Well I should start off by telling you who I am, my name is Max Moore I'm 5'4, have brown hair and honey colored eyes. My best friend is Nichols Rawlins, but everybody calls him Fang, and he's sitting on my bed doing homework. We just got home from school about 10 minutes ago and he's just about finished with his. Such a nerd and he won't even help me with my homework. I would be finished with my homework if Fang wasn't lying on MY bed with his shirt off.

"Why do you have be on my bed with your shirt off? You do know I have to lay up there and sleep don't you?" I pretended like I didn't like the view but when really I was drooling in my mind. He just looked at me and smiled.

"Don't act like you don't like it when I know you do." He was playing with me. He doesn't know that I like him more than a best friend and band member and I'm pretty sure he doesn't like me like that I mean he has every girl in the school after him but for some reason he NEVER went out with any of them. I asked him about it once before but he just changed the subject and said that all the girls that asked him out were sluts. I blanked out thinking about him with the other girls and I must have looked really mad because he shook my shoulder and said, "What's wrong Max?"

"Nothing. Just kinda zoned out I guess."

He looked really concerned about it, "Are you sure? What were you thinking about then?"

"Just about my dad and when/if he's going to come back and why did he leave." It was true dad left 3 years ago. He left us for some office tramp and took off but that wasn't what I was thinking about but I couldn't tell if he believed me or not. He let it go though and didn't ask me about it anymore.

I got started back on my homework it was algebra and it was giving me a headache by now Fang was done with his and was laying on the bed bouncing a ball off the wall .

"Will you please come help me," I asked in my sweetest voice.

"Ummm…. What's in it for me?"

"I don't know what do you want?" I was a little scared of what he was going to want in return.

He thought about for a minute then replied, "A kiss. From you."

I was so shocked that he would say that it was so unlike him he usually didn't say things like that. I mean he's been really, really friendly these past weeks but I didn't really think anything about it. I sat there like a fish, my mouth opening and closing every second. He just sat on my bed with a cocky grin on his face like he knew I would give in to him. Well two could play this game I thought to myself. I stood up walked over to him and pushed him down on the bed with a little bit too much of a force because he bounced up a little bit. Oops. I straddled his waist and bent down like I was really going to kiss him but my hand was reaching over to my pillows. Then he closed his eyes I grabbed the pillow and hit him in the face with it. I started laughing and I wasn't expecting him to rebound so fast. He grabbed my sides and through me down and pinned me so I couldn't get up. Fang was a pretty big guy, not like weight wise but muscle wise. He held my hands together and tickled my sides until I couldn't breathe anymore.

"O... Kay…. I... give. Please… I'm sorry."

"Nope. Are you going to give me what I want if I help you," He said.

I looked up at him like he was crazy, "Why would you WANT to kiss me?"

He looked really nervous now, like the piss your pants nervous. He got up off me and said a quick," I'll see later," and left. I didn't know what that was about he didn't ever act like that before ad now he's all weird and stuff. And he still didn't help me with my Algebra either. Damn! I really didn't care about the homework right now anyway; all I'm worried about is Fang. Why did he want me to kiss him? Was he playing a joke on me? Or did he really like me more than a friend?

I decided to take my mind off it by watching some TV. but no matter what channel I turned it on it was a love/romance/drama program, so I decided to go running. I went into my room to change into a sports bra and track pants. Mom was still working she didn't get off till 1:30. She's a nurse and had to cover for a friend while she was on a date. My mom and Fang's mom were both nurses but Fang's mom wasn't who my mom was covering for. Anyway before I left I grabbed my iPod and headphones.

