Just Friends (Dan Howell)

Chapter Fifty-One

The day was a quiet one. I was still mostly on LA time (as was Jenny), so at midnight we were still wide awake.

"Hey, Lil," Jenny murmured into the silence. "I haven't asked... but what happened on the plane? What did you find out?"

"I can't say it out loud. I don't want to."

"Are you having a Hercules moment?"

"Huh?" I turned. The lights were off in the flat, and we'd been sitting quietly in the dark, just listening to each other breath. I knew exactly where she was sitting, however. I could see the glint of her amber eyes.

"You know," Jenny said, and I could tell she was waving her hand. "That one song from the Disney movie? I won't say I'm in love!"

"Oh," I muttered. The truth was, that was exactly what I was feeling. But I wasn't gonna tell her that!

Jenny pushed me gently. "Oh, you've got it bad!" She teased, then broke into song.

"If there's a prize for rotten judgement,
I guess I've already won that!
The man is worth the aggravation..."

"Jen," I said. "Jen, please--"

I heard Jenny jump to her feet as she sang louder,

"That's ancient history,
Been there, done that!"

"Jenny," I groaned, burning my face in my hands.

Jenny approached me and pulled me to my feet. "Why am I singing that part?" She asked me through the dark. "You should be singing her part! Come on... remember our senior year, those Disney dance parties?"

"I can't deny, those were a blast," I admitted.

"Exactly!" Jenny squealed. "Come on, let's start over! I'll be the Muses, you be Meg!"

I sighed, but agreed. As long as I didn't connect this silly scenario to real life, it wouldn't be too cliché. At least, that was my logic.

Jenny pulled out her phone and hit play once she found the song. I sang along, smiling in spite of myself.

"If there's a prize for rotten judgement,
I guess I've already won that.
No man is worth the aggravation...
That's ancient history,
Been there,
Done that!"

Jenny jumped right in, not missing a beat.

"Who d'you think you're kidding?
He's the earth and heaven to you!
Try to keep it hidden,
Honey, we can see right through you!"

I'd seen this movie enough times. As she kept singing, I chimed in with Meg's melodic voice as she sang, "Oh nooooo!"

"Girl, you can't conceal it,
We know how you're feeling!
Who you thinking of?"

Okay, it was dark, so Jenny didn't know, but I got pretty into character. Hercules was my favorite movie when I was younger, and I had this song memorized. I sang my part, pouring emotion into it.

"Oh, no chance, no way,
I won't say it, no, no!"

Jenny wrapped her arms around me, placing her cheek on my shoulder. I couldn't hold back a giggle as she sang in my ear.

"You swoon, you sigh,
Why deny it, Oh oh!"

I pushed Jenny off, smiling through the song.

"It's too cliché
I won't say I'm in love!"

I heard Jenny laugh, and I put my hands on my hips, strutting across the lounge as I belted it out.