The Bully Knows How to Love (#2)

19. the bully's annoying childhood friend

            CORBIN'S POV

"Careful, your feelings are showing," Sofia snap me back to reality. I realize that I had been staring at Hazel for a whole five minutes with my fist and jaw clench tightly.

I relax my hands and shoulders. I watch as Sofia casually sits down next to me like I happily invited her to join me.

"Fuck off," I spit out. I'm in no mood for her jokes.

She ruffle up my hair as a response to my comment. "That's no way to speak to your childhood friend."

We weren't exactly 'childhood friends'. Our fathers are business partners so there were a lot of dinner parties that we had to attend so we just hung out.

"Whatever," I roll my eyes and try to ignore her by focusing back on Hazel.

She sure does look happy talking and eating with that asshole. I just want to smash his face until he can barely be recognized.

"Just because you like someone doesn't mean they have to like you back. You know that, right?" Sofia's annoying voice fills my head. I shouldn't have hung out with her in elementary school. She knows too much about me. I don't like it.

I sigh, "That's the thing about love, isn't it?"

I can see her smirking at the corner of my eyes. "Never in a million years did I thought I'll hear the word love come out of Corbin Foxx's mouth," she gasp, over exaggerating.

I scoff and chuckle, "God, you're annoying."

She chuckles at my response. "Just to you."

HAZEL'S POV.

"A road trip seems fun. We should totally do it. Oh, we should..." Lucas's voice fades away when I spot Corbin sitting with Sofia a few tables away.

They're laughing together. I wonder what they're talking about. I never knew Sofia and Corbin were that close.

It's none of my business. I turn back to Lucas, trying to listen to him. "...and we should also go to..." Lucas's voice fades away once again as my eyes travel back to Corbin. I can't look away. Why can't I?

They look great together. They would make an awesome couple. This is great. He's not bothering me anymore. I should be happy.

But why am I not?

I shake the thought from my head and is reminded of what I need to do, confess to Lucas.

I turn to Lucas and open my mouth to tell him but he beat me to it, "I need to tell you something." My face twist with confusion and surprised at his sudden request.

"What is it?" I asks. His eyes soften with concern, staring into mine. I swallow the lump forming in my throat.

"Um... can we go somewhere more private?" He asks. I nod my head and get up. He does so too and I follow him away from the cabin down to the lake where it's quiet and peaceful.

Lucas turn towards me with a smile. I gulp and stare at him with anticipation.

"What is it? You're scaring me," I break the silence. I smile slightly at him, assuring him it's alright.

"I... I don't know how to do this so I'm just going to be straight with you," he start. Okay... this is scaring me.

"Hazel, I'm in love with you. Not in a best friend way but more than that. I have loved you for as long as I can remember and it's killing me the longer I keep it to myself. I like you. I love you. I-"

"Lucas," I stop him and stare at him, speechless. I lower my eyes, trying to figure out what to say.

I thought it would be a lot more different than this. My best friend whom I've been in love with for years now feels the same way about me. I should be darn happy. I should be shouting with joy as tears of happiness rolls down my cheeks. Fireworks should be going off in my mind and butterflies fluttering my entire stomach, hell an entire zoo should be there.

...But I don't feel a thing.

"I..." I watch as Lucas's face turn to one with sadness and regret. My heart instantly sink at his expression.

He steps back in disbelief at my response.

I step towards him, "Lucas, I'm sorry."

"No... I'm sorry," his voice breaks as he tries to hold back his tears. "At the party, I thought you felt the same too. I wanted to be the first one to officially confess."

I grab his hand, trying to comfort him. "I love you too but... just not in that way," I said, finally coming to term with the fact that I don't have feelings for Lucas anymore.

After all these years, maybe I was just so used to the idea of loving Lucas that I just stuck with it. I didn't question it at all because I thought I was sure.

But when Lucas was confessing his feelings to me, I couldn't help but think of him.

"I'm so sorry, Lucas." I tell him. "I thought I felt the same way too but I don't."

He takes a deep breathe in and out, calming himself. He makes eye contact with me and force a smile. "It's fine. I'm fine. We'll always be best friends."

I walk closer to him and pull him into a hug for as long as he needs.