Short Story
"Wake up, Ray!"
The door opened. He yawned while doing some stretching. This idiot in front of me was my best friend. We're friends since high school.
We lived close enough to be best friends, close enough for me to always go barging on his house front door, to wake him up every Saturday morning.
Close enough for us to choose the same course, the same workplace. I did feel tired, needing to see the freaking same face for years, but something felt off without him by my side.
Looking at him. From his eyebrows, to his chin. Hm, not that handsome. Kinda ugly. That's why I could never understand how did a guy like him manage to get love letters inside his school locker, inside his school bag, on his working table, and even some of them are given to me to pass on to him.
He snapped his fingers in front of me.
"Come on! We're going to be late,"
Saturday morning was a perfect time for us to go the nearest basketball court in this neighbourhood. I really liked playing basketball since high school, but I didn't really have teammates to play with, so..
"When will you find friends to play basketball with? I'm tired of doing this every morning on weekends,"
That question tickled me. I burst into laughter.
"Aw, Ray! I know you like it! You do like playing basketball, don't you?"
He shook his head. But didn't give me any answer. I knew he meant yes.
I liked him. I liked to be around him. I liked talking to him. I liked, the idea of him staying with me.
The memories of us playing basketball together, going to the biggest library in hometown, going to every mall that this city has ever had, everything, make me smile. But this smile tastes bitter.
I know it. It's him, at the corner of this cafe. What happened to him not liking Starbucks?
I wanted to greet him the first time I saw him here, but thinking twice, I shouldn't.
Looking at him, I feel. Guilty.
"I.. like you. I really do,"
I was flabbergasted. Honestly my mind went blank. I didn't see this coming. I looked at him. He couldn't meet my eyes. Not that I could do the same if he stared back.
I guess he's a few months late. If he said it earlier, the ending would be different.
"I.. like you too,"
"But, as a friend, as my best friend.."
I couldn't say much that night. I, didn't even know what to say, to not break him. But I knew this could never be done without him breaking. I felt like crying.
He's too late. I did think about it back then. The way he acted around me, it made me think every night before I went to bed. Thinking, does he like me? But he never said anything. So I chose to ignore it. Bury it deep down, until I found this guy in front of me, once again.
This guy, in front of me now, looking so beautiful in every way he is.
That night I told myself I should try to have feelings for him. I did like him back then, even if it's only a tiny bit of feelings. It could grow, and soon I would fall for him.
I tried. I tried to call him, sending him texts even more often than before. I knew I was acting weird. But, I didn't know what else I should be doing.
He tried to act normal. But deep down inside I knew he didn't feel any better. I knew it. I just knew it.
Seeing this guy in front of me once again, I knew I had to choose. And I surely have known the answer all along. I can't help but feeling guilty, but I can't make myself love him if I don't.
"Lianne, you're okay?"
"Oh, yeah, I'm good, you?"
It must look like my mind has gone somewhere far. Looking at this guy in front of me, I know I made the right decision. Even if it hurts Ray in the end, but if I chose him it's not that things would get any better between us. It would end up as a lie.
My phone rings, a notification pops out. One message from Rayden?
- I know that you don't but if I ask you if you love me I hope you lie to me
I quickly lift up my head to look back at him. But that spot's empty.
I should chase him. But if I do so, it will only complicate things. My feet goes back resting. I put my phone in the bag. I look at the guy in front of me, and smile.
"It's you," I say it with all my heart.
He seems a bit shocked, but he still smiles that sweet smile.
"For me it's always been you too,"
The moment he says it, I know it's the right thing to do.
No. Lying won't solve things in reality. You know it better than anyone else Ray.
- I'm sorry, Ray.
Message sent.
The door opened. He yawned while doing some stretching. This idiot in front of me was my best friend. We're friends since high school.
We lived close enough to be best friends, close enough for me to always go barging on his house front door, to wake him up every Saturday morning.
Close enough for us to choose the same course, the same workplace. I did feel tired, needing to see the freaking same face for years, but something felt off without him by my side.
Looking at him. From his eyebrows, to his chin. Hm, not that handsome. Kinda ugly. That's why I could never understand how did a guy like him manage to get love letters inside his school locker, inside his school bag, on his working table, and even some of them are given to me to pass on to him.
He snapped his fingers in front of me.
"Come on! We're going to be late,"
Saturday morning was a perfect time for us to go the nearest basketball court in this neighbourhood. I really liked playing basketball since high school, but I didn't really have teammates to play with, so..
"When will you find friends to play basketball with? I'm tired of doing this every morning on weekends,"
That question tickled me. I burst into laughter.
"Aw, Ray! I know you like it! You do like playing basketball, don't you?"
He shook his head. But didn't give me any answer. I knew he meant yes.
I liked him. I liked to be around him. I liked talking to him. I liked, the idea of him staying with me.
The memories of us playing basketball together, going to the biggest library in hometown, going to every mall that this city has ever had, everything, make me smile. But this smile tastes bitter.
I know it. It's him, at the corner of this cafe. What happened to him not liking Starbucks?
I wanted to greet him the first time I saw him here, but thinking twice, I shouldn't.
Looking at him, I feel. Guilty.
"I.. like you. I really do,"
I was flabbergasted. Honestly my mind went blank. I didn't see this coming. I looked at him. He couldn't meet my eyes. Not that I could do the same if he stared back.
I guess he's a few months late. If he said it earlier, the ending would be different.
"I.. like you too,"
"But, as a friend, as my best friend.."
I couldn't say much that night. I, didn't even know what to say, to not break him. But I knew this could never be done without him breaking. I felt like crying.
He's too late. I did think about it back then. The way he acted around me, it made me think every night before I went to bed. Thinking, does he like me? But he never said anything. So I chose to ignore it. Bury it deep down, until I found this guy in front of me, once again.
This guy, in front of me now, looking so beautiful in every way he is.
That night I told myself I should try to have feelings for him. I did like him back then, even if it's only a tiny bit of feelings. It could grow, and soon I would fall for him.
I tried. I tried to call him, sending him texts even more often than before. I knew I was acting weird. But, I didn't know what else I should be doing.
He tried to act normal. But deep down inside I knew he didn't feel any better. I knew it. I just knew it.
Seeing this guy in front of me once again, I knew I had to choose. And I surely have known the answer all along. I can't help but feeling guilty, but I can't make myself love him if I don't.
"Lianne, you're okay?"
"Oh, yeah, I'm good, you?"
It must look like my mind has gone somewhere far. Looking at this guy in front of me, I know I made the right decision. Even if it hurts Ray in the end, but if I chose him it's not that things would get any better between us. It would end up as a lie.
My phone rings, a notification pops out. One message from Rayden?
- I know that you don't but if I ask you if you love me I hope you lie to me
I quickly lift up my head to look back at him. But that spot's empty.
I should chase him. But if I do so, it will only complicate things. My feet goes back resting. I put my phone in the bag. I look at the guy in front of me, and smile.
"It's you," I say it with all my heart.
He seems a bit shocked, but he still smiles that sweet smile.
"For me it's always been you too,"
The moment he says it, I know it's the right thing to do.
No. Lying won't solve things in reality. You know it better than anyone else Ray.
- I'm sorry, Ray.
Message sent.
Comments
Post a Comment