It was about 10:00 when I was leaving to go run. I wasn't worried about getting kidnapped or raped or mugged because our neighborhood wasn't like that at all. We lived in a fairly nice neighborhood. Everybody got along in the place and nobody hardly ever had a fallen out. Well anyway while I was running I put my Taylor Swift playlist on. My favorite song of hers is out of "Ours" and "Forever and Always." I liked running because I helped me clear my head all the time I didn't need anyone t vent out to or a squeeze toy, all I needed was to run and I would have my head cleared in about 3 hours maybe I depends on how much I was thinking about. Since I was thinking if my best friend liked me or if he was just playing a game on me, if I was in love with my best friend, how long have I loved him, how long has he liked me, and MANY, MANY more questions so I am going to be out here for a while. I never even notice the time because it goes by really fast when you're in deep thought. I was probably running for about 2 and ½ hours when I felt someone behind me. Just because our neighborhood is safe doesn't mean it doesn't have its perverts. I acted like everything was okay until I felt them right behind me. I took 3 years of karate and 2 years of boxing, so the person was close of enough I turned around and roundhouse kicked them and then upper cut them. It wasn't until I was about to punch them in the gut I realized it was Fang.

"Why did you sneak up on me like that? You know how I am Fang."

"Well I didn't think you would be the shit outta me. Damn Max," He looked like he could kill me but he wouldn't because I'm his best friend and he would NEVER hit a girl. Max just didn't do that to ANY girl no matter what happened to him. I was so sorry I couldn't believe I just done that to Fang! Of all people it had to be Fang.

"Fang I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. In all fairness I didn't know it was you and you know how paranoid I get. Please I'm really, really sorry." He looked like he was about to burst out laughing and I didn't know what for. I mean I just kicked and punched him. Why did he have to be so retarded?

He stared at me for a minute and then he really did start busting out laughing. "Why are you laughing I just kicked and punched you? You're not supposed to be laughing you're supposed to upset." I was kind of mad that he was laughing it was like he didn't even feel it. I mean I'm glad he's not hurt or anything but really did he have to laugh about it?

"Max you'd be laughing to if you saw your face when you were apologizing to me. It was so funny but so cute and sexy." I couldn't believe he just said that and by the look on his face now I could tell he didn't mean to either. He was BLUSHING; Fang was blushing because he said that I looked cute and sexy.

"Well let's go back to my house then." It was an awkward way home because of 'The Incident'. That's what I'm going to start calling it. We have NEVER had an awkward moment before and we've been friends since like we were babies, not kidding either. It took about 10 minutes to get to my house because I jogged around the block and I wasn't that far away from my house.

"How long were you behind me?" I asked because I was wondering why I didn't notice him behind me at first.

He thought for a minute then said, "Probably about 10 minutes."

We were now laying down on the love seat in the living room. I turned on the TV but to have it turned off by Fang.

"Max we need to talk. I've had something to tell you for a while now but I didn't know how to tell you." He paused for a second before he continued with what he was saying, "Well I like you Max a lot and I want to know if you would go out with me?"

Well that was a shocker! I didn't know what to say to him so instead of answering him I ran up to my room before he could stop me. I knew he would be hurt by me doing that to him. I stayed in my room for the rest of the night. I knew Fang had left because right after I came up to my room I heard the front door open and close. He was hurt I knew it because he didn't even come up here to tell me bye. Tomorrow was going to be HELL! I finally fell asleep around 12:45.

Let me just go ahead and let you know I'm NOT a morning person at all. So when my alarm clock went off the next morning at 6:30 I WASN'T a happy person. I went to reach for the snooze for the I don't know how many times when my older brother Bryan came running into the room and jumped on my back screaming, "MAX GET UP OR YOUR GOING TO BE LATE TO SCHOOL!" the whole time he was jumping on my bed.

"Okay I'm getting up. Just get OFF OF ME!"

He laughed but otherwise he got off and ran out of the room.

After I took a shower I went to my walk in closet- yeah did I forget to tell you, the whole 2nd floor of the house is my floor. There are three rooms on the floor, one room which is the biggest room is my bedroom, the 2nd room is my music room which is the 2nd biggest room on the floor, and the 3rd room is the den area. Anyway back to my closet, I walked to the shirts area and grabbed my purple, ¾ sleeve, jersey cardigan. Then I went to the pants/shorts area and just grabbed a pair of pants. After that I went to my drawer and grabbed a white tank top/undershirt. I put on my purple and gray converses to match. I looked in the mirror and put on a little bit of eyeliner and mascara and thought I looked presentable.

I walked down the stairs and into the kitchen to see my mom standing with the refrigerator door opened.

"Good morning, mom."

