Hey guys! Just so you all know, I'm not back to taking requests again, I just wrote this for my sister from another mister to cheer her up a little! Hope you like dude and I hope everyone else enjoys as well!
You And I
I stood in the familiar hall way of my best friend's home, looking around the same wooden floor, cream walls and mountains of photographs that had been there since I could remember. This house was like my second home... in fact, I probably spent more time with this family than I did my own, but there was a pretty good reason for that.
"John, darling, you have a visitor," Carol shouted up the stairs, before turning around to face me, her usual pleasant smile placed across her lips, "Is there anything I can get you, darling?"
"No, thank you," I shook my head lightly, speaking as least as possible as my voice threatened to break.
I was so thankful when she didn't push it any further, and instead bustled off into the kitchen to continue with the last few chores of the night. I swallowed the lump in my throat, feeling bad for invading in their privacy at such a stupid time... but I couldn't help myself. I needed to see my best friend before I broke down.
"Pariece?" My head shot back up towards the stairs, and I could feel a burning sensation in my eyes as I watched my best friend walking down the stairs, his face full with confusion, "What are you doing here? Is everything okay?" He asked, his eyes glancing between my face and the rather large bag I was holding.
"I, umm, not really..." I shook my head, looking away from him so he didn't see the tears beginning to grow there, "I know this is a lot to ask, but is there any chance I could..."
"Of course you can," He interrupted me before I had even finished what I was going to say, his hand rising to lift my chin so that I was once again looking his way, "You know you're always welcome here," He added, as if he had been able to read my mind.
"Are you sure? I mean, you're Mum..." I drifted off, nodding my head towards the kitchen.
John rolled his eyes sarcastically as he let out a small sigh. We had this conversation every time I turned up on his door step, even if we both already knew what was going to happen.
"Mum?" John shouted, waiting for the reply of yes, dear? from the kitchen, before he began again, "Is it okay if Pariece stays the night?"
"Of course it is, you know you're always welcome here, Pariece. Just as long as you two don't stay up late, you're father needs to be up early for work, and not to mention it's a school night."
"Sure, Ma," John shouted back as he grinned down at me, "I've just gotta finish this science project then we'll hit the sack," He tilted his head to the side and smirked my way, "So genius, seeing as I'm letting you so graciously into my home, you feel like helping me out with this work?"
"How did I know you were going to ask that?" I sighed, smiling ever so lightly his way, before I pushed against his huge torso, moving him back a few steps, "Go on then, let's get it done. Thank you, Carol," I shouted back towards the kitchen, before I followed John up the steps and into his room.
I placed my bag down in its usual spot and looked around, rolling my eyes as I noticed it was just as messy as ever... but somehow, that just made it feel right. John's room wouldn't have been the same if it was tidy.
"So..." He spoke up as he closed the door behind us and inched over, picking up his science textbook off his barely visible bed, "Where'd you want to start?"
I span around to look at him, and within seconds he had dropped the book back on the bed, his hands rising to rest on my shoulders comfortingly. I had no idea how he managed to do this - maybe because we had been best friends for the past ten years, making us both now nineteen – but it was like he knew straight away what I needed, when I needed it.
"You wanna talk about it?" He asked, brushing a strand of my hair out of my face. I closed my eyes and leaned into his touch as his fingers lingered on my cheek, and I wondered if he knew the effect he had on me... but right now wasn't the time for that. Right now, I had to deal with my family problems.
"Do you really want to hear it?" I sighed, opening my eyes as the tears began to well in them again.
"What do you think?" He rose an eyebrow, a small sigh leaving his lips as he pulled away and began to clear his bed of his school work and clothes.
I watched on for a few moments as he placed them all in a heap on the floor, before he jumped onto the bed, his back pressed against the opposite wall as he patted the now empty space beside him. Shrugging off my jacket, I quickly placed it on top of my bag before I joined him, stretching my legs out in front of me as I tried to think where I was going to start.
"What was it this time?" He asked quietly, patting my knee as he spoke.
"Just the usual," I shrugged, wiping my cheeks at the few stray tears that had already begun to run down my cheeks, "You know, like the fact that I hate my family because they don't give a shit about me, and that I'm never going to get anywhere in life because I can't do everything... and mainly because my life sucks."
"Well, somebody needs to learn about the world optimistic," John added, and I swatted him in the stomach with the back of my hand.
"It's not funny, Cena," I shook my head.
"Alright, I'm sorry," He sighed, turning around slightly so that he was facing me. Letting out a small sigh, I wiped at my cheeks once again and turned to see his blue eyes boring into my own, "You need to stop being so hard on yourself."
"How, John? How can I do that when I have nothing to be happy about?"
"You're joking, right?" He shook his head from side to side, "Pariece, I think we're both talking about a completely different girl here. You're life doesn't suck, not by far... and you can't do anything?"
