Falling in love with your best friend

Chapter 1

There's a 15 old girl, Tula who thinks she may be in love with her best friend. They spend nearly all their time together. She's had feelings like this for the last couple of months but hasn't dared to tell him, for fear of rejection. Should she bite the bullet and tell him?

She wakes up for school at the usual time: 7am. She has an hour to get ready and her best friend, Richard, or Rich as she calls him, is at her door.

Rich: You ready for school T?

Tula: Yeah, I need to talk to talk to you on the way there as well.

Rich: Is it important? My mates Josh and Ryan are walking with us as well.

Tula: No, It'll keep.

Rich: You sure? You don't look too happy. I can always ask them not to walk with us if it's important?

Tula: It's fine, honestly.

Rich: You sure? You don't seem your normal self.

Tula: I'm fine! Will you stop going on about it?

Rich: Sorry!

Tula: I shouldn't have shouted, I'm sorry.

Rich: It's OK. You've been like this with me for days, I'm used to it.

Tula: Sorry for being a cow. I've had a lot to deal with.

Rich: If you wanna talk, you know where I am.

Tula: I know, thank you.

Rich: It's fine. Are we gonna go to school yeah?

Tula: Yeah come on!

Just then, she tells Rich she's forgotten something and if he walks, she'll catch up with him. He walks off down the road, she goes in her house, takes her jacket and shoes off and tells her mum, Anne, she's not well and she's staying off school.

Anne: Is it Richard? Has he done something?

Tula: No. I just can't be around him.

Anne: Why what's happened?

Tula: I don't want to just be his best friend mum. I love him. I can't tell him because i know he's gonna reject me. I'd hate that, It'd make things awkward between us.

Anne: Shall I phone him and tell him you need to talk to him? You have to tell him T love. If you don't, he'll probably end up working it out for himself when you start to avoid him.

Tula: Yeah, you're right. I need to tell him.

Anne: I'll phone him and get him to come over then yeah?

Tula: OK.

She goes off to phone Richard and he arrives at T's house within 15 minutes.

Rich: Hiya.

Anne: Hiya, I'm just going out to the shop but she's through there.

Rich: Hiya T. I thought something was wrong, what's the matter?

Tula: Come and sit down please.

Rich: OK.

Tula: I should have told you this and I'm sorry I didn't but I didn't know what to do. I didn't wanna complicate things and make it awkward between us. 

Rich: T will you stop babbling on and just tell me please?!

Tula: Promise you won't hate me?

Rich: How could I ever do that? Just tell me T.

Tula: I love you.

Rich:  I love you too.

Tula: No, I mean, really love. As more than a friend.

Rich: Woah! I thought you meant just as a mate, that's why I said it back.

Tula: So you don't love me?

Rich: Not in the way you clearly love me, no. I've got a girlfriend. What are you playing at?

Tula: I can't help it.

Rich: I'm gonna go. I think it's best if we don't see each other for a while. 

Tula: OK whatever you want.

Rich: I'll see you in a few days.

Tula: This is why I didn't wanna tell you. I knew I'd get rejected.

Rich: So why did you then?

Tula: My mum thought It might be best if I told you, before you worked it out for yourself when I started to avoid you. I can't help these feelings.

Rich: We'll only ever be mates. I wanna make that clear right now. You may think you "Love" me but your 15 years old Tula. You have no idea what love is.

Tula: Don't you dare try and tell me what I do and don't know. I don't want anyone else. I want you.

Rich: Yeah, well I don't want you! I've got a girlfriend who I'm very happy and settled with! I'm NOT going to have you and your stupid crush getting in the way of that!

Tula: It's NOT a crush!

Rich: It is a crush! It isn't love!

Tula: I don't want anyone else! I never did and I never will!

 Rich: Yeah, well you'll NEVER have me!

Tula: Rich please.

 Rich: *pushes her on the sofa* Stay away from me in future you stupid little girl!

Tula: You promised you'd never hate me.

 Rich: That was before you got it into your head that I'd leave my girlfriend for you. 

Tula: Look, please? We can talk about this.

Rich: What's to talk about? You tried to split me and my girlfriend up so you stay away from me in future. You stay away from me at school, out on the streets and anywhere. I never wanna see you again. Do you understand?

Tula: Yeah.

Rich: Good!

Tula sits in shock and tries to take in what just happened as Rich leaves and Tula goes up to bed, puts her pajamas on and goes back to sleep.