My Best Friend's Brother

Chapter 1

Have you ever fallen for someone you know you shouldn't? Try so hard to fight your feelings, but you just can't? You fall deeper with each passing day, but try to hide it in every possible way. They are only a friend, someone who gets on your nerves in every possible way.

But at the end of the day that's all they are, that's the lie you keep telling yourself. And you keep saying they simply are just a friend in attempts to convince yourself, but deep inside, you know you're falling in love?

Ha... Yeah, me neither.

I've always thought of myself as a smart person who would never do anything risky without a detailed pros and cons list. I've prided myself on being different than most of the people in my small town. Especially him.

He thrives here. Everyone adores him. He's reckless and outspoken and outgoing. He's charming and funny with the confidence that makes you intimidated. And the fact he's the mayor's eldest son and the quarterback of the football team is icing on the cake. So, clearly you get the point. We're nothing alike.

But I can't stop torturing myself with the thought of him. And I begin to hate myself for what I'm feeling.  Because after all he's my best friend's brother. So, I'm kind of stuck with him.

He's constantly around making my life miserable. Always saying the dumbest things. Always smiling that handsome grin of his. And that laugh. I could listen to that laugh and his calming voice forever.

1995

"Earth to Bethany." Connie said as I watched him in the distance. He was the center of attention around his friends and the popular girls.

"Yeah?" I mumbled watching as he tilted the chin of a pretty, bubbly blonde girl looking up at him with puppy dog eyes. "What are you looking at?" She smiled looking around as she held her pen and clipboard.

"Nothing. Just thinking." I replied quickly averting my eyes away from her brother.

We sat outside the school building as the students laughed and walked around during our lunch break. "I know there's so much happening! Isn't it so exciting! Not long until graduation and we go off to college together! I can't wait." Connie squealed, barely holding in her excitement, making me chuckle.

"Oh come on! Aren't you? You've been planning your life well... all your life! You should be more excited than anyone to be turning the next chapter." She continued noticing my lack of enthusiasm.

"Ah!" Connie's eyes lit up. "That could be another graduation theme." She wrote on the clipboard as we sat in front of the school's penny fountain. "I thought we already agreed on a sports theme?" Eddie, my brother walked up behind me.

"Not everyone likes and plays sports." I said, making him roll his eyes sitting beside me. "Besides, I liked my "Picture Your Future" idea. Maybe we could dress up as our dream profession or the college we will attend. I suggested again making Eddie roll his eyes.

"Not everyone has their life mapped out like you, Beth." He retorted, making Connie laugh. "Alright then what about "Picture's Of Your Past" where we play a slideshow of pictures of everyone throughout the years. To show where we came from." I continued as Eddie and Connie considered it as she wrote it down.

"Whatever, just make up your mind so we can get this thing over with." I said not so optimistically.

"I just want to graduate high school, graduate college and get my dream job. Make a name for myself and have a successful career and prove to all these people that there's more to me than just the school's nerdy tutor." I huffed causing some of my bangs to fly up.

I dripped with determination as they both looked at one another with slight amusement. "We have no doubt." Connie grinned before the school bell rang.