Just Friends | Teen Ink

Just Friends MAG

By Anonymous

Final class of the day; I’m almost done. I’ve managed to avoid him for the majority of the day, somehow escaping his attempts at conversation. Always somewhere to go, something to do. Sorry, no time to chat. If I can just stay out of sight for the next fifteen minutes, I’ll be home free.

Rushing into the crowded hall, I push through the swarm of buzzing students. I fight against the flow of bodies, the warm crush that threatens to overwhelm me. Desperate, I keep shoving, longing to reach the safety and quiet of my locker. I’m almost there, just a bit further. Finally I’ve made it, and he’s nowhere in sight.

I open my locker and lean into it, sighing with relief, when I see him. I straighten up, hurriedly shoving everything into that tiny metal box, but my hands aren’t cooperating. My nerves are making me shake, disconnecting my mind from the rest of my body. I struggle to remove myself from the impending situation, but as I start to spring away, he grabs my arm and says, “Now can I talk to you?”

And that’s when my heart sinks. My stomach starts to churn and I know nothing will be the same again.

Somehow I always knew it would come down to this moment. A silent showdown in some empty hallway, the echo of slamming lockers long since faded, but the shouts of students still lingering in the air. He stares at me, expectantly, awaiting an answer. I look at my feet, purposely not listening, not looking at him. I don’t want to hear it, don’t want to see him proclaim his love. It makes no difference; it doesn’t change the situation.

I’ve known him since first grade. I’ve seen him pick his nose and suck at kickball; I watched him grow six inches like a beanstalk and, with all the grace of a newborn calf, give himself a concussion on a shower head. We’ve been friends for what seems like always, but never ventured anywhere beyond that. To be honest, it never occurred to me that he could someday be more than a friend.

“Did you hear me? I said I like you. I like you a lot.”

Don’t say that. Anything but that. Talk to me about the weather, how horrible Mrs. Matthews is with her evil calculus equations. Even sports would be better, (and you know how much I hate sports). Just don’t say those words. Why would you say something that could irreversibly change our friendship?

“I’ve liked you for so long. Didn’t you know?”
Yes, of course I knew. I’m not stupid. I was – I don’t know – I guess I was hoping it was just a crush. Something fleeting, a passing fancy. Puppy love, if you must, but apparently not.

“Say something, anything.”

You don’t mean that, not really. I know what you’re hoping to hear, what you want me to say. I can’t and I won’t. I look at you and I see a brother, a friend, not a boyfriend. I don’t think anything could ever change that in my mind.

Everyone knew we’d end up here. That’s the rub. The whole freaking world probably knew that sooner or later we would clash at opposite ends of the spectrum. My parents, my friends. Hell, even your parents and friends knew it. They told me it was cruel to lead you on, but I never meant to. I never meant for it to go this far; it just never seemed like the right time to say, “Hey, we’ll always be best friends.” I never, ever wanted to hurt you; I just didn’t want to let you go.

I’ve deluded myself for years, lived in denial for so many summers, and now it’s senior year and you’ve finally found the courage to tell me how you feel. I’d love to blame you for this awkwardness, accuse you of letting this non-relationship charade drag on over the years. But truthfully, it’s my fault that we’ve reached this point, and I have to make things right.
I take a deep breath. This is it.

“Yeah. Me too.”



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This article has 380 comments.


on Apr. 21 2014 at 10:44 am
Bailey_Sienna12, Passaic, New Jersey
0 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
"Haters gonna hate, potatoes gonna potato"

wow this was an awesome story. I can so relate to that story.

MissRuca GOLD said...
on Dec. 17 2013 at 11:52 pm
MissRuca GOLD, Pune, Other
15 articles 0 photos 12 comments

Favorite Quote:
Pain is temporary; pride is forever.

This is really a fab piece. It's so... real. People can relate.... The ending is really sweet. Unexpected, but sweet.

on Nov. 18 2013 at 8:28 am
hannaj15 SILVER, Kennerdell, Pennsylvania
7 articles 0 photos 12 comments
Awesome! I didn't like the ending, but that's only my reaction to it. Literature-wise, it was fantastic! 

on Oct. 27 2013 at 12:43 pm
eatclouds BRONZE, Alexandria, Indiana
4 articles 0 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
Writing is a form of therapy; sometimes I wonder how all those who do not write, compose or paint can manage to escape the madness, melancholia, the panic and fear which is inherent in a human situation. -Graham Green

