I Love You Ms. J!

Chapter 24: Friendship part 1!

So this is Deanna?" Aiko had said after I introduced her to my friend. "Don't tell me you two are seeing each other now?"

"No way." I blushed. I hadn't even thought of that until Aiko brought it up.

"Good. That means I still have a shot." Aiko grinned.

Deanna laughed. "Oh wow, you're hitting on her with me standing right here, aren't you?"

"She always does." I told her.

After our long talk at the swing set, I realized that aside from the whole Bella situation the two of us actually had a lot in common. We sort of had the same personality and thought the same way it seemed. With this in mind, we figured that maybe that was the reason why Bella chose us. Perhaps we were so similar in personality that's why she couldn't pick between us. The big difference was Deanna was incredibly gorgeous. If it had been me I would have picked her without a second thought.

The three of us unofficially formed a trio at lunch. I was surprised that Aiko and Deanna seemed to click right away. Part of me wondered that with her around if Aiko would forget about me and go after the prettier girl. When I thought about that, it made me a little sad.

"Isn't it odd hanging out with the other woman?" Aiko had asked Deanna.

"You'd think so, but... I guess she's the only one who really understands what I went through. I mean people get cheated on all the time, but not by Fe."

Aiko snorted. I knew she hated Bella. "Why is she so great? I'm prettier than her."

Both Deanna and I laughed at that. She wasn't wrong, she was pretty, but looks were just one thing that made Bella special. Aiko pretended to be offended by our laughter, but I knew better. She was going for a laugh anyway.

"Aiko," Deanna changed subjects. "I'd like to know, does Jessica always dress like that?" Then as if she said something wrong she blushed and looked at me. "No offense but sometimes you look like a boy wearing stuff like that."

I wasn't bothered by it. "It's my brother's clothes. It makes me feel safe."

Aiko raised her eyebrows. "I told her that I don't care what she wears. She looks cute no matter what. But she still won't go out with me."

Deanna laughed. "Well... I'm not saying it's a bad look or anything, but that tomboy style you had before was nice too."

I knew I was blushing. It was different getting compliments from her. Aiko's compliments were half jokes most of the time, so I didn't take them very serious. However, Aiko's face changed when she saw my reaction to that comment.

"I tell you you're cute all the time!"

"It's not that..." I held up my hands defensively. "I guess I'm not just used to it hearing it from someone else."

"Oh. A lovers spat?" Deanna gave me a smirk.

My face must have burned brighter because both she and Aiko laughed at me. I looked the manliest among them but, I probably acting the most girly. I don't know what's wrong with me.

"How come you two haven't gone out?" Deanna asked after the laugh.

"She doesn't like me." Aiko said bluntly. "I'm not cute like- well I'm not the kind of cute she likes."

It pinched my heart to hear her say that. But at the same time I knew it was true. I didn't like Aiko because I still longed for the type of girl Bella was. And if it hurt me to think about it, I knew it hurt Aiko to live it that knowledge this whole time. It made me feel sorry for her.