His Name Was Tate

friend zoned

"Finished!" I said happily. I look over my final work with smile. "Ok, Tate. Your turn."

I turn toward him and see him laying peacefully next to me. This was the first time I saw him look at peace. I began to study his face closely.

One of his eye brows had an eyebrow bandaid on them. You could even see the bags under his eyes. His usually pink plush lips had deep cuts on them. His right cheek had a small bruise on it. And I could see a red tint in his nose meaning that it bled. My heart ached. I slowly reached out my hand, and quickly recoiled it back when I realized what I was doing.

Come on girl. Get your shit together. I brought my attention back to him and couldn't help but melt at his sleeping face. I never realized how cute he was when he wasn't talking. I slowly lay my head down on my desk and just watched him. Like a fucking creep.

I quickly recognized how Stalkerish this was and was about to stop, but before I could lift my head his eyes fluttered open and he was now looking at me.

We stayed in silence for what felt like forever. Neither of us daring to break eye contact. He seemed like he was searching my eyes for something. Like an answer. He looked down at my lips like he did outside the lounge room. Then his eyes were back to mine but his gaze was different. There was something familiar about. It was almost similar to the way Mike would stare at Becks. Like he was hungry for something.

"Did you finish, little owl?" He asked in a husky low voice that made my core scream. I nodded and slid the paper over to him. He lifted himself off the desk and looked at the sketch as I stayed laying down with my face plastered on the cold surface of my desk.

The sound of the bell filled the class and everyone began to pack up and leave to go there next period. Mrs. Robinson began yelling about something at the front of the class land to be honest I was paying attention to what she was saying. All my attention was on Tate.

"I'll take this with me to my next period and finish it and I'll show you the final product at lunch, and then we'll plan how we are gonna do this afternoon." He said as he began to pack. His voice came out cold and monotoned.

All I could do was nod as he walked off. Was that all in my head? Maybe I'm just overthinking. But that look....it was- "Hey girl you ready?" Becks voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I looked around and see myself surrounded by empty seats. I began packing my stuff.

Me and Beck walked side by side as she began to walk me to my next class. "So did you and Tate get anything done?" She asked slyly. I rolled my eyes.

"We got the sketch done and he said he will do the rest in his next period and show it to me at lunch." I said.

"Oh ok. I saw y'all having a little staring contest. The sexual tension between you two is thick." She said

I huffed in disappointment. "He friend zoned me, tho."

"Mi amor....even friends fuck." She said

"He said he wouldnt even try cause I'm a virgin. He said...and I quote....he could smell my virginity..." i said.

She paused for a second like she was trying to think about what to say. "Damn kid....that is rough." She said as she patted my back in support. I rolled my eyes and giggled at her poor attempt to make me feel better.

"But the way he was staring.....I thought maybe....there was something there..." I said softly.

She stopped me in front of my class and grabbed me by my shoulders. "Look at me," she said, "if you feel there's a chance take it. Always follow your heart. Its better to follow your heart now then to regret it later. Yo no se manana." She kissed me in the head and went to her class and left me out side of my class confused.

Ugh being friend zoned sucks......