The Ideas That Didn't Make It

Aimee's Party - THREE

The room was silent as I walked out, bottle in hand; only the loud, bass-heavy music could be heard through the walls to the next room. I refused to look in Dylan's direction.

I made it to the kitchen with this false confidence before realizing what I had just done. I had just jeopardized a whole friendship for the sake of a Truth or Dare game.

Holy hell.

I splashed some water on my face from the sink and drank a cup of water. I felt sick. Sick with worry, regret.

Becca had followed me out. "Hey Aimee. What was that?"

I looked down at the floor. "I don't really know. I guess I just needed to get it off my chest? I've liked him since the start of Year 11 Becs, and I guess recently this 'crush' got heightened when I realised that I missed talking to him and that he meant more to me that I wanted to realise."

"Then why did you say no to him?"

My heart started to ache as I remembered what I said to him. "I was scared. I was a fifteen-year-old girl who still had Mickey Mouse wallpaper in her bedroom – I didn't feel prepared for a relationship! I was scared it would be awkward, and it would humiliate me. I said no because I was too much of a goddamn wimp." Tears were beginning to form in my eyes now, as I finally – after six months of keeping this secret – let go of the way I truly felt.

Becca hugged me and grabbed me a piece of kitchen roll to dry my eyes on. "I think I know how you feel Aimee, but you can't be scared of your feelings. You can't be scared to grow up, or you'll never experience new things."

For someone who had been on the alcohol all night, Becca suddenly became very wise.

"Besides, it doesn't matter anyway. He likes someone else now – probably Eve. I just have to get over it. Time heals all wounds, right?" I said, attempting to convince myself.

"Not necessarily." A new voice had entered the room, and I cringed.

I lifted my head up proudly, gaining a newfound confidence and ignoring the tears running down my cheeks. "Dylan, I'm sorry for embarrassing you in there. And I'm sorry for saying no to you in January." He visibly winced. I kept going, "And I know you have since moved on, so I wish you all the best, and I hope you and the person you have moved on to are happy." I said this without a hint of sarcasm, and blinked back my tears, before attempting to walk cleanly out of the room.

Well, I tried to, had Dylan not stood in front of the door.

"Aimee. I... I thought I'd got over you, damnit. It took me a month, and I thought I finally thought you had left my head entirely. Now you come in, saying that you like me back and you throw my head into all sorts of confusion again."

"I'm sorry, now please let me lea-"

"Just wait."

I stood in front of him, gnawing at my lip nervously.

"I... I don't know what to say."

"That's fair. It was stupid of me to bring this up but the pressure of Truth or Dare kind of got to me..." I looked down at the floor, tears threatening to spill out again.

Suddenly, I just heard a small, whispered 'fuck it', before Dylan took my face in his hands and kissed me lightly on the lips, squeezing me tight as he did so. He leant down to whisper in my ear: "I thought I'd got over you... but I could never fully let you go..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To be continued? I don't really know.

I think it wraps up quite nicely, but tell me what you think!