"… and this is Michaela Pratt. Her parents and her just moved to town and..." Laurel was in her own world while her teacher introduced the new kid. The 8-year-old was, as usual, sitting by herself in the most hidden sit she could find.

"Michaela, you can sit there, next to Laurel." Laurel got down from the stars when she heard her name. The teacher was pointing at the chair next to hers and there was a girl she had never seen next to him. The girl approached the table with a warm smile and sat next to Laurel, who was a bit taken aback. She wasn't used to receiving such a genuine smile.

"Hi! I'm Michaela." The girl extended her hand. Laurel looked at it with a little frown. She looked up again and couldn't fight the small smile that was forming in her lips, Michaela's grin was so contagious. "Laurel" she said, shaking her hand.

10 years later

Laurel's eyes opened slowly. Her head was lying on the crook of her best friend's neck. Michaela's hands around her hips.

The night before she'd had an argument with her parents, like almost every day, and she had appeared at Michaela's door, like every time that happened. It was pretty late so they had simply gone to sleep. Hugging Michaela had soothed the anger. It always did.

Laurel took a deep breath, accidentally breathing in Michaela's perfume. She guessed Michaela had had a date with Aiden that night. Laurel closed her eyes for a few seconds, while cursing herself, bit her lip and sighed.

Best friend.

That's what she kept telling herself. Over and over again.

But the feeling never left. Even if she pushed it deeper and deeper down into her heart.

She had realized that she felt something two years before, when Michaela started dating Aiden.

"What about this one?" Michaela said taking a red dress out of her wardrobe and showing it to Laurel. It was the fifth outfit she showed her.

Laurel tilted her head, frowning in a way that showed she was trying to imagine her best friend in that dress. After some seconds she nodded and said "Put it on." Michaela's eyes lit up thinking they'd finally found the one and started changing her clothes.

Laurel's lips curved up "I think that's the one, but don't get too excited yet." she said, lying over Michaela's bed.

After a few minutes, Michaela finished putting the dress on and asked "What do you think?" She couldn't stop fidgetting. She was really excited and nervous about this date.

Laurel sat up on the bed. Her mouth slightly opened at the sight of her friend. She looked stunning, she always did, but that dress was absolutely perfect for her. Laurel decided to tease her friend a little to ease the nervousness. She stared at her a little longer narrowing her eyes, as if something was off. Michaela gulped and whispered "Laurel...". And after that, Laurel couldn't stop the huge grin that wanted to appear in her lips and the laugh that escaped them. "It's perfect."

Michaela bit her tongue and narrowed her eyes, took the first pillow she found and got close enough to hit Laurel with it "That's not funny!". But she was laughing too while hitting her best friend with the pillow. Of course, Laurel wasn't going to just let her attack. She held Michaela's right wrist, making her drop the pillow. While Michaela tried to free herself, Laurel got up from the bed and started to tickle her. Between laughs, Michaela said "Stop! That's not fair". Laurel decided to stop but Michaela wasn't going to let her get away with it.

Laurel had turned around, so she used the oportunity to make her fall over the bed, but from the action, she stumbled and fell over her. They both laughed at the situation, none of them trying to get up.

When the laughs faded away, Michaela buried her head in Laurel's neck and sighed. Laurel looked down at her, caressing her back with her left hand and tucking her hair behind her ear to cup her cheek with the right one "hey" Michaela looked at her, she looked like she was about to cry. Laurel shifted to see her better and brushed her thumb over her cheek. She hated seeing her best friend sad. Her smile was the most beautiful image she'd ever seen and her laugh was the most beautiful sound. "What's wrong?"

Michaela closed her eyes and took a deep breath, that came out staggered. When she opened her eyes, she confessed "I'm afraid. I like him. I really like him. And if… what if… what if he doesn't like me or I fuck up and he leaves too? What if I'm not good enough for him?"

Laurel sat them up in the bed and cupped her face with both hands while trying to make her face her "hey. hey! look at me." When she did, she continued "You are good enough. You're beautiful, Michaela. And smart. And you'd do anything to protect the people you love. You never give up when you want something. Like with me. I kept pushing you away, but you never surrendered..." Michaela's lips curved up into a smile while she remembered her younger self annoying the shit out of little Laurel, who was always by herself, trying to avoid everyone. "You are amazing. And if Aiden doesn't see that, then he can go fuck himself. You deserve better than someone that doesn't appreciate you."

Michaela nodded, feeling much better after her best friend talked to her. "Thanks" she said before hugging her tightly.

She got up, wiped her eyes and put some shoes on, her perfect mask set again, looking radiant, with a big smile in her face. No one would have guessed she'd had a breakdown just a few minutes before.

She checked the clock. Aiden was about to arrive. She took a coat and left the room, not before saying bye to Laurel with a kiss in the cheek. Laurel who hadn't moved since their hug, after she had been as honest as she could because seeing her best friend thinking she wasn't as perfect as she really was, broke her heart. In a way that made her realize that maybe, just maybe, she felt so much more than friendship. She watched her leave. Leave with Aiden. And she felt her heart sink. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to take in what she just realized she felt. And suddenly everything made sense. Why, from the first moment, she felt drawn to her. Why everytime Michaela smiled her own lips curved up, no matter how mad or upset she was. Why she felt so comfortable with her, and just her, she was the only one she had ever really opened up to.

"Shit. I'm so fucked up..."

That night she had gone to a bar to avoid thinking about her and bury those feelings. There she met Kan, a 19-year-old guy with law aspirations, just like her. They'd been dating for a year when he left to university. They tried to keep a long distance relationship, but Laurel knew it wouldn't last. After all, she started dating him because she couldn't be with Michaela. Three months after he'd left, she met Frank. He had started working for her father in something she didn't actually care about. He was hot and she was desperate to forget her best friend, who couldn't be happier with her perfect boyfriend. Laurel loved her, so she could only be happy for her, but at the same time it hurt knowing that she would never feel the same way, and that she could never make her that happy. She had tried to forget, she really had. But they saw each other everyday and their friendship was too important to break it because of her stupid heart. So she buried it under other guys, first Kan and then Frank.

Laurel was so immersed into her thoughts that she didn't realize the other girl was awake too. Not until she felt her shift to look at her with her gorgeous smile, which, of course, drew one in her. Michaela's hand went up to brush her cheek and Laurel leant into the touch. "How are you?" Michaela murmured. Since the only answer she received was a frown, she continued "You were pretty upset yesterday night..."

Laurel sighed remembering her fight with her parents. "I'm alright." Michaela looked at her, clearly concerned. Laurel tilted her head "I really am". But she knew she didn't sound convincing so she gave up "I don't wanna talk about it." Michaela nodded at her and they stayed quiet for a while, just enjoying each others company. Silence was never uncomfortable between them, they could talk about everything and they could be quiet, it was all comforting.

Suddenly, Laurel remembered Michaela had texted her before the fight. She said she had some news "What did you want to tell me yesterday?"

Michaela's eyes lit up and her smile got brighter. She was completely overjoyed, and Laurel was so glad she got to see her that happy. She bit her lip, before saying "I'm engaged."