We had always been really good friends, but for the past couple years, we have pretty much been best friends. We had seen each other through highs and lows and through a few bad relationships and break ups. As far as I knew though, she had no idea how I truly felt about it. I was nothing shy of being in love with her. The was she could always cheer me up. The way she was always the first one on the frontlines when I needed anything. The way I had been able to talk to her all day, almost every day for years, whether in person, texting, instant messaging, etc. and the way that no matter what was going on in her life, she would always make time to talk to talk to me. As I would her.
When we used to go on walks together, whether we were going to feed the ducks or just walking around downtown, all I ever wanted to do was hold her hand. To hold her. To hold her close and never have to let go. I never acted on my feelings, though. Fearing the fact that I couldn't bare to lose her as a friend.
That was all about to change, however.
She had been enrolled in college a few hours away for the past couple years now, so I rarely got to see her. When we did see each other, we were inseparable.
The summer before her Junior year started out rough for her. She had just been broken up with by her latest boyfriend shortly after their one year anniversary. She was supposed to be stuck in school all summer taking extra classes and working to save up money so she could finally move out of the dorms. As soon as her last day of Sophomore year was done though, she decided to come home for the summer. She didn't tell me. Instead, the next afternoon, she showed up at my work as I was getting off and asked if we could go to our spot at the lake. Of course I agreed.
We talked the entire way there, and she mostly talked about Alex and how much of an asshole he was. How he wouldn't stop talking to her after he dumped her and how he kept trying to get her to hangout with him, even though they were done. Ever since I've started having feelings for her I've said something along the lines of "maybe the guy who's right for you is right under your nose."
By the time we arrived at our spot, the sun was setting. It wasn't getting cold though, as it was the middle of June.
"You know, maybe I should have listened to you. Maybe the only person who will treat me right IS right under my nose" she said.
I was frozen. I didn't know if she was talking about me or not. I couldn't think who else she would have been talking about, though, seeing as how I'm one of her few male friends and her only real close one.
"Yeah?" I replied. I had no idea what to say.
"Yeah. I mean, I did come home for a reason"