"No," I glared back, "You're going to go off to college to play football and get a scholarship, and I'm going to fail everything and be stuck here for the rest of my life..."
"Says the girl that does all of my homework for me," He rolled his eyes, "You're one of the cleverest people I know. You're going to go to college too. Hell, if I know you, you're going to go on to be some psychologist or something," He smiled my way.
"Yeah? Well what about my family, huh?" I sniffled, "I'm sure you don't have an excuse for their behaviour. How can you explain the fact that they've never been there for me, that my mother cares more about herself than her own child?" My tears returned, but I didn't bother wiping them away this time.
"I can't explain," He whispered, lifting his hands to brush away the tears on my face with the pads of his thumbs, "I don't have an excuse for them, Pariece... but I can tell you something. You're Mum might not care for you, but I do."
"John..." I whimpered, but he dropped a hand to place a finger over my lips, refusing to let me interrupt.
"No, please, listen to what I have to say," He shook his head, waiting for a few moments to make sure I was going to stay silent before he continued, "Do you know why my Mum is so good about you staying over? Why she even lets you share a room with me when you do?"
I frowned, for the first time realising that what he was saying had some truth behind it. What other parent would allow someone to stop at their house so much? And not to mention stay in the same bedroom as someone that was the opposite sex?
"She does it... because when we were nine years old playing together on the park, she came to the conclusion that one day you and I were going to fall in love, get married and have children together," He smiled sheepishly, "And despite the years that passed by and nothing happened, she still held on to that hope. She already thinks of you as part of our family, but she still wants us to make it... official."
I looked at him with something between shock and embarrassment, my previous thoughts of my pathetic life nearly forgotten as I tried to accept what he had just told me. So... Carol wanted John and I as a couple?
Was it just me, or could this whole family read my thoughts?
I had tried over the years to hide my growing feelings for my best friend, not wanting to ruin our friendship by admitting the truth when he most likely didn't feel the same way... but perhaps I hadn't hid them as well as I'd hoped. Maybe Carol had picked up on the vibe, after all.
"Huh," I added, having no idea how I was supposed to reply as I turned to stare across the room, growing uncomfortable under his gaze.
"Hmm," He added, rather amused as he once again took a hold of my chin and forced me to look back his way. His blue orbs stared into my own, and I gulped, noticing that they had quickly turned serious, "So, what do you say?"
"About what?" I asked, gulping loudly as my eyes grew as wide as saucers. Of course, I already knew what he meant, but I had to ask again to make sure I wasn't dreaming.
"About my Mum's idea," He smirked slightly, "About you and I... together."
"I, I..." I struggled for words, my head shaking back and forth, "John, I don't know. After everything we've been through, after everything we've shared... would you really want to jeopardise all that for a relationship?"
"I don't know," He shrugged, still cupping my chin with his hand, "That depends... on how you feel. So tell me, Pariece, do you see me as more than just your best friend?"
I stared at him, my eyes wide and my mouth gaping, wondering how I was going to reply. If I were to lie to him, to tell him that I only thought of him as a friend... then maybe things would go back to how they were before...
But if I told him the truth, that I was in love with him, then maybe we'd get a chance to be something more. Maybe our relationship would work out like Carol had hoped.
"I..." I began, my voice barely above a whisper as I let out a deep sigh, "I do. I always have, John."
"Me too," He added without hesitation.
"Wh...what? Really?" I asked, my tone full with disbelief.
John chuckled lightly as he nodded his head, lifting his other hand and cupping my face in between them. Despite what had brought me to this point, I couldn't hide my own, small smile as he stared at me with utter affection. It was like I was being looked at for the first time.
"Ever since I laid eyes on you at school, all those years ago, I knew that you were the girl for me," He shook his head, "I guess my Mum was just observant."
"I guess so," I laughed back lightly, before the pair of us fell silent as we began to inch closer to each other...
"Wait," I whispered, stopping him in his tracks, "What about your homework?" I asked, nodding my head towards the pile of books on the floor.
"Screw the homework, I have something better to do now," He rolled his eyes, grinning my way, "And... what about your family?" He asked, turning serious.
I let out a small sigh, suddenly growing in confidence as I lifted my hands and wrapped them around the back of his neck. I stayed quiet for a few minutes, just allowing myself to bask in the feel of having my arms around him, of his hands caressing my cheeks, before I replied.
"That doesn't matter anymore, John," I smiled lightly, "And besides... I have all the family I want, right here."
Grinning at me brightly, John didn't waste any more time as he finally closed the gap between us, pressing his lips against mine for the first time ever. I had imagined kissing my best friend a thousand times before, if not more, but it had never been like this. I never knew something could make me feel so alive.
"I love you, best friend," He whispered against my lips, smiling triumphantly.
"I love you too," I grinned back, before I allowed John to lower me down on the bed and continue where he left off.