A tiny voice asked “ is he the one”? I tried brushing it off and listen to what archie was saying but I just couldn’t help but notice how his beachy brown hair perfectly curled, and how his eyes were so blue.

“Skylar!” Archie said “ hello”

“Sorry I was thinking about something else and completely blanked ,” I said hoping he wouldn’t ask what I was thinking about when he says,

“ It's fine but you better tell me what you were thinking”. I couldn't say that I was thinking about him, so instead I tried to come up with something and the first thing that came to mind was “ do you wanna go to the beach?” He thought about it for a second and said “ I miss hanging out with my bestie, of course I do”. At that moment my heart stopped and the awful feeling of being friendzoned went through my whole body.

“SKYLARRRR” Archie yelled you did it again.

“ oh God I'm so sorry I'll stop, now let's go to the beach” I tried brushing it off and remembering that he was my best friend since first grade and we never had feelings for each other before so why should there be any now? I tried convincing myself that it was only because I hadn’t seen him in almost two months and that the feelings would go away as soon as I got used to being around him. Well at least that's what I hoped. Archie told me he had learned how to surfer over the summer and asked if i wanted to see.

As archie opened the trunk of the car to grab the surf boards out, I could see all his muscles flexing as if he was one of those surfer models. I offered to take mine but he said,

“Nah don't worry, I got it they’re light”

I thought to myself “light” they are everything but light yet he made it look so easy. I was really hoping that this crush thing I had going on would pass before my 18th birthday this weekend. I was determined to make it go away.

“You ready?” He asked smirking as if he was saying he was better than me at surfing.

“I am, but I don't think you are”

Laughing he said “alright bet”. We both ran as fast as we could to the water and as soon as I looked up, I saw him surfing and it was almost mesmerizing the way he glided over the wave so perfectly and looking so natural.

“Skylar, you coming? These waves are too good for you to just sit around … or wait is it cause your too scared that I’m better?” Archie said, in the cockiest voice I had ever heard.

“ COMING. And you wish” I yelled back.

When we finished surfing we started heading back to the car talking and laughing about who was better and what was new since the last time we saw each other. When we got back in his red jeep wrangler, the coolest car in Malibu, at the moment he said

“ I have something to tell you”

Intrigued I said “ ohh what is it?”

“Well you know...” he began  “ how over the summer I was working at the beach cafe. Well I met this girl….”

At that moment everything paused and I wanted to cry because he liked someone else that wasn't me. I had to keep a smile on my face and not show any emotion about the fact that he had just broken my heart. I took a deep breath and listened to him continue with,

“ her name is Leah and she is just the most amazing girl I've ever met and we have been hanging out so much and I want to ask her out. I just have no idea how. Which is why I was wondering if you don't mind inviting her to your  party?” he continued with “ if not I get it and it's fine I'll just do it another time ”.

He looked at me expecting and answer and the last thing I wanted to do was invite her, but he was my best friend and I had to stuck it up that he had feelings for someone else that was not me so I just said,

“ Probably but can I want to meet her first okay?”

“ Thank you! YES of course,” he said in the excited voice he conitunited with

“ we are going to the beach tomorrow do you want to join us?”

I paused for a second trying not to just say I did not want to meet her and tried to make it look like I was just thinking of  what my plans for tomorrow are

“ yeah sure why not” I said  

“ I'm so excited thank you so much”

“Hey I didn't say I was for sure, I want to see if I like her before invite her so don't  tell her anything before I tell you my answer. I said with the fakest laugh and smile anyone had ever seen in the history of the world. I asked Archie if he could take me home because it was getting late and I didn’t want to be tired for our beach day tomorrow. When I got home I was lost. I liked archie so much but he didn’t return the feelings, how was i supposed to get over that when all I could think about is him. I took a shower to try to clear my head and put a face mask on to try to relax.

I woke up the next morning wanting to stay in bed all day. I picked up my phone to check the time and saw that archie had texted me about 20 min ago saying he was going to at my house at 11:30.  Meaning I had about half and hour to get ready for this long day. I got up washed the face mask on that i forgot to wash of last night, brushed my teeth, washed my face, did some light makeup, and put my hair up in a messy bun. I walk to my clothes and grabbed my favorite bathing suit that was light blue with a cool back. I look at my phone and see that archie just texted me that he was here and to hurry up. I took a deep breath and walked out of my house. Archie was in his red jeep with the top down and blasting our favorite songs.

“ you ready” he said yelling and dancing at the same time.

“ of course”  i said laughing remembering how this was on of you favorite things to do.

I  got into the car and we started driving to the beach  singing and dancing. I felt one of our phones vibrate and said

“ I think you go a text”

“ can you check it please” he said trying to focus on the road after almost crashing into a mailbox because he was trying not to miss the beat in the song. I pick up his phone and see it’s a text from leah. It said

“ hey archie we need to talk. I don’t think this is going to work out”

I didn't know how to tell archie. He seemed so happy and I did not want leah to ruwin that but before i knew it he said

“ skylar stop spacing out what did leah say”

“ Im sorry… Im not sure how to tell you this” i said with a sad voice

Archie turned off the music and the smile on his face wiped away as if someone stole a kids candy bar and eating it infront of them

he said “what is it”

“ I think leah wants to break up with you” I said hugging him.

He didn't say a word and then said

“ what do you mean she doesn’t think this will work”

I felt like he was going to cry.

“ im sorry archie. I am always here for you I hope you know that”.

We talked for a while i was trying to cheer him up. And eventually he called her and they broke up. Archie was very sad but knew that it was going to happen eventually he just did not know it would happen so soon. we went back home and snuggled on the couch watching a movie with take out from our favorite sushi restaurant in town. I hated seeing him like this but i knew that right now all he needed was for me to be there for him. He just got out of a relationship and I was not going to dump me liking him on him when he is in this state. If he every returns his feelings for me then we'll just have to see what happens but for now i am his best friend and he needs me. That is more important than any little or big crush. The next day we woke up both sleeping on the couch with food everywhere. We look at the time and realize it was 12:30. We both started laughing hysterically for no reason.

“ thanks for staying with me yesterday. You didn't have to. I was a mess last night” he said.

“As if i would have left you. Your my best friends that what I am here for” i said back.

“How are you doing by the way? This is a stupid question but are you okay?” I said nervously

“ it's not I will be. I just need some time to realize. I knew this would happened and to be honest every since you have been back I can’t stop thinking of you” he said looking down scared for my reaction. My heart had just skipped a beat. I thought I was still dreaming. Hearing him say that made me want to jump up and start dancing like a five year old. I tried to keep the joy in.

“ im so sorry i should have said that you don’t have to answer” he said I could tell he felt bad I just did not know what to say because I was so happy.

“ don’t be. The last few days the reason why I have been spacing out if because I can’t get you off my mind but you had a girlfriends and I did not want to invade your privacy” I said trying not to turn red. He smiled at me and said

“ I know me too”