Just Friends

Disclaimer: Sadly, this all belongs to a man named Josh. Oh, and Frank Sinatra (along with Billie Holiday) sang the song Just Friends. All songs quoted are by Frank Sinatra.

Author's Note: This chapter was mostly about Ryan and Marissa's friends, I know, but it was kind of just a filler, setting up for the next chapter. You guys won't be disappointed with Chapter 11. It will be up tomorrow.

Chapter 10: Two Friends, But One Broken Heart

Heart of mine, let another heart be part of mine

Let another dream be the dream I'll follow

Let me hear a voice, a secret voice, a voice that will say

Come to me and be what I need you to be

Long alone, I have sung a loser's song alone

Unbeknown I built my hopes through her

The other hearts I found are tightly bound together

But mine, the loneliest of hearts is mine

It tasted of the bitter wine

It's lost, gone and lost, heart of mine

"Heart of Mine"

"Liza, I just don't know what to do," Marissa complained to her friend. She picked up her foot and studied the nail polish critically. Liza pulled her foot back down.

"Would you stop moving!" Liza snapped. "Marissa, I told you, just tell him. God knows you've waited long enough!"

"But Liz." Marissa put her foot back down, and Liza began to paint a top-coat on the nails. "What if he doesn't feel the same way? Then I'm going to look like a foo--"

"You're going to feel like a fool if you don't take the chance," Liza interrupted Marissa. She loved Marissa, but honestly, the girl was so dense sometimes. "You've got to take a risk now and then…I just thought you were willing to do that kind of thing for Ryan. But if you're not…"

"No, I definitely am," Marissa declared suddenly. Liza smiled internally. She was good, too good. Now she only had to hope that David would do as good a job as she on their other lovelorn friend.

"So just tell him how you feel. The worst he can do is say no. Then, at least you'll know how he feels and you'll be able to move on."

Marissa knew Liza was trying to help, but even if Ryan didn't love her like she loved him…she'd never be able to stop loving him. But Liza was right; once Marissa knew, her heart wouldn't hurt quite as much.

--

"Look man, you've got to talk to her," David pleaded with his friend. Ryan shook his head and bit into a slice of pizza topped with peppers and mushrooms.

"I've tried, Dave, I've tried to let her know how I feel, but she obviously doesn't feel the same way." As much as it hurt to admit the truth, Ryan felt a tiny bit better after saying it. It made it all the more real, not a dream in his head, but all hope was flushed out of his body.

David made a loud grunting noise; his mouth was full of pizza so he couldn't really talk. "You have to at least let her know. And I don't mean trying to communicate by ESP!"

"Why? What's the point? What if she doesn't love me, then what?" Ryan asked. Since when did David know all the answers? Well…he had been dating Liza, Marissa's friend, for over three years. And they were the happiest couple Ryan knew.

"Then you know for sure how she feels, and you can move on. Forget about her…or at least try to." David grinned at Ryan, but quickly changed his expression to a sympathetic one after seeing the downcast look on Ryan's face. "You need to know. It's not fair to either of you, or us. You're driving me crazy with this 'should I or shouldn't I' crap. Just tell her how you feel."

Ryan glared at David, but smiled after. "You know what? I'll tell her. What's the worst that can happen? She'll turn me down?" He joined David in laughing. But really, he knew there to be something much worse. Ryan's heart would be permanently crushed, he wouldn't be able to go on with his life, what was the point in living when The One didn't love him?

But he had to try. It would be so worth it, if Marissa felt the same way. There was no escaping it. Ryan had to know.

--

"Ryan's driving me crazy. He's so damn miserable without Marissa. He better tell her how he feels soon," David said to his girlfriend. They were sitting on his eating Chinese food, hoping their friends would heed their advice and get back together.

"Ohmigosh! Marissa is driving me insane. Every second she's second-guessing herself, like whether or not she should tell Ryan how she feels. I'm like, girl, you're going to regret it if you don't tell him." Liza rolled her eyes for emphasis.

"That's exactly what I told Ryan, babe." David leaned over and gave Liza a butterfly kiss. "We are so alike."

"We are," Liza agreed. "That's what I love about you."

"What?"

"That you're so like me."

"Oh. So do you wanna go over to Ryan's and see if they're there, going at it like animals? Or should we try Marissa's place first?"

"David," Liza chided, "Give them some time. Knowing Ryan and Marissa, they haven't even worked up the courage to confront each other yet. We'll go over tomorrow night."

"Okay, baby."

Liza kissed David and began to gently nibble on his lower lip. He cupped her jaw in his hand and kissed her passionately. Just when things were beginning to get hot and heavy amid the remains of Chinese food, Liza sat up.

"You know what I think?"

"What?" David was clearly not interested, merely aroused. "Come on, let's go to my room."

"Ryan and Marissa are, like, two friends with one broken heart. It's so sad, don't you think so?" Liza ran her hands through David's chestnut brown hair. He gulped, Liza was making it very hard to breathe, forget thinking.

"It is sad," he managed to agree, "But when they get back together, it's going to be all the more sweet."

"You are so right." Liza smiled, cocking her head. "Come here, baby."

David crawled right next to Liza and they again forgot the Chinese food.

--

Ryan lay on his bed, phone by his side. Every time he picked the phone up, his hand started to shake and his heart raced. Ryan couldn't do it…not yet. For he feared Marissa would turn him down, would tell him she didn't love him. And right now, Ryan didn't have enough strength or courage to face that likelihood.

Marissa lay on her bed, phone by her side. Every time she picked the phone up, her hand started to shake and her heart raced. Marissa couldn't do it…not yet. For she feared Ryan would turn her down, would tell her he didn't love her. And right now, Marissa didn't have enough strength or courage to face that likelihood.

If only each knew what the other was thinking…