Happier

4

Andy-

"Andy it's late, we better get home." Rye said as he grabbed my hand and helped me up.

We continued to walk, neither of us taking our hand from the others. It was silent, but not an awkward silence, a comfortable silence. I clutched the book in my right hand tighter just to make sure it was still there.

"Andy?" Rye asked after a while, breaking the silence.

"Hmm?" I hummed as I looked to the ground to make sure our footsteps were in sync, something I'd always do with anyone who was close to me, especially Hannah.

"Do you ever think that maybe you've been so close to your true love for so long, so close that you could touch them and be with them everyday, but never known it?" He asked. It through me off a gaurd a bit. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. The light from the moon was outlining him perfectly.

"Yeah, I mean it's possible. I thought that with Hannah, but obviously I was wrong. But I don't know, maybe love is closer than it seems." I said. So many things were rushing through my mind. It was like a flood and I was trying to grab onto something, anything, so I didn't get swept away in the current. I felt his grip tighten around my hand and heard him sigh.

I looked up at him to see his head hung low and a sad expression on his face. Why did this make me feel as bad as it did? Why was I finding Rye, here in this moment, extremely attractive? Why did I long to have his hand in mine everyday, his hands in my hair as I fell asleep to him humming a soft tune to me? Why did I feel this way about my band mate and closest friend? Was it wrong? Probably. Should I be feeling this way? Probably not. But was I? Yes.

"Rye. I don't know where this is coming from, but..." I tried to get words to form. We had stopped walking and he turned his body so he was looking at me. I teared up as I tried to avoid all eye contact with him.

"Andy? What is it?" He asked. I finally looked at him.

"I'm having really freaking weird mixed feelings towards you right now and I don't know what to do. I don't know what to think and I don't know how to react to them and I don't know why I'm feeling this way but I am." I rushed out as a small, hopeful smile crept it's way onto his face.

"What are the feelings?" He asked. I knew my cheeks were turning darker as I looked down at my hands.

"These kind." I said before standing up on my tiptoes and connecting our lips. He was shocked but eventually melted into it, placing his hands on my hips. I put my arms around his neck and pulled my body against his, feeling the warmth radiating from him. We pulled away a minute later.

"Rye I like you, a lot, but I don't think I'm ready for another relationship yet. But I really do like you, and I hate that I'm feeling this way." I said as my voice filled with sadness. He smiled.

"You take your time. Just know that I'll be waiting if you still wanna be mine. I've fallen for you Andy and I don't think I can get back up." He said as he grinned. I giggled at his cheesyness and burried my face in the crook of his neck.

"Thank you Rye." I said as we pulled away and started walking again, back towards the flat.

-

We had made it back to he flat and being as tired as I was, I said goodnight to Rye and climbed into my warm covers and laid my head on my pillow. Not a minute later, I felt a body lay down behind me and wrapped an arm around my waist.

"I thought you were going to bed." I mumbled to Rye. He sighed.

"It's lonely and dark in there." He whispered, his breathe making the hair on the back of my neck stand up and chills run down my spine.

"Hah. Ok." I said before scooting closer to him and closing my eyes.

"Howerever long it takes, I'll be here." I heard before I fell into a world of dreams.

~