𝚒 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞

Ch. 10 ♡

There's nothing you could do or say
I can't escape the way, I love you

Monique's Point of View

Summer came to an end for River and her family, they were packing up their bags for Los Angeles. They were leaving tomorrow.

River and I reconciled, we resumed back to our paintings in her garage and walking around the old abandoned railroad tracks with ice cream in our hands. It felt nice to finally have her back, even as a friend.

I was sad to see her leave so soon because it felt like she hasn't left, all those years were given back to me. She was sad too, she didn't have any other friends and couldn't take all of her paintings. I was able to take some and the others were donated or sold, she wanted me to keep the important ones.

River and I were sitting on top of a rooftop, it was the parking garage that belonged to her dad's old business company. We were eating our burgers and fries, staring at the blue-pink sunset. The sun was now a crescent, but the sky was still light.

For the people who didn't have a best friend, I truly felt bad for them. They don't get to experience the laughter, the joy, the tears, phases, pimples, failed makeup or what it felt like staying up until 8AM at 9-years-old. There's no friend for them to cry on, drag out to the park in the middle of the night, make breakfast and dinner with or to be trapped in a garage with toxic chemicals with. A best friend is different from anyone else- you can tell them everything and they understood you. They know parts of you more than anyone else and their intuition of other people is the best. You have an unbreakable bond that can never be remade.

Not everyone has one, but they'll find one. It's the same concept as a soul mate, you're destined to be friends with them- you'll know because if you have been through some heavy shit with them and still are friends, then that's it.

That's what River and I are- destined to be friends. It's tragic that I've fallen in love with her, but we pushed past that together and now we're eating fries on the rooftop as Vance Joy plays in the background.

"Let's go back?" River checked up on me. We cleaned up our little mess to walk back home, her parents wanted to leave at 3AM to avoid traffic and get to their hotel in time. This was probably it- the last time I'll ever see her.

"So," she stopped at the front door and shoved her hands in her parents, "goodbye?"

I sighed and pulled her into a hug, "fuck you for leaving. Goodbye."

She laughed and patted my back, this is exactly how our last goodbye went, except more tears and you couldn't really understand what we were saying.

"Keep my contact on email, I always use it," River pulled out of the hug and winked. I chuckled at how old school she was and started to walk back into my house.

I confessed my feelings to River Price. She rejected me. We became friends again.

It wasn't as dramatic as I thought it would be, but it sure as hell felt like it. My throat was still sore from crying and my body was going to be dehydrated for days.

As I opened the front door and walks upstairs, River's paintings caught my eye. The one of me, the one of the sparkling lake and the small painting of us sitting down at the park she just made. I smiled at all of them, they were memories that I never will forget.

"Shit," I felt wrong about doing this- standing here and not being with River. I took my jacket off from the hanger and ran downstairs, yelling at Javier to lock the door. My feet sprinted towards River's house, she was carrying her suitcase into the car. Once I got close enough, I jumped onto her back and screamed.

"Jesus-" River's body leaned forward and I fell onto the floor, "what is wrong with you?"

"Haha!" I jumped up and down, then began to do a mini-dance, "let's walk around and listen to more Vance Joy. Or watch a movie? Maybe get some more ice cream?"

"Oh- Monique," She slapped her forehead and laughed, "you're something.."

I continued to dance until she said otherwise.

"Fine! Let's go watch that one movie? Booksmart?" She slung her arm over me as we walked.

"I'm more into watching a horror film right now, how about Ma? I'll pay for pizza after too."

"I don't want to, but I love you" -I love you, Billie Eilish

I'll never love someone like I love River Price. Falling in love with your best friend will always be different, but I'm glad that I'll always have her by my side.