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.


RealRiot said...
on Apr. 20 2011 at 2:36 am
RealRiot, Perth, Other
0 articles 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
If A Girl Says She's Cold, Don't Just Say Me Too. ~Anonymous

Anyone who devotes time and attention to what makes people tick, to me, is a smart person.~Ron Silver

I love this story, I can relate to it really well. My byfriend is actualy my bestfriend but the only thing different is that nobody saw it coming between me and my BFF. Now everyone thinks we're mucking around. I really really love it!

on Mar. 29 2011 at 8:48 pm
DifferentTeen PLATINUM, Seaford, Delaware
32 articles 2 photos 329 comments

Favorite Quote:
"There’s no such thing as true love, just spurts of insanity—falling over and over again, thinking that won’t happen to me"

I agree, why did she say she felt the same if she didn't, or did she? Either way it was beautifully written, great job!

Well, I've been in the same situation before but in the end I let him know I didn't feel the same.


on Mar. 29 2011 at 6:32 pm
benyewest SILVER, Katy, Texas
7 articles 0 photos 5 comments
Do you have any more of these amazing pieces coming up?

on Mar. 29 2011 at 6:19 pm
msoccerm345 SILVER, Grimes, Iowa
7 articles 0 photos 68 comments

Favorite Quote:
You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.

this is amazingly written. beautiful. it so reminds me of my two best friends. she is obviously in love with him but he is dating the most popular girl in school that probably doesnt even like him and is just using him like she has every other guy. but my friend that is in love with him, refuses to admit that she has any feelings for him what so ever besides friendship.

momolovesyou said...
on Mar. 29 2011 at 12:42 pm
i totally agree with you :)

on Mar. 29 2011 at 12:29 pm
BlackKittie SILVER, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
8 articles 1 photo 55 comments

ugg i can sooo relate to this...

well written, good job :)


on Mar. 10 2011 at 10:51 am
RoseDewittBukater, Winnipeg, Other
0 articles 0 photos 20 comments
This is so awesome!!! It's one of my favs. :-)

on Mar. 10 2011 at 10:50 am
RoseDewittBukater, Winnipeg, Other
0 articles 0 photos 20 comments
OMGRACIOUS.

lollypops GOLD said...
on Mar. 7 2011 at 7:00 pm
lollypops GOLD, Pilot, Virginia
16 articles 5 photos 218 comments

Favorite Quote:
Live

owww that is really cute

on Mar. 7 2011 at 6:56 pm
EmilyMichelle PLATINUM, Manassas, Virginia
33 articles 4 photos 90 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Our truest responsibility to the irrationality of the world is to paint or sing or write, for only in such response do we find the truth."
- Madeleine L'Engle

Wow! This was great! I have actually been in the same situation as the girl in the story (though it was in 8th grade, not senior year, and I said no, not yes). But this was fantastic and you were captivating the entire time! Great job!

on Mar. 7 2011 at 5:51 pm
SparrowFeather GOLD, La Crescenta, California
14 articles 0 photos 17 comments

Favorite Quote:
"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live."

beautifully written.I especially like the part about the slamming lockers and yelling students.

on Mar. 7 2011 at 5:26 pm
AbigailElizabeth SILVER, Medina, Minnesota
8 articles 0 photos 79 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Scars are souvenirs you never lose" - Goo Goo Dolls

it's good...but confusing :/

on Mar. 7 2011 at 2:10 pm
splinteredsunlight GOLD, Williamsburg, Virginia
15 articles 0 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
"To live is to suffer; to survive is to find some meaning in that suffering." -Friedrich Nietzsche

I like this story, it's very well written. The ending is a little bit confusing, though. Is she telling the truth about liking him too, or is she lying to be able to continue maintaining a relationship?

sanra SILVER said...
on Mar. 7 2011 at 1:55 pm
sanra SILVER, Far Rockaway, New York
8 articles 7 photos 62 comments

actually, i'm in this situation right now, only i'm the gilr that's like "i like you"  and the boy won't talk about it.

i've read this before, a long time ago, when i thought, oh, that ending is pretty resonable, but now, being on the other side, i'm thinking it's just be better if s/he just tells me the feeling is not mutual, and we'll get over it. you know?


on Mar. 7 2011 at 1:44 pm
PoetryGirl13 BRONZE, Cobden, Illinois
2 articles 3 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
You don't love somebody because of their looks, clothes or car. You love them because they sing a song that nobody but you can understand.

OMG!!! I LOVE IT!!! I was actually in that situation a few years ago and it was alot like that. I love how you got the feeling just right for this.

on Mar. 7 2011 at 1:11 pm
WOW!! Really great. So many people have been in this situation, myself included and the feelings of it can be hard to capture but you do a good job of analyzing the feelings and making them accesible. 

ferosa45 said...
on Feb. 13 2011 at 6:50 pm
  ethereal. A common experience for many relationships that start out as friendship. The end was beautiful, nicely concocted. The anxiety driven answer motivated by illogic and fueled by a subconscious desire for more than mere friendship.

AnumK SILVER said...
on Feb. 13 2011 at 11:02 am
AnumK SILVER, Karachi, Other
8 articles 0 photos 38 comments

lol

Same here! I simply loved it! :)


on Feb. 13 2011 at 10:37 am
twilightlover SILVER, St. Louis, Missouri
8 articles 1 photo 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
love is the slowest suicide.
i love you is eight letters..... so is bull shit.

wow that is so good, it felt so real like i was there with her during that day.

on Feb. 13 2011 at 6:32 am
HorseLover SILVER, Dallas, Texas
7 articles 0 photos 55 comments

Favorite Quote:
"A boat is safe in the harbor. But this is not the purpose of a boat."~Paulo Coelho, author of The Alchemist

This story is one of the best I have ever read!!