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.


Lletya BRONZE said...
on Jan. 31 2012 at 4:16 pm
Lletya BRONZE, Aurora, Colorado
2 articles 1 photo 21 comments

Favorite Quote:
All we ever wanted you to be, is to be yourself! If everyone leaves the show that night feeling better about themselves, then we did our job. Its a social experiment, slash art project. We're trying to change the world and help alot of people. MCR

I don't really get it. Did she like him and tell him the truth, or was she too scared to hurt him and lie?

on Jan. 31 2012 at 1:52 pm
DayDreaamer BRONZE, Raleigh, North Carolina
1 article 0 photos 34 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Liar liar. Plants for hire!" -Patrick, from Spongebob XD

Wow this was good (: I actually feel weird now because I'm going through a situation just like this........

on Jan. 31 2012 at 9:25 am
KaylaAmy-Marie BRONZE, Wilsonville, New York
1 article 0 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
"When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open which open for us."

I loved it!!

on Jan. 9 2012 at 7:51 pm
wayfollower SILVER, Colorado Springs, Colorado
6 articles 0 photos 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
- The Holy Bible
"Gravitation cannot be held responsible for people falling in love."
-Albert Einstein

Wow this was an awesome piece! Even though it was relatively short, I felt like it still had some twists that were worked in very well! Like a lot of other people have said, I really didn't expect the ending, but I really liked it. Great work!

on Jan. 9 2012 at 12:35 pm
NicoleSanchez BRONZE, Fair Oaks, CA, California
1 article 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
"When I first saw you I was afraid to meet you,
When I met you I was afraid to kiss you,
When I kissed you I was afraid to love you,
NOW that I love you I'm afraid to lose you!"*

WOW! I really loved it! The ending was so unexpected! I thought you were going to tell him it won't work out or something like that! Keep it up!:)

kgonzalez1 said...
on Dec. 20 2011 at 10:48 am
I really enjoyed this story! It kept me interested throughout the whole thing. And with all the detail about how she was trying to avoid him and how nervous she was, really helped me picture it in my head. I loved how you wrote what she was thinking because it really told us about her relationship with him. I didn't expect the ending which was what made the story even better for me. Really great job (:

LivSlytherin said...
on Dec. 18 2011 at 7:43 pm
Ahhahahahah I love you text me back poop face

on Dec. 18 2011 at 7:37 pm
emmabergman GOLD, ., New Jersey
10 articles 0 photos 18 comments
Im about to report abuse! hahah

LivSlytherin said...
on Dec. 18 2011 at 7:31 pm
Shut up you annoying thing. But I do agree. Good article

on Dec. 18 2011 at 7:09 pm
emmabergman GOLD, ., New Jersey
10 articles 0 photos 18 comments
Wow! The ending was great. I loved your choice of words and how you really descibed the relationship. You really painted a picture in my mind and made me feel like I was actually experiencing what was going on. Good Job! Keep Writing :)

StarStrukk said...
on Nov. 29 2011 at 12:51 pm
LOVE IT!!! I want more :) lol. this was absolutely great.

on Nov. 26 2011 at 9:16 pm
Dragonfly13 GOLD, Tyngsboro, Massachusetts
13 articles 42 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Always do what you are afraid to do." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I LOVE IT!!!! You did a GREAT job!! I love how you built up the relationship with all the background detail and I think you should definetly keep writing!!!

irishlass317 said...
on Nov. 26 2011 at 3:48 pm
irishlass317, Jefferson City, Missouri
0 articles 0 photos 134 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I asked Jesus 'How much do you love me?' He answered 'This much.' And He streched out His arms and died."

WOW. I love this. keep writing!!! I love how you really built up and told the reader about their relationship!! Great Job!! :D

Ella1 GOLD said...
on Nov. 26 2011 at 12:30 pm
Ella1 GOLD,
14 articles 7 photos 137 comments
This was really great, I love how you wrote about a few minutes in such detail! Amazing job.

on Nov. 8 2011 at 1:45 pm
ThePeaceDaisy BRONZE, Albany, New York
4 articles 5 photos 223 comments

Favorite Quote:
“Laundry is the only thing that should be separated by color.” - Unknown
I will change this every week!

I wrote my crush a note saying I liked him for a year...now we don't talk... It makes me sad because he was really nice and funny. But I met a new guy friend. I don't like hime though. If I do end up liking him though, I'm not going to tell him unless I know he likes me back. 

shinrai said...
on Nov. 4 2011 at 2:59 pm
shinrai, Leadville, Colorado
0 articles 0 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
a perfect story starts with me and you......... i love you!

Great job, I loved the detail and thought the ending was spetacular!! You should keep going with your writing.

SMAM99 BRONZE said...
on Nov. 4 2011 at 1:27 pm
SMAM99 BRONZE, Concord, Massachusetts
2 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
"Don't be humble...you're not that great." Golda Meir

Wow, the ending was really unexpected! This is an amazing story and the imagery is lovely.

on Nov. 4 2011 at 8:06 am
star2brite SILVER, Amherst, New Hampshire
7 articles 0 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
"A bad book is as much of a labor to write as a good one, it comes as sincerely from the author's soul."--Aldous Huxley

Great job with the subject matter--it wasn't cliche and the writing is very good! I didn't expect the ending either, which made me like this piece. The emotions were vivid without being overdone, too. Great job! :)

on Oct. 13 2011 at 3:37 pm
SillyPanda779 BRONZE, Intercourse, Pennsylvania
1 article 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there's footprints on the moon.

Absolutely loooved this (: The emotions were very vivid! I could relate to this sooo much... Godo job! :D

on Sep. 21 2011 at 5:55 pm
selenafan1 BRONZE, Freeport, Texas
2 articles 0 photos 27 comments

Favorite Quote:
" Friendship is like peeing your pants, everyone can see it but only you can feel it's warmth"
"Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it is better to be absolutley ridiculous than absolutley boring"-Marilyn Monroe

This is drop dead on the ground awesome u should be a writer cuz u r ah mazing