*Emily's POV*
"Hayes where are you taking me!" I laughed as I had a blindfold over my eyes. "Are you kidnapping me or something?"
"Nooo, you'll see." My best friend Hayes said. He grabbed my hand and walked me over somewhere. I walked over something soft and then was sat down. Hayes took the blindfold off.
"Hey, this is the beach we used to play
on when we were younger!" I said with a smile.
"Yeah. So many memories here." Hayes looked out at the ocean. "Remember that one time when I got stung by the jellyfish and Nash had to pee on me."
I started to laugh uncontrollably. "I remember that so clearly."
I felt Hayes staring at me. I kept looking out at the ocean. Something felt awkward but I didn't want to make the awkwardness too obvious.
I still felt Hayes staring at me.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" I asked quietly.
Hayes snapped out of it and scratched his neck. "What-uh-what-staring no."
"You were so staring at me."
"Well cause' you're beautiful." Hayes mumbled to himself.
"I'm what?" I looked at Hayes in the eyes.
"Sorry, um it's nothing."
"You called me beautiful." I giggled.
Hayes blushed. "I, uh, I don't know."
"You're so cute when you're embarrassed." I playfully pushed him.
"I think you're beautiful." Hayes said loudly.
"I knew you said it!"
"But I'm serious. You're gorgeous, Emily. The way you do your makeup naturally and not too much and the way your hair looks when the wind blows against it. Like right now. And your smile...and your eyes. Everything about you is beautiful. You're personality. The way you put other people before you. And you always show how much you care about people. And how much you care about me."
Hayes's bright eyes locked with mine.
"I-I don't know what to say. That's the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me." I bit my lip.
Hayes took my hands. "I know this is weird, considering that we're best friends. But I really really like you, Emily. Will you be my girlfriend?"
I felt my jaw drop a little. "Oh my god...I never knew you liked me that way."
"So is it a yes?"
I took a deep breath and thought about it. Will this risk our friendship? But no matter what, we always work things out. And I have liked Hayes for a little while now. It all started a few months ago, and I kept convincing myself to not like him because we've been best friends for ten years.
"Yes." I smiled.
Hayes cupped his hands around my face and pulled me in to kiss me. We pulled away and put our foreheads together.
"I know you can be hard of yourself sometimes, but don't forget that your beautiful. You may not always think it, but I'm always here thinking it nonstop." Hayes said softly.
I giggled and smiled. "You're so sweet."
"It makes me so happy to see you smile."
