"I like you."
I stopped in my tracks as I heard the words reverberate in my head. Slowly I turned to her.
"What did you say?"
"I said I like you Jaimy." She stood her hands squeezed to a fist at her side like the words were poking a sleeping bear and she was waiting for the backlash rejection.
"That's rubbish." I blurted out, killing all thoughts of a new romance. Since when did girls start asking boys out?
"Is this a prank or something?" I asked her while I started walking faster.
"What do you mean by a prank?" She asked then started walking after me.
"I mean where are the camera's, your friends?" I quickened my pace. I didn't have anywhere in mind to go to, just somewhere away from her.
I could here her footsteps getting closer and before I broke into a run, she was already chasing.
"Stop chasing me!" I yelled back at her. After running for about 30 seconds we were now a ways from the school's main building.
I looked back to see how far we've run and then slowly came to a stop while trying to understand where I was.
A second later she had caught up and tackled me down to the ground.
"Why would you think my confession is a prank?" She said with her body pinning mine on the floor.
"You're heavy for a girl."
"And you're a boy that's about to lose a tooth if you don't start talking." She balled her hands into a fist and began taking a few practice swings at my mouth.
"We've been friends for years Rhea, yet you haven't mentioned anything about liking me until this morning after Ella said it yesterday."
"So you're choosing Ella then?" Rhea asked, standing up.
"That's not what I said."
"That's what it's sounding like." She watched as I got up and dusted my trousers.
I looked at her, all seriousness and no jokes for once.
I'd known her for three years and we were good friends until Ella came around.
Now she always seemed to be trying too hard, first impromptu visits to the amusement park, irregular comings to my house and the way she made my conversations with other girls feel awkward.
"Are you choosing Ella?" Rhea asked again. Her voice breaking.
"I don't know yet."
"Well don't!" She said raising her voice
"That's not your decision to make." I replied back raising mine.
"Well I am your best friend."
"But not my girlfriend." After saying that I started walking back.
She kept quiet as she walked back with me
"What do you want Rhea?" I asked softly.
"I just don't want you to leave me and go with someone else."
"I can't promise that Rhea." I said slowly.
"I know."
We walked the distance back to the main building in silence, it had been over an hour since we had left.
As we got to the door, she spoke again.
"I never did like you. I'm sorry."
"I know. You really can't lie to me." I said, then flashed a smile at her.
She turned the opposite direction to her class and I to mine.
I got back in my class and sat down. It was just a few minutes till the break ended.
Ella was talking to her friends but when her eyes landed on me we caught ourselves smiling at each other.
Indeed I couldn't have accepted Rhea's confession. For even if she did want me all for herself, I was already taken.
Header image was made using Chat GPT.
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