Liz

I miss Will. Well, emotionally anyways. He’s right next door. I can see he’s in his room (we live next door! I’m not a stalker!). It’s just these past few months have been kind of awkward. Oh, and just in case I didn’t make it too obvious, I like Will.

So let’s start of from the beginning. Will and I have been friends forever. We met in preschool and we live next door to each other. You know how we go through those “ewww! Boys have cooties and they’re yucky!” phases? That never applied to us. Even when our friends didn’t like each other, we used to hang out in our backyards.

Suddenly a year ago it was like bam! I like Will. Sophomore year was awkward and weird just because of it. He would talk to me like always, and I would blush. He would be walking around the cafeteria, and I would just follow him with my eyes. There would be conversations with my friends focused on him and him alone. Most of my friends told me to forget it. After all, Will was popular. There was no way I would end up with him. The social pyramid wouldn’t allow it.

Still, in the back of my mind, I couldn’t help but hope. Will knows me best. He’s like my secret best friend. He’s always been there for me and he always listens to my problems. I think we started drifting apart when he became my problem. He seemed slightly hurt when I would be upset and refused to tell him. Then I’m in school one Monday when one of our mutual friends (yes, we have a few of those. I’m not a complete loser) comes up to us when we were talking and goes, “Liz, did you hear? Will and Rebecca are going out!” I had one of those “time stands still and the whole world comes crashing down” moments. Will looked like he was ready to kill Gary. I was just like “Whaaa?” I mean why wouldn’t Will tell me this before? We always talk about crushes and stuff even when it’s awkward. Since when does he not tell me he has a girlfriend?

My phone starts buzzing and I’m shaken out of my horrible memories. As if seeing them make out in the hallway wasn’t bad enough, I get this flashback every once in a while and it just makes me want to cry. I look down at my phone and see it’s a text from Charlotte, my best friend.

I read it while attempting to stifle a shriek of humiliation.

“C***. C***. C***!” I mutter while rushing over to my window to shut it and close the blinds. I moan as I remember school starts in a week. How am I supposed to avoid him for a week then face him at school in front of Rebecca?

Oh, the text? "Will knows."

Will

I sigh as I get off the phone with my girlfriend Becky. I like her a lot, but sometimes she drives me crazy. Take tonight as an example. I was telling her something funny that Liz said, and she started freaking out on me! For some reason she’s insanely jealous of Liz. Seriously, it’s Liz!

Liz and I have been friends for a long, long time. I still remember when I moved here when I was four. Her older brother was six, and so was mine. They were friends right away, which automatically made me his target of teasing. It was a hot summer day, and all three feet four inches of me were shaking as Leo towered over me. Just as I was about to sacrifice the little pride I had and run inside screaming “MOMMY!,” the angel came out. Liz in her shorts and t-shirt, her blonde hair in braids, pink lips pouted, and green eyes stared at her brother.
“Leeeeooooo!” she whined, “Go away! How can I be friends with him if you scare him away?” He started to protest, but noticed her eyes starting to water, and walked away with my brother following him. Liz flashed me a smile before running back into her house. I stared at her wondering what I did right to deserve such an awesome friend.

I also remember when Gary told her that I was going out with Rebecca. She looked so shocked and hurt that I didn’t tell her. I was ready to kill Gary. He knew that I would be mad. The thing is, I didn’t know and still don’t know why I didn’t tell her myself. Why couldn’t I do it?

My phone started ringing. Speaking of the devil. “Hey, Gary,” I answered.

“Hey, Will,” he replies distantly. “Uh, I heard something about Liz which might explain Becky’s behavior.”

“Okay, shoot.”

“Uh, I don’t really know how to tell you this, but Liz likes you. Like likes you likes you.”

Oh.