Being in love with a straight boy is a straight-up nightmare. Especially if it's been like that for years. But it's even worse when he's your best friend's brother, who has a girlfriend that's there to remind you how straight he is. That's when it b...
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I felt like I was being ghosted, but in an I'm-not-ignoring-you-but-that-second-date-ain't-happening way, and it sucked. It had seemed like Kenny and I were going somewhere, but then... this. It'd been a long time since our first date and every time I asked him if he wanted to go out again (all but three times, that is, because asking too often would probably seem pushy), he said he'd think about it. The first time, I thought 'alright, that's fair'. Because I figured he would probably need some time to figure out what he was feeling and all that. But then he was still thinking about it... and then he was still thinking about it, and I started having my doubts.
That second date wasn't happening.
Honestly, I was disappointed, but not surprised. Not surprised at all. I should have even seen it coming. How could I have expected Kenny to stop loving the boy he's loved for eight years in a matter of a few weeks? Things like that didn't just happen. I wasn't some drop-dead-gorgeous billionaire from a romance novel that could sweep anyone off their feet with a simple smile and a flirty, witty remark regardless of whatever they already had going on. That's not how it worked in real life. I guess it was just not meant to be.
The funny thing was that, ever since I told Austin about me and Kenny ending our friends-with-benefits arrangement to try dating instead, he'd been awfully interested in our non-existent relationship. How fucking depressing that, after all, I had absolutely nothing to tell him.
Oh well.
"I guess I'm gonna be single for a while," I said when he asked me how Kenny and I were 'doing' once again. We weren't doing anything, that's what. Nothing at all.
He frowned. "Oh."
"Yeah."
"I'm sorry."
"Whatever."
He started pouting and suddenly jumped up to engulf me in a hug. As he relentlessly squeezed the life out of me, he lamented, "That's so sad. I was rooting for you guys ever since the moment I walked in on you having sex! You were so perfect together. With the height difference and everything!"
I scowled against his arm and waited for him to let me go, but he wasn't done yet. Even if he had nothing more to say, he kept moving me from side to side with his arms wrapped around me like a boa constrictor.
"Austin," I choked out. "Could you let me go?"
"No."
"I'm gonna die of suffocation."
He let go of me to say, "Don't be ridiculous."
"I could see my life flashing before my eyes, Austin. One more second, and I would have dropped to the floor."
