The Minor Complications of Love

Chapter One: Confessions of Love

"I like you D-drew. I a-always have."

Mia stumbles with her words. She ruffles her already messy and frizzy hair that looked like she had just woken up from bed even if she had already washed and brushed it.

She stares blankly at the mirror, fiddling her fingers, looking far from confident, impressive, and out of Drew's league. And yet, she was still willing to push through with her confession -- the only risk in life she's ever dared to take, simply because she has always felt a connection with Drew who has been her best friend for what has seemed like forever.

Looking back, they almost didn't meet. The thought of it made Mia chuckle.

It was a bright Sunday morning, but for Mia, things weren't going peachy. Her older sister, her one and only playmate, had just flown to California for college and now, she felt as droopy as ever. The sole remedy that they had thought of for Mia's case of the blues was to help the Carlisle family who had just newly moved in. Of course though it took time for her parents to convince her how helping others can bring happiness and joy. All the energy her parents exerted on her was worth it though as she was able to cross paths with Drew.

The two were able to warm up to each other so naturally that Mia found him as a suitable playmate until they became inseperable best friends. No one could shake away the two. They were BFFs and partners in crime and for a while, Mia was content with that status.

That is, until middle school came. Puberty started to kick in, boys stopped running away from girls because of the cooties, and Mia began to develop a crush on her best friend. She couldn't remember how it happened or when it did. The only thing she could remember was that from a boy who did nothing but burp out loudly after softdrink challenges, he suddenly became the boy she wanted to be with for the rest of her life.

His emerald eyes that had seemed bland before eventually shone like stars in the night. His simple compliments suddenly made her heart race and her face blush. Mia was finally falling in love, hoping that one day her best friend could become her partner in life and today, the first day of senior year, was the day she had hoped to begin their whirlwind romance. She was determined to walk up to Drew and tell him how she felt deep inside. They could be like every single other romance, chick flick, or teen fiction novel. They could be a couple. They could finally--

"Hey guys, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Peggy."

--stay as friends?

Mia felt her heart sink in her chest or more accurately, break into a thousand pieces with the shards of her heart constantly pricking her.

What was she thinking? Did she really think Drew would like her?

Drew walks to me.

Mia plugs in her earphones, Taylor Swift's Teardrops on My Guitar blasting through her ears.

I fake a smile so he won't see what I want, what I need -- everything that we should be.

Depressing. Gloomy. Blue. Sad. There were unlimited adjectives to describe Mia's state and Bella hated the fact that they were all so negative.

Bella Cho, Mia and Drew's best friend since middle school, peered over her friend as they exit school.

"Hey, you all right?" She tapped Mia who had to remove an ear bud to hear her properly.

"I asked if you were all right," Bella repeated.

Mia shrugged. She wasn't even able to tell him he liked her. And why a girlfriend all of sudden? And of all days too?