A big black box that says, in big black letters, written with a dull sharpie marker, 'Kitchen Stuff', sits to my left. To my right, another box, the same size, sits with the words, 'Living Room Fluff' written on the side with the same marker. The same handwriting. Tori's handwriting. And I swear it, if these boxes could talk, they'd be pointing and laughing at me...bastards....

"These are the last of the boxes...Well, aside from yours and Tor's personal stuff." Shane walks into the room, fresh from his bathroom break.

I sit on the floor between the boxes.

"Hey dude, where are you?" I hear Shane walk around the living room.

"Right here." I raise my right arm. My hand poking out from the boxes.

"Ha! What are you doing hiding between the boxes?" Shane laughs.

"Breakin', dude...you know..." I put my head in my hands,then look up at Shane, "We should make Tori finish this!!! We gotta work while she's out with Blake?? Boo to that!"

Shane kneels down in front of me, "Dude...don't be so harsh to Tori..she's not the one being a dick."

I sigh and bite the inside of my cheek slightly, in thought.

"I mean, dude, I totally understand how much this whole situation sucks for you...trust me." Shane supports himself by leaning on the 'kitchen stuff' box. I sit, Indian style, staring at my friend, blankly.

"Why would it suck? I mean my friend, or should I say, so-called friend, is acting way harsh towards me for no reason and-"

Shane interrupts,"And he's on a date with the girl you love..it sucks, bro, I know."

"Ugh! Would you stop saying that I'm in love with Tori! It's totally bogus!!" I wish to death it was...

"Look, bro...you can keep denying how you feel, but it only makes it worse." Shane is right. But I just can't do anything about it, so why even bother.

"Dude...I......" I don't even know what to say at this point besides the obvious, " I'm so in love with her, it's killing me." I confess, looking at Shane through glassy eyes.

Shane grabs my shoulder, "Dustin, don't worry...everything will work out the way it's supposed to. Just don't deny your feelings."

"Dude...." My heart feels like it's slowly dying in my chest. And every day it gets worse."I don't even know what to do... I see her...she's like my sister, bro! And to her, I'm just Dustin...And that's bad!"

"Bad?? Dude, how is that bad?"

"It's bad!"

"Bad because she knows you better than anyone? Bad because she'd do anything for you? C'mon, dude, don't sell yourself short!" Shane pushes me a little. I'm staring at my hands. This conversation feels weird.

"Yeah..but no one takes me seriously...no one sees me as anything more than just the air-head who's always laughing and joking around...who happens to be good at riding...and that's it. Tori doesn't want someone like me...and plus I'm tall and kinda skinny.. I'm not buffed out and sexy..."

"Oh, and Blake is??? Ha! You're way more buff than he is! That dude is small!" Shane laughs.

"Whatever..Ha! That is true..and kinda funny.." I can't help but laugh. Me and Shane share a much needed moment of pure laughter. It feels way good to laugh with my best friend again. But all the 'ha-ha's' quickly turn into reality and my heart still hurts.

"Ugh!!!!! This has got to be the last thing that I ever would've thought I'd be buggin' over! C'mon! Ya know?" In a frustrated huff, I grab at my hair and pull. Ouch! That hurt more than I intended it to.

Holding my head in my hands, I look up at Shane as he starts to speak, "But, Dustin...look at what we're dealing with here. Look at the reality of all of this." His voice is soothing, almost as if Sensei were speaking through him. Kinda weird, but, I'll take it... I nod as he continues,"This is life. People change. Feelings change. Dude, when we were young, we weren't thinking about girls or our emotions- None of that stuff! Dude, it was all about toys and video games!"

"Ha, yeah...those were the days!" I think about all the times me and Shane would be in my room , glued to the Sega, not a care in the world, aside from getting to the next level. We were like....8 years old. Or something like that. A slight grin finds it way on my face.

Shane plops on the floor, Indian style, in front of me. Through all of this, I was wondering how he could hold that crouching position for so long. Ninja skills, I guess. Shane continues his timeline,"Yeah, but, then we started getting into sports. Dude you remember how all of our free time was nothing but practice..nothing but skating and riding..Dude, you even skated too for a while." Shane pokes me in the chest.

"Yeah I did.." I say remembering all the times I fell and hurt myself,"And it really wasn't for me. I just didn't get it like you did."

"And you found Motocross..You found that..and you had your thing, and I had mine."

"Yeah, we'd switch constantly..."

"Exactly..things change, people don't play video games forever.."

"Well, some of them do!" I say referring to my video game obsession.

"Well, most people don't play video games forever.." Shane corrects,"People move on, people grow.."

"Yeah...you're so right, dude..."

"It's not necessarily a bad thing to feel differently about something...or someone...I mean, dude, what happened next.."

"Ninja school! Then we were like totally booked with training!" This game is fun! See, what happened next..

"Dude, then it was straight up, no joke, real-deal,save the world craziness from then on! See how drastically our lives changed forever since we became rangers.." Shane and I, sat there, between the boxes, excitedly taking a trip down memory lane, telling an awesome story of best friends.

"And, dude, we never, ever looked at Tori like she was hot ...not at all...she was barely even categorized as a girl." Shane was right.

"Dude, yeah..but then I really just realized how insanely beautiful she is..and she's so...oh, man..dude, she's so everything I've ever wanted and she's been in front of me the whole time..and-"

"And it's perfectly ok to feel the way you feel...Don't feel bad about it and don't feel like you have to hide it..it's ok, man...she'll understand." Shane has made his point. Loud and clear. I sit, sighing, wishing I could just tell her.

"But she doesn't feel the same way, I know it." I say, ruling out every possible solution to this problem.

Shane grunts, "But, dude, how do you know that? You never asked!"

"Yeah, but c'mon! She thinks I'm a goof! her funny, token dumb friend. Not her boyfriend." I say whining,"And dude that's just the truth."

"Dustin, bro... I love you man-"Shane palms my shoulder.

My face lights up to hear my best bud say that,"Dude!!! I love you too!" I say, taking in this moment between brothers.

Shane laughs,"Don't get all teary eyed, now!!" He mocks my excitement,"But in all honesty, you are my brother,man. I love you and I'm always here for you..I wouldn't steer you wrong." I slap Shane's hand, still placed firmly on my shoulder.

"I know man.. I know.." I nod, sincerely. "Thanks."

"Of course, bro" Shane smiles,"Now, at the same token of it being ok to feel for her, you gotta totally be ok with her decision on how she ultimately feels for you."

"Blah!! See , now that's the part that blows!!" I wave a pointed finger, "Oh and another thing, I LIVE WITH HER!!!!!!!"

"I can tell you what to do 'til I'm blue in the face...or....red." Shane laughs.

"Good one!" I giggle.

"But, you have to do what you think is right. I can just advise you. And be here for you."

"Yeah, I know..." I shake my head, wishing death to my emotions altogether, at this point,"If it wasn't for Blake, I swear!"

"What?"

"It'd be a hell of a lot easier..But, she's too into him."

"Not if he's giggin' on you. Tori flipped out on him, earlier, when you walked away."

"really?" I ask, feeling special. See, I knew she'd stick up for me.

"Dude, yeah.... she did. She walked out and everything." Shane recalled smiling.

I felt a lot better for like half a second, then realized that she was with him right now. "Yeah, well I guess it wasn't all that serious, 'cuz she's still with him." Disappointment and hurt in my voice.

"Dude, trust me, it'll fall into place."

"I hope so." I lower my head. I look over to my left. Then my right. "And now, what to do with these boxes." Smacking the 'Living Room Fluff' box, I pick myself up on my feet.

"All over it!" Shane follows.