I'm sad," I said, not realizing how embarrassing that was until the words had already come out of my mouth. My face immediately heating up, as it turned a bright shade of strawberry red.
"Aww is someone embarrassed," he said pinching my cheeks and as I laughed and swatted him away, "there's no reason to embarrassed, darling, that's actually quite adorable," he said in a low voice, his little British accent creeping out. His mom and dad were from England, I guess he was too, but they moved here when he was only 2 years old. He didn't have much of an accent anymore, though it was slightly audible when he spoke low, and slow.

I put my head in my hands as I got the chill bumps, and shook my head slowly.
"What are you shaking your head for?" he asked, slight confusion in his voice as he ran his finger tips up and down my arm.
"I'm just thinking, it hard to believe you actually know I like you, like, I just got so used to hiding it from you not expecting this to go anywhere I thought I would never have a chance with you," I looked down at my feet while playing with my bracelet on my right hand.
"It's okay, I feel the same way, love," I shivered at the use of the word. his fingertips still going up and down on my arm, as I laid my head of his shoulder.
It was about 6 now, and I should probably be heading home. We walked to the car with my hand in his. As we got in, I turned on the heater since it was the end of October and it was quite cool outside. He put his hand on my thigh as I was driving him home.
The car ride to his house was only about 5 minutes, but I wish it would've taken hours. I could never get old of talking to him. When we pulled up at his house, I started to unbuckle when he spoke up,
"Jay, you don't need to get out and walk me in the cold, I'll see you tomorrow, darling," he said as he kissed me on the cheek.
"Okay, thanks for being my ditch buddy today, Braden. See you tomorrow," I said blushing.