Winning Skylinn

64

A few hours later, I decided to take Ollie home to Jonny. It was getting late anyways, and I had work the next day, so I didn't want to stay up too late with them.

"Here, kitty kitty," I said, kneeling to the floor. Both cats came up to me with questioning eyes. "Gosh, do you guys have to be so cute?!" They just looked at me. "Yes, I know I'm weird. Stop judging." I scooped Ollie up in my arms and rose from the floor. "Time to go home, little guy."

He meowed sadly, and I petted his fur to comfort him. "It's okay, buddy. You can come over again soon and see your sister, okay?" He purred in response.

My parents, who'd gotten home about an hour ago, were watching a sports game on TV. "Hey, I'm just going to Jonny's real quick. I'll be back soon," I told them.

"Okay," Mom approved. "See you soon."

I walked outside with Ollie in my arms and carried him across the lawn and through the gate until we were at the Cox's front door. I knocked on the door with my free hand, and Jeremiah (Jonny's dad) answered it.

"Hey, squirt," he said, grinning immediately.

He'd called me squirt since the day I became best friends with his son. "Hey, I'm here to return Ollie."

"Of course. Come on in. Jonny's in his room."

I nodded and headed down the hall. Jonny's room was the third door on the right. It was as familiar to me as my own home, something I would never take for granted.

"Knock knock," I said before letting myself in.

"Oh hey," Jonny said, almost too casually.

"I come bearing gifts," I joked, holding out the cat.

"Thank you, madam. How could I ever repay you?" he replied in a terrible British accent.

I giggled and set Ollie on the bed next to him. "Well...I'll be going, then."

"Wait! I-I have something to tell you."

I folded my arms across my chest. "Okay. Spill."

He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, and laughed nervously. "I don't really know how to say it..."

This must be important, I thought to myself. Jonny rarely got nervous, especially with me. "What's up?" I sat on the end of his bed and leaned against the grey wall.

Jonny rubbed his hands together, then wiped them on his shorts. "Um. So. Remember when we were twelve?"

"Yeah, like it was yesterday. Except it was seven years ago... Wow, can you believe it?"

"No. Actually I can't. It's been forever..."

"Anyways, what about it?"

"Well see...whenever I was twelve...I kinda had a crush on you." He refused to look me in the eye as he said it.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because...it wasn't just, um-" He cleared his throat. "It wasn't just a crush."

"Oh?"

"I-I...um, I kinda, well..."

"You what?!" I couldn't help yelling.

"I was in love with you!" he yelled back.

"You were?!"

"Yes! I never-" He lowered his voice a few octaves. "I never stopped."

I stared off into space for what felt like years, my heart pounding much faster than it needed to.

"Um. So, like...you...love me?"