LEGAL DECLARATION:
This is a work of fiction written solely to entertain.
All characters in sexual situations are 18 years or older.
The situations described in this story are for the sole purpose of entertaining the reader. Events and Characters in the story are completely fictional and any resemblance to real world persons or events are purely coincidental.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
I'd like to thank my editor, markf52.
STORY:
For everyone else seated at the lunch table, it was just another day, but for Anthony Howard, it was different. He stole glances at Elizabeth Wilson, aka Liz. They had been friends ever since they were kids. Elizabeth, Margaret, aka Marge, his twin sister, James Williams and him, the group who had dubbed themselves 'the four musketeers', had been close friends since primary school. Anthony had had a crush on Liz for a long time.
Marge caught him looking at Liz and Marge knew that Anthony had a crush on Liz. In fact, she was the only person who knew.
Marge had been the one who had pushed Anthony to confess to Liz. Marge had planned it out, she was going to hold James back after the lunch, so that Anthony and Liz could walk back to the class together. She had told Anthony to ask Liz out at that time.
"Hey, Ant, you're coming to the movie on Saturday, right?" James asked.
Anthony hated that nickname since he was not tall, only about one-hundred-seventy cms in height, he was, in fact, the shortest in their group, even shorter than his twin sister. So, James had come up with that "creative" nickname for Anthony.
"I dunno, James. I'm planning on finishing some of my chemistry project tomorrow."
"Come on, man, please! Liz and Marge are gonna be there. Nina's going to be there, too. I really want all of you guys to meet her."
All four of them were high schoolers and were eighteen. James had, somehow, managed to ask out a college girl and he had told them that she was amazing. Her name was Nina Diaz. He had been talking for the past few days about introducing her to them.
"You know what, man, I'll be there."
"Thanks, Ant. I really want you guys to like her. It would mean a lot to me."
"I've never seen you act this way about a girl," Liz said.
"I think she could be the one."
"Dude, you're eighteen," Marge retorted.
James wasn't paying attention to what Marge had said, he was lost in his dreams.
The group finished the rest of the lunch and prepared to leave. As they were leaving, Marge spoke up, "Hey, James, could you stay back for a minute? I need to talk to you about something."
"What is it, Marge? Do you need any help?" Liz chimed in.
"No, Liz, you and Anthony go ahead. I just want to talk to James about something."
Liz and Anthony split from James and Marge and made their way to the next class.
"I wonder what Marge and James are talking about," Liz said.
Anthony realized that this was the best moment to talk to her about his crush. "Marge and James aren't really talking about anything. It was actually a ruse to get you and me together alone, because I want to ask you something."
"What is it, Anthony?"
"Liz, I've had a crush on you for quite some time now, would you consider going out with me?"
Liz stopped in her tracks as she was clearly surprised by what he had asked of her.
"Anthony, that came out of nowhere."
"I'm sorry to spring this on you like this. You don't have to reply right now. Why don't you think about it tonight? Tell me tomorrow."
"No, Anthony, I don't need to think about this. I can tell you right now."
Anthony waited with bated breath for her answer.
"I'm sorry, Anthony. I don't think of you like that. We've been friends ever since we were kids. I've always seen you as a friend and not as anything else. I'm sorry."
Anthony hung his head. At that moment, he wanted a bottomless pit to open up beneath him and consume him.
"Anthony, promise me that this won't affect our friendship. You're one of my best friends and I depend on you so much, for everything."
Anthony looked up at her and forced himself to smile.
"Of course, it doesn't matter. We'll still be friends and nothing's changed."
"Thank you, so much, Anthony," Liz said, then she hugged him. "Come on, we should get to our class."
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Anthony was sulking the whole way home. When he entered his home, his mother, Tara, immediately knew something was wrong from the way his face looked. She rushed over to him with concern all over her face.
"Anthony, baby, what happened?"
Anthony and Marge were actually surprised to see her home. Their parents ran a successful paper supply business and they didn't expect their mother to be home this early.
"Mom, what are you doing home so early?" Marge asked.
"Oh, I have to fly to New York tonight to close a deal, so I came home early to get everything ready. You guys can take care of yourselves and Dad for a couple of days, right?"
"Yeah, Mom. I'll take care of them," Marge replied.
Anthony didn't talk to his mother and went up to his room.
"What happened to your brother?"
"You know how I told you that he had a crush on Liz?"
"Yeah?"
"He actually asked her out today."
"Oh, what happened?"
"You saw him. What do you think happened?"
"Oh."
"Don't worry, Mom. He'll get over it."
As soon as Anthony entered his room, he threw his bag on the chair and threw himself on the bed. He was so exhausted that he immediately went to sleep.
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Tara had left for New York before dinner. Marge called their dad and he told her that he was working late and wouldn't be able to make it home for dinner. Marge made some instant noodles and knocked on Anthony's door.
"Anthony. Anthony, wake up. Come down for dinner."
Anthony didn't want to wake up, but he was hungry. He dragged himself downstairs. Marge placed a bowl of instant noodles before him and he started eating.
"You shouldn't let this get you down. There are a million girls who would be lucky to have you as their boyfriend."
"Ok, can you give me their numbers?"
"Don't snark at me, wise ass. You know what? Let's go on a hike tomorrow."