What it's Worth

Meet the Boyfriend

Owen:

It had been two months. Two months since I saw my best friend. It was killing me. I wanted to see her face so badly.

Because of classes, Jane and I had stayed pretty busy. But every Friday night we would face time and talk about our week. Seeing her through the screen of my phone was not enough. I needed to see her in person so bad.

The past few months had been pretty much the same schedule. I'd go to school then hangout with my old football buds and then join Jane's parents for dinner.

Falling asleep was getting easier too. Sneaking into Jane's bedroom was only a one time a week occurrence now. I went every Friday, after our FaceTime call.

I felt so lost knowing that Jane had stories with another guy to tell. Jack was taking her new places. Jack was making her feel special. Jack got the privilege of loving her. Something I'd worked for my whole life.

It's not like Jane having a boyfriend made me love her any less. It actually made me realize just how much.

I was willing to wait for her. Even if in the end she didn't want us.

I had already started forming a plan in my head.

After Jane told me about Jack, I came to the realization that Jane deserved better than me. I had been hiding for our entire friendship and that's not how a girl like Jane should be treated.

So right then and there I decided that I was gonna tell her how I felt. No matter how scared I was.

So I came up with this plan. I'd been pushing and pushing, getting everything ready, and the week was finally here.

It was thanksgiving and Jane was supposed to come back home to spend it with me and her parents. It was the perfect chance to win her over.

I called Jane a week before she came and told her to bring a nice dress, explaining that her parents wanted her to look nice for dinner.

Then I talked to her parents. That was the hard part.

I explained everything to them. I told them how I fell in love with her, when, and what my intentions with their daughter was.

I was expecting them to be disappointed in me for hiding it. But I got the exact opposite reaction.

Mrs. Gower teared up and ran across the room to hug me. Mr. Gower had a bright smile on his face and shook my hand.

"It's about time!" Mrs. Gower yelled while hugging me tighter.

"What do you mean?" I asked laughing.

"I've always wanted you to be my own boy! You're already apart of the family. I've waited for this day since the first time I saw you two play together as kids!" She said, dabbing her eyes.

"It's true. She always knew. It took a lot of convincing to get her to keep her mouth shut." Mr. Gower laughed.

Their reaction was exactly what I needed for me to collect my remaining confidence.

They weren't opposed at all to my plan either. In fact, they helped me get things together. They knew I'd have some trouble with the fact that Jane already had a boyfriend, but we all were hopeful that I'd be able to win her heart anyway. The boyfriend being a mere speed bump on the way.

But now it felt like everything I had prepared was getting ruined when I saw an unfamiliar grey Silverado pull into the Gower drive way. Jane was here in the flesh. She was back! She was wearing the sweatshirt I gave her with her favorite jeans. She looked comfy and completely herself. I was extremely happy that even though she now had a boyfriend she still wore my sweatshirt. Her normally wild brown hair looked tame and was neatly curled and fell at her shoulders. My chest clinched.

Just one problem. That beautiful girl was holding hands with a presumed Jack Westland.

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Jane:

Everyone was waiting for me on the porch when Jack pulled into the driveway.

Owen has this unreadable expression on his face when he saw me. It was probably the same one I had on my face. We'd missed each other more than either of us cared to admit.

But that expression was quickly wiped off his face when he saw me and Jack walking up together, holding hands.

I knew this part would be a bit awkward. I didn't want to tell my parents Jack was coming because I knew that they would give me a hard time about it before coming. And I didn't tell Owen because I knew it would make him uncomfortable too. He's extremely shy around strangers and I didn't want him to worry about it.

But now I wish I had told them, because my three favorite people looked very disappointed in me for a reason I couldn't exactly pin point.

Regardless, I was extremely excited to see them and I ran first to Owen, screaming at the top of my lungs.

"Owen!" I dropped Jack's hand to get to him faster.

Owen's arms opened, but the smile on his face was wider. I jumped into him as if I had been waiting my whole life to touch him. And sometimes that's actually what it felt like.

Owen scooped me up and spun me around fast. "I missed you so much shortie!" He yelled, still spinning me in the air.

"Not half as much as I missed you your majesty!" I laughed. "Now put me down you muscular goon. Stop showing off!" I teased and started hitting his chest, trying to get him to loosen his grip on me.

"Nope! Sorry shortie! You left me for two months so there's no way I'm putting you down until you make it up to me." He said. Then he shifted me in his arms and tossed me over his shoulder. I was left with arms dangling and the view of Owen's back. I started screaming and laughing all together as Owen pranced around the yard.

I missed this. I missed him. It made me regret bringing Jack with me.

Jack! I completely forgot he was here! He was gonna be so mad at me! He was definitely the jealous type and wouldn't let any of the other guys on campus go near me. It got annoying fast.

He was just gonna have to deal with this though. Owen was my best friend and there was no way I was giving that up for a petty boyfriend.

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Owen:

I ran around the yard with Jane tossed over my shoulder for a few laps. I caught a glimpse of her boyfriend as I continued to play with Jane.

He was shaking hands with her parents. But just as I expected, the Gower's kept on a straight face and coldly took his hand. I was lucky to have them on my side. I had images fly through my head of movies where the guys would fight to win the girls heart, I felt like I was headed into a similar situation myself.

After the awkward encounter with Jane's parents, he looked over at me. Our eyes met and I stopped laughing. He had a dead, cold look on his face and I'm sure mine looked intimidating as well. He wanted to play? He would get some action.

I set Jane down and she grabbed my shoulders as she regained her balance.

"Owen, what were you thinking?" She yelled hitting my chest.

"That I missed my favorite girl too much." I laughed and Jane did too. Jack walked over and grabbed her hand. He was probably upset with me already.

"Babe, can you help me get the bags out of the car?" Jack said, tugging her hand. My stomach clenched hearing him call her that. He said it so casually too. Why did she have to be his babe. Jane went to follow him but I stopped her.

"I've got this Jane. I'll get your stuff and take it to your room, yeah? I can't let you carry your own bags, what kind of a gentleman would that make me?" She nodded and I walked with Jack to the car, smirking at his annoyed expression.

"That stuff there is Jane's." He said smoothly.

"I know." I said, refusing to make eye contact.

I grabbed her stuff and wondered in. Just as I got to the door I turned to look at Jack still pulling at his bags.

"Oh and Jack." He looked up at me. "I wanna talk to you about Jane later. You never got the best friend talk." I teased, he didn't look so amused though.