Just Friends. (A falling in love with my best friend story)

Chapter 15: Love sucks.

   Genna's POV:

My first crush was when I was 13. There was this cute boy in my eighth grade homeroom who always smiled at me. I always felt giddy around him and whenever he told a joke, even when it wasn't funny to anyone else, I laughed as if it were hilarious to me. On Valentines day, I got an anonymous valentine that I was convinced had his handwriting on it. Turns out it was from Parker as a joke. Unfortunately he just happened to be a nice guy who smiled at girls and told bad jokes, because one day after school he asked if I could meet him behind the school. I had gotten extremely excited, thinking he was going to ask me out. But no, it turns out when I got there, he put his hands on my shoulders, looked me straight in the eyes and told me flat out that he knew I liked him and it wouldn't work out because he didn't like me back. He moved that summer.

        "Genna you've been in the shower for sixty minutes! Are we going to watch a movie or not?" Parker asked, outside the bathroom door. I sighed.

        "I've only been in here fifteen minutes Parker." I said.

        "I'm going to come in there and turn the water off myself. You're using up the hot water." he said. I jumped involuntarily and covered myself with my hands.

        "Don't you fucking dare." I said, my voice turning shaky. I heard him crack up on the other side of the door.

        "Like I would actually do that! Gosh Genna calm down. But seriously, hurry up. I want to get a shower in before we watch our movie." He said.

        "You have your own." I said.

        "Yeah but a cold shower with barely any water isn't exactly what I want. Now get out!" He said, tapping the door once before walking away. I mimicked him loud enough so he could hear me from on the other side of the door, before I rinsed my hair and turned the water off.

        "There! Butthead..." I shouted the word there, but said the last part quietly. I felt the need to tease him more than often now, to make it clear that I didn't like him that way.

I put on my pajamas and grabbed our movie comforter, setting it on the couch. His mom walked downstairs and smiled at me, holding a giant bowl of popcorn and in the crook of each arm was a bottle of pop each.

        "Thought you guys could use a snack. You're looking much healthier Genna." She said. I smiled back and she set the stuff on the mini table by the couch.

        "Thanks... I do feel healthier than I used to." I said. She looked at me sadly.

        "That reminds me, you have your first therapy session with Dr. Bowman tomorrow." She said. I sighed.

        "Just when I'd begun to feel a bit normal." I said. She laughed sadly.

        "Oh no, don't worry. I've spoken with him and you'll like him. He's very nice." She said. She walked over and gave me a kiss on the forehead before walking up the stairs, saying goodnight and when she reached the top, she yelled down "don't stay up too late!!".

Parker came out of the shower then, and gave me a smile.

        "Sweet, mom brought snacks." She said. I glanced at him and my face flushed, since he only had boxers on.

        "Geez Parker, put clothes on!" I said. He laughed.

        "What, am I making you uncomfortable?" He asked.

        "Very!" I said.

It wouldn't have bothered me before, but the idea that Chelsea brought up about me liking him had made this situation very awkward. He held up his hands in a "calm down gesture" before walking into his room. He came back wearing pajamas.

We sat next to each other on the couch and pressed play.

***

I tried to pay attention to the movie, but it was very hard considering he was next to me. He smelled really good. How had I not noticed this before? Or the fact that his arm was tight around me, making me feel warm in this cold basement. God, this was getting to be too much. Maybe I should just tell him I was going to bed.

I turned my head to tell him so, but he turned his head at the same time as me, and our faces got very close. Our noses were almost touching, and I could feel his breath on my face.

        "Uh....I..." I stuttered. His eyes met mine, asking a silent question. I was about to lean forward more before he turned back to the movie, completley unfazed.

I stayed frozen for a second before closing my eyes and sighing. I turned back towards the movie and moved so I was more on my side, and put my head on his shoulder.

        "G-good" I started, but cleared my throat "Goodnight." I finished. Was it me or did he sigh quietly?

        "Goodnight Gen." He said.

Love sucks.