In Love with My Best Friend

"I broke up with him."

Miranda gulped down another can of beer, and slouched down beside me on the sofa. I felt her head tilt towards me, and rested comfortably on my shoulder.

Our heights matched like that.

Glancing down at her, I couldn't help but notice how low the neck-line of her blouse was... And what laid underneath it. My gaze lingered a little longer at her small, perky breasts, as it wandered down to her stomach, her hips, her...

"... And he just dumped me like that! If I'd known, I would've just stayed with Remus."

Miranda shifted on the couch, to lean her head on the other arm (I wish it were my arm instead) of the couch, and propped her legs on my lap.

Her mutterings brought my fleeting mind back to reality as I realised how rapidly my heart was beating. And loudly. I hope she didn't hear it while she was resting on me just now.

There was a slight tingling sensation on my shoulder, where her head was, and I missed the feeling of her soft hair on my bare neck. I wish she stayed in that position for just a little while longer.

"... He wasn't a gentleman, but at least he wasn't a jerk."

She tilted her head back and stared aimlessly at the ceiling - while I stared intently at her ankles resting on my thigh. It took a lot of self-control to not let my eyes, and my mind, wander freely again. As I stiffly sat up straight, chiding myself for even thinking about trying to ruin a perfect friendship with my misbehaviour, I reminded myself again for the millionth time.

She's your best friend.

"Hey, are you listening at all?"

I instinctively took a sideways glance - a careless move, expecting to see her usual, angry, flushed face with eyebrows knitted together in irritation.

Instead, I saw a beautiful body lying spread-eagled beside me on the sofa, with womanly curves accentuated by a tight-fitting red blouse and a black pencil skirt with a teasing slit that ran a little higher than it was supposed to.

Right at that moment, Miranda looked so vulnerable, so sexy, as if she was inviting me to take her right here, right now, on the couch.

Something stirred in me.

I clenched my fists tightly, mercilessly digging my fingernails into my palms.

It's what I do to prevent my hands from moving against my will. It's what I do to prevent myself from touching her, all over. It's what I do to prevent myself from exploring every inch of her skin. Every. Single. Inch. Including all her forbidden areas.

Especially all her forbidden areas.

My pulse quickened.

"Hey!" Miranda snapped. Her head tilted up to face me directly.

"Y-Yeah, you were talking about breaking up with Mark?"

I immediately turned away from her and banished every previous thought I had about her body. Hopefully, she didn't catch me looking at her lasciviously, or find anything suspicious. I felt my face heat up.

She's your best friend, I reminded myself.

"Yeah, I told you I already broke up with him. I was talking about how much of a gentleman Remus is when compared with Mark. Not that Remus is much of a gentleman anyway.."

Miranda continued rambling on about her boyfriends. What was her most recent ex's name again? Remus? Right.

Wait, before you jump to any conclusions about me, let me just get this straight. It wasn't that I was an inattentive best friend. Believe me, there were just too many names to remember. At least I tried. You see, Miranda fell in and out of, well, what she presumed was love, as quickly as one would change their jeans. If only she stopped seeking love so actively and desperately, because she was looking in all the wrong places.

Sometimes, the person that truly loves and treasures you most is just right beside you. We are often oblivious to this fact because we take them for granted.

".. And he just left me like that. Chivalry is dead. So is love. Why doesn't anyone love me? All of them leave after a month or two. Men are such stupid, idiotic, retarded, and have I said stupid? creatures..."

"You deserve better." I cut in and waited for a reply, but there was none. Deep, slow breaths penetrated the sudden silence between us.

Gently lifting up her slender legs from my lap, I stood up and placed them back down on the sofa. Her chest rose up and down, slowly, along with her rhythmic breathing. After taking off my jacket, I draped it over her skinny frame.

Miranda was in a deep slumber. Her face looked at peace, her cheeks blushed in a light pink, and her scarlet lips so kissable.

I bent down, pausing just an inch before her lips, as warm breaths from her mouth brushed softly past my chin, caressing my skin.

"It's not true that no one loves you. She has been loving you for the past six years... And counting."

I closed my eyes and leaned closer.

She's your best friend.

I froze.

My eyes shot wide open. Our lips were just about to touch. Spinning around, I hurried to clear up the mess of beer cans on the floor.

What was I doing?