*adds to favorites*

on Oct. 27 2013 at 2:08 am
SiddharthG. SILVER, Ajmer, Other
9 articles 0 photos 4 comments
WOW! It was a delight reading this. And the ending was unexpected but great...

on Jul. 31 2013 at 6:45 pm
SoImAWriterNow BRONZE, Schenectady, New York
2 articles 0 photos 36 comments

Favorite Quote:
"But better to get hurt by the truth than comforted with a lie." -Khaled Hosseini

and

"Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend." Albert Camus

Wow. I so wasn't expecting that ending. O_O But it made it that much better.

on Jul. 31 2013 at 8:16 am
catwithglasses SILVER, Sewickley, Pennsylvania
8 articles 0 photos 19 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I'm selfish, impatient, and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you don't deserve me at my best."
-Marilyn Monroe

This is so good. When I got to the end I was so curious. I love a good cliff-hanger! Great job and keep writing!

on Jul. 9 2013 at 12:42 pm
Isibeal19 PLATINUM, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
26 articles 12 photos 22 comments

Favorite Quote:
*Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning how to dance in the rain.*

Really good job! I love how you capture her confusion and emotion! Sooo good!

JRaye PLATINUM said...
on Jun. 17 2013 at 10:59 pm
JRaye PLATINUM, Dorr, Michigan
43 articles 10 photos 523 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If you build your house far enough away from Trouble, then Trouble will never find you."

"Have you ever looked fear in the face and said, 'I just don't care.'?"

Beautifully written! :) Short and simple, but real descriptive and realistic. Not surprising this made the magazine! Great job! :)

joyyy PLATINUM said...
on May. 26 2013 at 6:54 pm
joyyy PLATINUM, York, Pennsylvania
27 articles 8 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
I will cure myself in the sunshine and wind.

If you're tired of kissing me, I'd better go.

I'm a free-spirited gypsy and an emerald mermaid.

very cool!

on May. 26 2013 at 5:22 pm
DeereGirl515 GOLD, Trail, Oregon
10 articles 0 photos 9 comments

Favorite Quote:
"You can't edit a blank page." ~Nora Roberts

Ironically I just had my best friend do this to me and your story captures the heat of the moment and the swirling confusion so perfectly. I couldn't have described it even half as well. Great work, keep it up!

on May. 4 2013 at 9:57 pm
WinstonSmith BRONZE, Columbia, Missouri
3 articles 0 photos 32 comments
This is very realistic.

on Apr. 13 2013 at 5:58 pm
InspireWriter SILVER, Lansdale, Pennsylvania
6 articles 0 photos 19 comments

Favorite Quote:
I have a lot to say. I'm just a teen girl, trying to tell a story in the only way I know how.

This was just amazing!

SuzieQ777 GOLD said...
on Mar. 2 2013 at 7:39 pm
SuzieQ777 GOLD, Franklin, Virginia
15 articles 0 photos 37 comments

Favorite Quote:
"La Vida Es Bella"
-Me

I love how a lot of people have felt this way about a bestie, and how you captured feeelings of it so well!

on Mar. 2 2013 at 6:21 am
thatunknownthing DIAMOND, Dubai, Other
67 articles 0 photos 208 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift; that's why they call it the present"

incredible!  

on Jan. 22 2013 at 8:10 pm
Jadestorm BRONZE, Boylston, Massachusetts
3 articles 4 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
Don't ever put anything on paper that you don't believe in. Don't write just to be writing. It's worse then merely saying something because the printed word reaches so many. Always remember that, Beany.

I really liked this . So sweet. Good job.

on Jan. 17 2013 at 11:16 am
Kayla_Guthrie GOLD, Philpot, Kentucky
11 articles 19 photos 17 comments

Favorite Quote:
every now and then there comes someone so unuaually unique that everyone normal wishes to be unique in the same excat way.
~stedival a character from the book the accidental hero by matt myklucsh
i'm not sure if this word for word correct

thats the cutest little story that i've read in al ong time!!

on Dec. 27 2012 at 10:51 am
In_Love_with_Writing GOLD, Easton, Pennsylvania
12 articles 0 photos 389 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phillipians 4:13

Whoops. Didn't mean to reply to the comment above.

on Dec. 27 2012 at 10:50 am
In_Love_with_Writing GOLD, Easton, Pennsylvania
12 articles 0 photos 389 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phillipians 4:13

Really nice job. I know you gave some insight already into the characters, but I still feel a little bit like I'm on the outside of the story. Putting even more feeling (without being execessive) will put me more into the main character's shoes.

on Dec. 26 2012 at 9:59 pm
This is MY life. Fast forwared about...5 years?