New day at a new school and I was nothing but nervous. I had just moved to London, England thanks to a job offer my mom got. I had never been inside the school and was extremely nervous to be inside. Plus coming into fourth grade half way through the year isn't the most fun I can imagine.
"Good luck sweetie," my mom grinned as I climbed out of the car and up the steps to the main doors. I went inside and noticed the rely hallways. Oh god, was there no school? Or maybe all the kids left early? Or maybe they all evacuated because of a fire? Or maybe-
"Hello," I heard a boy say behind me with a hint of a British accent. Well it would make sense since that's where we are. I spun around and saw a short blonde boy in front of me.
"Hi," I said shyly looking down.
"You're new? I've never seen you before," he added.
"I'm new. My names (Y/N)," I said sticking my hand out for him to shake. He just eyed it before pulling me into a hug.
"I'm Thomas. And I'm a hugger," he giggled which made me laugh too. "Do you know where you're going?"
"No. Can you show me?" He smiled and held his arm out for me to link with mine. I did as we started walking down the long.
"So I don't hear an accent. I'm guessing you're not from around here?" He asked breaking the silence.
"I came from America. My mom got a job here so we moved." We continued talking mindlessly before he brought me into a large office.
"Hello, and who is this?" The lady said at the desk. She was a chubby lady with a floral dress and glasses hung around her neck.
"I'm (Y/N). I'm new," I whispered looking up.
"Sorry honey, I couldn't hear that," the woman said leaning over the desk.
"She's (Y/N) and she's new," Thomas answered for me. I smiled and looked down at the ground.
"Thank you Thomas, but shouldn't you be in class?" The lady raised an eyebrow as she went through all her papers on the counters.
"I have the bathroom pass. I just got distracted." I giggled at him before looking up at the lady again.
"Well run along Thomas. I'll get miss (Y/N) here settled," the lady said walking deeper into the office where other people were.
"Shouldn't you be going back to class?" I asked him.
"No, I wanna stay with my new friend. My new best friend," he smirked and nudged my shoulder.
"You wanna be my best friend?" I asked giggling a little. He just nodded and held my hand.
"Okay miss (Y/L/N), I see," the lady said coming back into the room. "Here is your class. I'm sure Thomas can show you around then. I'll call your teacher and tell her you're helping me, alright?"
"Yes ma'am," Thomas and I answered in sync.
"Well go on then. Have a good first day, (Y/N)." I thanked her as we walked out of the office with our hands still together.
"Who do you have?" I handed him the list and his mouth fell open with a smile.
"Mrs. Blanchard! That's who I have!" He was so excited about it that I began giggling at him. "Well then let me show you around."
I liked this Thomas kid and I hoped we were gonna be friends for a while.
-- 7 years --
"Miss (Y/L/N)! Mr. Sangster!" My teacher screamed at me and Thomas sitting beside each other. We were giggling while we drew on each other's papers.
"Sorry Mrs. Smith," I said as Thomas set his hand on my thigh as I sat back in my chair. He moved his arm over the back of my chair as I shifted closer to him. I moved his paper to the edge of the table and drew swirls on it.
"Why are you doing that?" He chuckled in my ear. I just smiled and continued drawing. He used his right hand to tickle my hip as I gasped and tilted away from him. I pushed on his stomach while biting my lip to stop laughing.
"Then stop doing that," he laughed in a whisper. The teacher hadn't noticed yet since she was busy lecturing us about useless information.
"Aww you two are so adorable," the girl in front of me said. Thomas and I stopped moving and looked at the girl.
"Oh no we're just friends," Thomas explained shifted over in his seat.
"Yeah," I nodded with red cheeks. If it isn't obvious, I wanna be more. I've been best friends with this boy for seven years and I fell in love easily. He was my only friend and the closest person I have- not a weekend goes by without the other coming over.
People have mistaken us for dating before and it was becoming an issue even though I'm trying my best to hide it. He always blows it off and pretends it never happens so I try as well.
