Valient / c.b

8

Connor

After finding out Brad likes Ramona too, my spirits haven't been quite as high. Now I have even more competition. She's already with Logan, and she's liked Brad before. She wouldn't ever go for me, the best friend perpetually stuck in the friend zone. I continue to run on the treadmill in the training room, increasing my speed until I'm sprinting. 

"Whoa, Con slow down. Can't have you getting injured before tomorrows game." Logan gets up off the weight bench he was occupying and comes closer to my machine. I scoff and slow down. "You ok? You've been off lately." 

"Just great." I slow to a walk, grabbing a towl to wipe my face. "I'll get over it." I wasn't sure if that was true. 

"Well if you want to talk, I'm here for you. We are friends." I nod, getting off the treadmill and walking to my bag. "Until then can I ask you something?" Again, I nod. "How much of a threat to me is Brad? Ramona told me she had a crush on him forever ago and I believe she's over it, but the the way he looks at her recently. Do you know anything?" 

"No."  I lie. "Brad has always been completely blind when it comes to Ramona, I'm pretty sure he's the only one that doesn't know she liked him. Besides, as her best friend I know she's crazy about you." Logan smiles. 

"Thanks man." 

--------------------

 The seven of us went out that weekend for dinner and drinks: myself, Tris, James and Zoe, Ramona and Logan and Brad. Logan and I had a few days off from games and training and Brad got someone to work his usual Saturday night shift. 

"We all need to do this more often!" Ramona gushed and took another sip of her drink. Each of us had had a few, and the conversation was beginning to repeat itself. This was the third time she had said this. 

"You guys remember when we were in high school?" Tristan reminisced, though I wasn't in the mood to walk down memory lane. "Those were the days. We ran the school, and we even took Ramona in." 

"No, Connor did." Mona scoffed. 

"True. Brad was pretty mean to you. That must have hurt since you had a huge crush on him for so long." Tristan laughed, Brad looked thoroughly shocked. 

"Tris." Ramona shook her head and widened her eyes at him. I watched as the atmosphere grew awkward. 

"You what?" Brad questioned. 

"Look its not a big deal ok? I liked you in high school and you were kind of oblivious about it. But it's fine I'm over it now, obviously." Ramona played it off, putting an arm around Logan. 

"Right." He nodded, but stayed silent. I could tell he was in shock. Slowly the group started to shrink, until just Brad and I were left. "So did everyone else know?" He asked. 

"Well yea. You were a bit preoccupied with all of the other stereotypically perfect girls." I scoff, slightly annoyed with my friend. 

"C'mon, I was not that mean to her. And I don't remember her being unattractive." I shook my head and motioned for him to follow me out. We arrived back at our apartment not too long later. "What are we doing?" I shuffle through a few things in my room, until I find what I want. 

"This." I hold up a disc. "This is a video from Ramona's 16th birthday. You messed up." Brad looked confused so I hit play. Us from high school appeared on the screen. Brad's mom was the one holding the camera, showing their old basement decorated with balloons and a giant cake in the corner. Ramona enters wearing her favorite old purple dress. She spied the cake and begged for it to be time to sing and cut it. The old Ramona loved cake. Just as she was about to blow out her candles, it exploded. Bits of frosting and funfetti cake flew everywhere, covering Ramona. Brad, was in the corner laughing and holding a button. "That was the day you broke her heart." I pause it, and look at Brad who stares straight back with horror.  

"Yea, it was. And you didn't even care." A new voice comes from the doorway, Ramona's.