No, We Are Not A Couple

Leo

The beach doesn't seem as sunny once Amanda leaves.

The ocean doesn't seem as blue once Amanda leaves.

I don't feel as happy once Amanda leaves.

"Leo? Can I talk to you?" I jump and look up. I see Ingrid giving me a worried smile.

"Oh, yeah. Um, go ahead." She sits down next to me and sighs.

"Okay. Leo, I want to ask you something, but I need you to be honest." I give her a quizzical look.

"Okay. Ask away, I guess." Ingrid takes a deep breath, then looks at me dead center.

"Leo, do you have any romantic feelings towards Amanda?" I redden, and my voice comes out higher than I expected.

"W-what? No! I told you, I don't.. feel that.. like that." Ingrid raises her eyebrows.

"Okay, well, that was a lie." I shake my head, but Ingrid continues. "You told me about your girlfriend when we were back in New York. Sara, right? Well, then where is she? Where is she, Leo? If she is your girlfriend, why isn't she here with you?" I open my mouth, but can't find the right words, so I shut it again. "You told me she didn't like Amanda, but is that the real reason she isn't here?" Ingrid stares me down, and after a minute, I slowly shake my head.

"..No. It's not. I didn't want her here. She's no fun, and-"

"And you didn't want her to see how you behave towards Amanda when she's not around." Ingrid finishes. I bury my face in my hands. When I speak, it's muffled.

"I can't. I'm with Sara." Ingrid leans over, and I can smell her breath, sweet like her gum.

"Leo. I know how you feel. You talk about Sara with distance, dismay, and anger. You never smile when you talk about her. Amanda is different. Your entire being changes and your eyes light up. You beam and smile and talk about her with a loving tenderness and a passion you give to no one else. Leo, you idiot, you love her."

"Of course I do, I've grown up with her. She's my best friend." I protest but there's no convincing Ingrid.. or myself.

"Leo." Ingrid takes my hand. "We both know it's different than that." I slowly raise my head and look at her.

"So what do I do? Ingrid, what do I do?" She smiles.

"You talk to her. You talk to Sara. You see how she feels."

"I can't. If Amanda doesn't- she'll hate me, and never talk to me. That would be worse than this."

"She'd never hate you, Leo. And, are you positively clueless, or just blind?

Because that girl is head over heels, bud. You haven't noticed? Her body language is extremely relaxed and comfortable. If you saw, you would have seen her face twist and fall when I first arrived. When you introduced me as a friend, she lost that look. She was jealous, Leo." I suck in a breath and stare at her.

"Really?" Ingrid nods.

"Really." I sigh and smile a small bit.

"Tomorrow."

"Okay. When you talk to her, look for those small signs, okay? Anyway, it's getting late, and therefore cold, so now that you know what you're doing, I'm gonna head out, okay? Bye Leo." I wave and leave too.

. . .

My phone is on, open to my calling app, and I still can't get myself to press her name. She'll scream, for sure. Yell, accuse me of cheating, and the conversation will end with Amanda. I really don't want to call Sara. But I owe it to her, at least. My finger hovers over the call button. I inch it forward when my bedroom door opens and Nemo bounds in.