"Shank," I whispered and pushed his shoulder and leaned forward over my desk to draw on my own paper. I was obsessed with the Maze Runner book series and used their words often.
"Shuckface," he replied with a smirk. I just stuck my tongue out and put my head on the table and closed my eyes. He just chuckled and put his hand on my back and rubbed lightly. I wasn't gonna fight it since it felt nice but it still sent butterflies to my stomach.
"(Y/N)! Wake up!" My teacher yelled. I groaned and sat up.
"You two are always in trouble," the boy opposite Thomas said. We just laughed and ignored the glare the teacher sent to us.
The rest of the thirty minute lecture took years until the bell rang. We walked out of the class together, as usual, and to our lockers which were conveniently beside each other's.
"So," he said drawing my attention to him while zipping the bag over my shoulder. "Tonight, you coming to mine or me to yours?"
"Come to mine. My mom should be out for most of the night so it'll just be us," i explained. "That reminds me, can I stay over yours tomorrow night? My mom is going out late again and I don't really wanna be alone every night this week."
"Of course. My house is yours. You know that." He smiled and wrapped his arm around my shoulders.
"Good that," I giggled and closed the door to both of our lockers. We walked out to my car and drove to my house while Thomas ordered us Chinese for the movie.
When we got home, we changed into our comfy clothes and jumped on the couch. He sat at one end and i the other with our feet touching in the center. "What movie?"
"Star Wars," i offered seeing him light up at the mention of his favorite movie. He quickly raced to the cabinet and found the disk before popping it in. Seconds after he movie began, the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," I said grabbing my purse and waking to the door. A tall man stood on the other side with the bag in his hand and his eyes going up and down my body. I realized now I was only wearing a pair of really short shorts and one of Thomas's old shirts that went passed the shorts. It looked like I had no pants on.
"Oh no I-I'm wearing pants. This shirts just really long and-" I stuttered lifting the shirt up to show the shorts underneath while accidentally flashing my stomach.
"It's alright honey. But I bet you would look nice without those shorts on," the man purred and bit his lip. I blushed and looked to the ground. Was I being hit on? I had never been hit on in my life! Well Thomas keeps telling me boys are flirting with me but I never see it.
"Everything alright, love?" Thomas asked coming behind me. He protectively put his hand on my hip which made the mans jaw clench.
"Yeah. How much did you say it was?" I asked. The man groaned lightly before handing me a small receipt. I payed him before closing the door without another word.
"I was handling it, Tom," I said taking the food from him and sitting back on the couch.
"No you didn't. It's my job to protect you isn't it?" He grabbed his food from the bag and sat beside me before handing me a napkin.
"Not when it's from boys. You're always pushing them away but yet you get mad at me for 'helping' you with girls." I bit into my food and played the movie hoping to end the conversation.
"You're helping is blatantly asking what their motives are. I'm just keeping creepy boys from touching you," he says. I had a feeling this conversation wasn't ending for a while. "I only do it because I care about you."
"I know you do," I said placing my hand over his. "But one day you'll find a girl and you won't be there to protect me. I need to do it on my own." It hurt me physically to talk about him having a girlfriend in the future. He was my crush and my best friend but it was reality. He would leave one day, get married, have kids and leave me here alone. Why couldn't I be the girl he needed to keep safe forever?
"Oh that's not true. No matter if I ever find a girl, you're still my favorite. I'm not leaving you." I felt the urge to cry but I fought it back by taking a bite of my food.
"We'll see. Let's just watch the movie Sangster," I sighed and pushed my hair out of my face.
After finishing that movie in silence, he offered to put on Sleeping Beauty, one of my favorite Disney movies. I began singing quietly as I watched the movie.
"Care to dance, my beauty," Thomas offered while holding his hand out for me.
"Oh I don't dance," I remarked with red cheeks.
"Its easy. We've done it before. Once upon a dream," he smirked. I giggled at his comment and took his hand. He led me to the center of my living room and positioned us exactly how they were in the movie.
He began swaying me around the room with only the clumsy sounds of our feet hitting corners or our giggles inside. He tried again and again to keep my eyes on his but every time I did, I fell further in love.
