Rules to Falling in love with your Best Friend

Rule #5

So as it is becoming apparent, not falling in love with your best friend is hard. The rules to falling in love with them of course also must get harder, which brings me to my dilemma and how, now that I am in trouble, am I to get myself out. Introducing rule number five, DENY EVERYTHING. And although that may seem like a no-brainer it actually is really difficult if like me you are terrible at lying. But, as is everything about falling in love with those who you shouldn't, it is completely necessary to avoid more heartache and embarrassment. 

I turn around to see Keeva giving Anya a pointed icy stare. Stumbling to try make this situation the least amount of awkward possible I hurriedly blurt out "This is my best friend Keeva, and Keeva, this is my.." I scramble for a word when suddenly a voice beside me says, "Anya." and I laugh and say, "Yes this is my Anya." Anya blushes seemingly unaware of what her placement of her name made my sentence sound like before I pointed it out, before laughing and extending her hand. Keeva, who doesn't look like she's trying to freeze Anya with her eyes extends hers as well. They shake for a decidedly short amount of time before Keeva is taking her hand back and briskly trying to shake off her ice queen stare. 

Trying to break the metaphorical ice I ask, "What class do you have first?" "AP English." "Sweet" I reply, "Same as us, onwards Keeva and my Anya" Keeva turns and walks to class while Anya and I follow, with my arm still around her shoulders. Not surprisingly, since that's the kind of day I seem to be having, we have a new seating chart in English. When I look at the board to try and figure out where exactly I am a small hand grabs my wrist and tugs, "Looks like you're next to me sparrow." "Sparrow?" I ask teasingly as I sit in my desk next to Anya's. "Yeah." she says decidedly. "Keeva has a nickname for you and I wanted one too, sparrows are small birds so you're sparrow." I laughed and then she added, "Plus I saw a kind of bad karate movie where the bad ass girl was named Sparrow so win win." I grinned, "Works for me."

The day went by pretty quickly considering it's eight hours long of school but either way it's Thursday, my favorite day, and that left me with a great idea. "So how about a sleepover?" I ask both Keeva and Anya at lunch. "Yes!" Keeva agrees enthusiastically. "I'm down." Anya agrees. "Awesome. It's tomorrow." I say as the bell rings for lunch and the rest of our day begins. After school I'm at my locker when Keeva comes over and starts to talk, "I'm sorry." I'm a bit startled. "Whatever for?" "Being jealous of Anya, I know you're just being friendly but it kinda hurt me that you're so close so fast." "Dude." I start, "No one compares to you. you're my best friend." And I'm also kind of in love with you, I add in my head. She smiles so wide my heart hurts and she squeezes me in a hug. 

The next day finds a distraught looking Keeva at my locker in the morning. "What's wrong?" I ask. She frowns deeper, "after school we're going to visit my mom's friend and I can't miss it." I frown, "That sucks but they'll always be other sleepovers you know." She sighs, "I know."  But she doesn't look comforted. School was the same as usual and after it was over Anya and I practically ran back to my house. 

We burst through the door with a loud laugh of "We're free!!" to see my mom looking at us unamused. "School isn't a prison." She replies with a slight smirk. "But I'm glad you're home." She hugs us both before she grabs her purse, "Unfortunately work called and I have to go in to cover for Linda." I groan, "But why must you leave us?!?" Anya giggles behind me as my mom laughs. "Go watch movies or whatever you two were planning on doing, silly." I grin and take Anya's wrist, "Kay! Bye mom! Be safe!" She waves and smiles, "You too girls, I mean it." she sends me a pointed look. I gasp mock offended, "I would never!!" She laughs and opens the door to walk out with an, "Alright alright see you two later!" tossed over her shoulder and then Anya and I are alone. I turn to her, "So whatcha wanna do?" 

We end up having a disney movie marathon, which ends up just being a sing along. Partway though the Fox and the Hound we stop paying attention and start to drift off a bit. "Where is your dad?" Anya asks and then immediately follows with, "Oh my gosh I'm sorry  I mean you don't have to tell me anything I just say things sometimes especially when I'm tired, I have no filter. I'm sorry." I reach out to touch her shoulder to make her calm down before she has an attack, to say, "It's okay..." there is some silence before I continue, "he just left." I hear the ugly wobble in my voice but Anya doesn't laugh or push me for any more, she just turns to look me in the eye and says, "My mom too, that's why we moved." And all of a sudden being friends with Anya doesn't seem so random and I reach out and hug her. Apparently that's how my mom found us when she came in. And yeah she has a picture to prove it. 

On monday everything seems normal, and if Anya and I are a little more close than normal so what, we can relate to each other better. Apparently this has not gone unnoticed by Keeva who corners me in Math, the only class we don't have with Anya. "Are you avoiding me?" I start, "What? No! Why would you think that?" even though my brain is screaming that I totally am "You seem to be spending all of your time with Anya." She says her name like it tastes bad and that puts me on edge. "We can relate, and sorry if I have another friend, am I not allowed to have other friends or what?" Keeva sighs, "No I just... I don't know, it feels like you're replacing me and I don't like it." I frown, "Well I'm not." and I face the board as the teacher starts her lesson. I think I've just created more drama for myself. Ugh.