"What..?" Marco sputtered as he slowly leaned backwards, away from Jean.
"Haha just kidding. I wouldn't trade paper chrysanthemums for anything else in the world." Jean finally spat out, his heartbeat now slowing down from the past adrenaline rush. Marco, now sporting an almost disappointed look, just stared back at Jean.
"Oh.. Well, I'm glad you like them.." he said quietly.
Jean only drew a glance at Marco's face, scanning to decipher the expression on his face. He looked confused and disappointed, almost looking depressed in a way. Marco was no longer drawn backwards and away from Jean but instead, scooted a bit closer.
"Do you really mean it? That you wouldn't trade the flowers for anything in the world?" Marco finally spoke.
"Of course I mean it. Why would I lie about something like that?"
"No no, I just meant to ask if you really value our friendship as much as you lead on. I mean, it was years ago when I made you those and I honestly expected you to have lost them or crumpled them up by now. But surprisingly, they're still intact in the same state in which I had given them to you."
"What made you think that?" Jean responded, as he leaned his elbows over his knees.
"It's just.. Please don't take any offense to this. But I've seen the many people you've dumped in your life. And I'm just scared that you thought of me the same way.. That I was expendable." Marco's mood seemed to shift as he stated the final part of his statement.
"The only people I've really thrown away were acquaintances and.." Jean paused before his major epiphany.
"Girlfriends." He finished, noticing Marco's head bob into a slight nod; which seemed like the nod was done with shame.
"Marco, why would you even worry about that? You're my best friend."
"Y-yeah. I guess you're right.." Marco sighed, now sporting a reassured smile on his face.
"Thanks, Jean. I'm glad I'm your friend."
"Yeah, Marco. Me too."
And with that being said, both boys had no idea how much that statement would hurt so much in the end.
Moving on from that, both boys began talking over other subjects before deciding to scramble over another movie to watch. Both deciding that a horror film would do a great justice to their entertainment cravings.
Jean's room was now littered with soda cans and chip bags as the two watched the movie in an awkward silence. Again, watching the movie to the end with nothing much to say, they began to clean up all the littered goods on the floor.
"So, Marco?" Jean called out as he threw his soda can into a nearby trashcan.
"Mhm?"
"Do YOU think I value our friendship? You just seemed so unsure and insecure about how I felt about this friendship."
"To be honest, I didn't at first. I was scared that you thought that I was expendable."
"Why?"
"You asked me this earlier."
"Still, I just need to know exactly why you think you're expendable."
"Well, like we discussed before; there are two types of people in which you categorize as expendable. Acquaintances and girlfriends.."
"What's the problem then? You're not in those categories."
"I-I just.." Marco stumbled before stepping closer to his friend.
"I want to be one thing but I'm always another to you."
"Marco?"
"I-I mean." He started again as he looked down.
"I want to be your best friend but I feel like you just see me as an acquaintance now." Marco lied. His heart rate now building.
"Oh, why didn't you just say so then..?" Jean said, his heart now dropping at the sound of Marco's emotions.
"I-I just didn't want to make you feel awkward or that you're a bad person. You're really good to me and I always found that uncharacteristic of you- You know-! A heartbreaker who gets bored easily and just-" Marco began to lose his point.
Jean began to catch on to what Marco was hinting at.
"Are you lying to me?"
"I-.."
"Marco. Just be upfront. What's the problem? Do you feel like I tease you too much? Do I blow you off too much? I mean, just tell me."
"I.. I'm confused about you."