These Oceans between You and Me

Stay

|14| - Stay

"So, that's why you used to thank me every time we went for rides around the block on our bikes?" Adam asks with a bemused look on his face.

We are sitting sprawled on the floor of his bedroom, getting our books out to study.

"Yeah, I mean, I thought I needed to," I say with a shrug. "I was sure you were going to dump my ass when you realized you were hanging with a total loser. I thought I ought to thank you every time you decided to come along because I felt that if I was polite to you, it would give you more of a reason to keep hanging out with me."

He laughs. "That's kind of sad, Ben."

I shrug again. "It's the truth. I was pretty sure it was only a matter of time before you ditched me for good."

"You weren't a loser. You are one now, but you weren't one back then." He teases me with a playful smirk. A small dimple appears at his left cheek whenever he smirks at me like that. Something makes my chest constrict, but I can't pinpoint what the strange feeling is.

I give him an eye-roll. "Thanks, Coop."

"I still can't believe this... You thanked me for a whole year, dude."

We are fourteen years old, and Adam and I are best friends now. I'm not embarrassed to admit this to him anymore. "To be honest, I would've carried on for two more years, if it was up to me," I say, chuckling. "I only stopped because you gave me weird looks every time I thanked you."

He shakes his head in disbelief and I can't help but notice how soft his hair looks. His sandy blond locks have darkened a little and it is now a light brown, wavy and curling at the nape of his neck.

I feel the urge to brush away the few strands of hair that constantly falls over his eyes, but I refrain myself. It would be weird to do that.

"So, I guess it only takes four years for you to believe that I really am your friend," he says.

"Well..." I drawl playfully. "I have to confess, I still have an itsy-bitsy smidge of doubt."

He smacks a pillow on my face and I let out a muffled laugh.

"Shut up, you idiot." He orders. "You know you're my best friend, man. It's time for you to start believing. I'm here to stay."

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Song Video Credits: Runnin' (Lose It All) - Stripped Back Live Session ft. Arrow Benjamin by Naughty Boy.