The Minor Complications of Love

Chapter Eleven: The Truth Will Set You Free

Drew stood by the corner of his family's diner. He looked blankly on his phone as he tapped his foot impatiently on the floor. He was waiting for Peggy who didn't seem to understand a thing about being on time. He put his phone in his pocket then looked over at the clock on the counter. She's twenty minutes late. What could be taking her so long? 

Drew groaned. He already suspected something like this would happen. She was sure damn lucky that his parents weren't coming back until another hour. But seriously though, out of all the places she had to pick, it just had to be their diner. What they were going to talk about was already going to be difficult enough. Peggy just had to poke fun on him and make him have a difficult time of figuring out when his parents would be out by not agreeing to talk about it anywhere else. That's why it took more than a week until this meeting could be arranged.

"Drew!" Peggy entered the diner with shiny glamorous clothes and a ponytail. Drew raised a brow. Did she seriously just have to outdo herself?

Drew walked close to Peggy as she waved at him with her right hand profusely. Slightly irritated, he took her hand and put it down. "You took such a long time," he said.

Peggy shrugged. "Sorry."

Drew shook his head as he pulled her over to their table that was just near the counter. He let Peggy sit down, then he sat himself down.

"So," Peggy smiled. "What should we talk about?" She asked, playing innocent.

"Cut with the crap," Drew told her. "You know what we're here for."

"Oh right," Peggy said as she pretended to have just remembered. "Why don't..." She bit her lip. "Start with the I told you so's?"

Drew avoided Peggy's eyes with crossed arms. Silence crept upon them until Drew uttered, "I can't believe I didn't know about it... But then. We don't really know if it's true, you know?" He said as he looked back at her. Peggy's playful expression was quickly replaced with an annoyed one. She leaned back on the couch with crossed arms, looking at Drew with a disappointed face.

"You know what Drew? You're supposed to be the one to cut the crap. Mia likes you. I've seen it in her eyes. The way she looks at you... She's in love with her best friend. And you, you're here pretending to be oblivious and I just can't with you anymore..." Peggy stopped, not sure if she was making sense as she had just babbled on and on. She began to talk again with a more serious tone this time, "The point is... Mia likes.. Or even loves you. She has a lot of hope that you guys might be the next couple who got together because you guys were best friends. She basically wants you guys to be like Taylor Swift and Lucas Till in that You Belong With Me music video.  She's there planning off your cute love story and going all crazy for it, while you're here pretending to be oblivious and pretending that her heart rate doesn't go crazy every single time you look at her. Stop playing with her feelings Drew. She's your best friend. At least tell her the truth. With the way that she loves you so much and has been your best friend for more than a decade, she'll accept what you really feel."

Drew stayed silent, feeling uneasy.

"It's not that easy," he finally spoke.

"What do you mean it's not that easy? Drew you can't just treat her like this. Haven't you ever considered her feelings?"

"I have, OK? That's the whole damn reason why... Why I can't bring myself to tell her," Drew explained, mumbling that last part. Even if he did though, it was still loud enough to catch Peggy's attention. 

"Oh you got to be kidding me Drew. You know, you're not really considering her feelings. You're considering your own, because you're too chicken to tell her the truth. Stop using her as an excuse," Peggy argued. "And... And... And have you ever considered what I felt? I can't do this anymore. I can't be your cover up girl anymore."

"What are you talking about?" Drew frowned. "I thought you said that you support me?"

"I do! I do, OK? And that's the reason why I've been telling you since frigging junior high school to be your frigging self. You can't hide what you feel deep down in your heart forever Drew. You know what they say, right? The truth will set you free."

Drew looked at Peggy with a painfully disturbed expression. "I wouldn't know where to start."

"Well, then start from the beginning," Peggy advised him.

"I... I can't," Drew told her, avoiding her gaze. 

Having enough of his antics, Peggy stood up. "I've had enough of this."

"Wha-what? What do you mean you have had enough of this?"

Peggy walked over to exit the diner quickly as Drew tagged along. He rushed to her side and grabbed her arm.

"Peggy, please. Don't leave it like this."

Peggy looked at him then to his hand that held tightly onto her arm. She pushed him away from her.

"Drew if I stay as your pretend girlfriend, you're never going to gain the courage to tell Mia the truth and... You'll always stay away from truly expressing yourself just because your scared of stupid rejection."

"You said you would help me. Besides, we don't even know if this is a phase."

Peggy rolled her eyes. "OK, so now you're denying it after all those years of sort of being sure, avoiding your best friend from time to time while hoping she would not notice that you really were trying to stay away from her, and being in love with we-both-know-who? You're not doing yourself a favor Drew. Leaving right now is my way of helping you. Just be honest with Mia and yourself. Please?"

And with that, Peggy left, while Drew was left with even more uncertainty and confusion. What's going to happen now? That was the only question he could possibly think of.