"Good morning Max. What was wrong with Nick list night? When I was walking in last night he was sitting in the living like he was thinking really badly about something and like he was REALLY hurt."

"I don't know. He seemed fine before he left my room." I didn't tell my mom what was going on because I didn't understand the situation myself first. I'm going to ask Ella what I should do when I see her today. I grabbed my bag and just went out the door without telling my mom or Bryan bye.

Fang and I usually ride together every morning to school but this morning I saw that his car was already gone so I went back inside and grabbed my keys off the key hanger by the door and walked out the house again, thinking what have I done. I got into my 2013 black mustang gt. and drove to school. I figured the radio would take my mind off of Fang so I turned the CD on that was in the CD player but the music done the exact opposite of what it was supposed to do. The CD was the one that Fang made me 8th grade summer when dad left us. When he gave it to me he said I'll always be here with you. You'll always have me here with you. When I got to school I didn't notice that I was early because me and Fang usually stop and get breakfast. I was about 15 -20 minutes early so I went to see if Ella was here. She's usually here early because she likes to go to the library go read. When I got to the library I saw her sitting in the corner reading a yellow and blue book.

"Hey Ella, can I get some advice?"

"Yeah sure sit down." She pulled out the chair beside her and gestured for me to sit down.

"Well it's about Fang but please don't tell him. I know y'all are brother and sister but please don't tell him anything." She shook her head and started to stay something but I cut her off on accident. "Last night he told me he liked me and wanted to go out with me but I freaked out and ran up to my room and locked myself in. Everybody knows I like him but I just freaked out and didn't know what to say. And this morning when I went outside to see if we were riding together this morning he was already gone. He's mad at me but I don't want him to be. I love him but I don't know if he's playing or joke or what. I don't think he would do that but I still didn't want to take the chance of it so I done what I was good at doing running away from my problems. What should I do, Ella?"

"Well if you wanted him to know all that turn around but if you didn't then your screwed." She pointed upwards and behind me. I turned around slowly because I didn't want what she was implying to be true. But of course what I want doesn't matter to the world. There was Fang standing right behind me so I jumped up and started running out of the library ready to head to my car and leave. But Fang had other plans he grabbed my arm before I could go out the door and turned me around to face him. I didn't know what he was going to say so I had to think of something to say so he couldn't hurt me.

"Fang its okay I know you don't really like me. That you were just playing around. I should've known that but I didn't I fell for it. And know you know everything I feel about you. I should've seen this I mean you're my best friend and I know how you are with girls and I've even told you how you treat them. And now I'm just another one of them girls and it sucks ass." By the time I finished my pointless rant I had tears streaming out my eyes and Fang was standing there with my arm still in his hand staring at me like I was crazy.

"IS that what you think I think about you Max? Because if it is your so wrong. I love you Max Renee Moore! I've always loved you. Those other girls meant nothing to me. I never actually went out with them because I've always wanted you to be my girlfriend. I've always compared them to you and how they were nothing compared to what you are."

He pulled me into him and since I was already crying I cried even harder. He just held me to him. He didn't say word, he just held me there. When I pulled away I could tell my eyeliner and mascara were no more. When he looked at me, he stared so deep into my eyes that I had to look away. So when I looked away I realized what he had on. He was wearing a grey long sleeved Hollister shirt with dark wash Levi jeans and black Nikes.

I didn't know what to say so I back away from him and said, "I have to go. I can't do this right now." I ran down the hallway and ran to my car as fast as I could. When I got into the car to start it up and leave, there was a knock on my window and Fang was standing outside it. He made a motion for me to roll my window down so I did just to see what he wanted to say.

"I love you Max. Nothing in the entire world will change that. Not you emitting that you love me too. Not you running away from me. Not you trying to talk yourself out of loving me either. I will ALWAYS love you no matter what."

I knew that if I didn't leave then that I would just fall apart right there. We couldn't ever be together because it would ruin our entire friendship. But now that I realize that we both love each other and with me running away that would also ruin the friendship we have. I chose to run though. I didn't care at that moment I had to get out of that mess I was starting. I promised myself I wouldn't love anybody because of my dad. He loved us but he left and if Fang says he loves me then what if he leaves me too? I couldn't take that chance with him.