𝔹𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕟 𝔹𝕣𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 ➂

𝟙𝟚.

I stare at him wordlessly. I don't know what to say to that. What does one say when their best friend since childhood tells them they want to be more than that? He wants to be more than friends. If that's what he wants then that means he wants us to be a couple. Jamie and I a couple. One part of my stomach is fluttering with butterflies and the other part is rolling with a wave of nausea. Being in a committed relationship never worked out for Jamie. It never did. He knows that better than anyone.

"Can you please say something?" His hazel eyes are searching mine in the strangest of ways. "Amelia?" I've never seen that look before. All cocky arrogance is gone and has been replaced by the look of someone being completely lost.

I swallow the lump in my throat and ask, "what do you want me to say?" Because I seriously have no clue what to. I'm at a loss for words.

"You know what? Let's just forget it." He looks off to the other side of the room in frustration. "Just forget I said anything about it at all. I should've never suggested it. You're right, we're better as friends." He shakes his head in agitation. I want to tell him my silence isn't because I didn't want to say no. My silence is because I'm scared to say I want to be more too. "Are you done eating? My lunch is almost up and I need to get back to work." He flags down the waiter, signaling for the check. After a moment the waiter comes over and Jamie doesn't even look at it. He just slips the man a hundred dollar bill and tells him to keep the change.

"Jamie stop." He's already standing up, not listening to me. He's embarrassed and Jamie doesn't do well with feeling this way. He's prideful, much like his father, and I'd unintentionally wounded his pride. I hurriedly grab my purse and follow him out of the restaurant. Once we're in the parking lot, that's thankfully completely void of people, I say, "Jamie, please stop. Let's talk about this." He doesn't, he just walks to the car agitatedly. I follow him closely, going right up behind him. I grab his fitted button down shirt and pull back saying, "Jamie, come on. Just talk to me. I didn't know how to respond before. I was scared."

He pauses and stares at at the car. "What do you mean you were scared, Mel?"

"To say how I really feel. I just don't... I just-" He surprises me by turning around, grabbing me by the back of my neck, and kissing me. His tongue presses into my my mouth and I automatically greet it with my own. When he leans me up against the car I can't help the soft groan that escapes my lips. His hands caress my body as my hands grab his biceps. He's strong and solid. When his lips leave mine I'm breathless. Breathless and speechless.

"Tell me you didn't like that." His mouth is still only inches away. "Tell me how you really feel."

"The problem is I like it too much." He pulls away from me just enough to look in to my eyes, his hand still lingering on my waist. "I liked this morning too much. It scares me, Jamie. It scares me because I don't want to lose you as a friend but I want to be with you so bad. I don't want to ruin what we have."