I knew he had a crush on a girl and I knew it wasn't me. It pained me to be in love with your best friend because always, they really only see you as their best friend.
-
And I know it's true
That visions are seldom all they seem
But if I know, I know what you'll do
You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream
-
Our bodies stopped pressed together and our eyes locked. He had now moved his hand down to my waist and pulled us closer together. His eyes swayed from my eyes to my lips before he leaned forward. He was gonna kiss me. I looked to his lips before back to his eyes and put my hand in his neck. Our lips leaned until only an inch left them apart.
In a second, they would touch. I was breathing in his air hoping to take it away once we kissed. I closed my eyes and waited for them to touch until-
"Honey! I'm home," my mother called from the kitchen with bags on her arm. I sucked in a breath and took a step back from Thomas feeling utterly crushed. My mother just kept me friend zoned.
"I'll help you Mrs. Kole," Thomas said rushing to the kitchen to help my mother with the bags. I ran my fingers through my hair and caught my hitched breath.
"Why thank you, Thomas. You spend so much time here it's like you're part of the family," my mother cooed and handed me a bag to empty. It took only a few minutes of me and Thomas bumping into each other with the word 'sorry' floating around every few seconds for us to finish.
"What did you two do all day?" My mom asked taking off her coat and standing in front of us in the kitchen.
"Oh we umm, we watched a movie," I said grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.
"Thomas are you staying with us tonight? I know (Y/N) was supposed to ask about tomorrow," my mother said eying me down.
"Oh she did. That's fine with us. She's always welcome," Thomas said but didn't look at me. Oh no. I made it awkward!
"Alrighty then. I'll leave you two to it," she smiled and walked into her room and closed the door behind her. We just stood their awkwardly before he decided to speak.
"Maybe I should uh... get going. I mean you'll be over tomorrow so I guess that means then... yeah," he stuttered making no sense at all.
"Uh yeah. That's fine." I nodded and rubbed my arm.
"Well I have make sure you're in bed first," he smiled finally looking at me.
"Are you going to tuck me in?" I laughed making him blush with a large grin on his face.
He nodded and grabbed my arm. He pulled me towards the stairs while saying, "yes I am."
He held the covers up as I climbed into the bed, not bothering to change since I was extremely tired. I giggled and pulled the sheets over me.
"I love you, Tom," I said hesitantly. We usually said we loved each other but I guess this was different.
"Good night, (Y/N)," he smiled and stood over me.
"You never said it back," I whispered trying to sound like a little kid but what came out was a heartbroken teenager.
He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "I love you too. Happy?"
I nodded and pulled my lips into a line. "Oh and Tom?"
"What?"
"Wicked is good," I giggled and pulled the sheets over my mouth.
He just rolled his eyes and came closer to the bed. "Go to sleep, slinthead."
"Night shuckface," I giggled again. He walked to the door and opened it. "Wait Tom."
Thomas's POV
I stopped and looked back at (Y/N) with raised eyebrows. I was too nervous to be here anymore. I wanted to kiss her, desperately, but I think I might have ruined our friendship. I loved her ever since I met her all those years back in grade school.
She climbed out of the bed and ran to me. She put her hand on my cheek and the other intertwined with mine. Oh god. Here it was. It was too awkward for us to be friends anymore. This is what I was afraid of! She wouldn't ever-
She cut off my thoughts when she spoke. "You would tell me if I ruined our friendship, right?" I nodded hesitantly and gulped. "I'm gonna do something that might mess it up, okay?" I nodded again but quicker.
She lightly pulled on my neck while looking down at my lips. She was on the tips of her toes with her lips parted. was she gonna kiss me?
I broke the space between us by pulling on he lower back that I had my arm around. Our eyes immediately closed as our lips touched lightly. The softest kiss was placed on my lips as I soaked in her touch. Her lips, the ones I had been waiting to taste for years, were on mine!
She broke the kiss and pursed her lips looked completely mortified. Did she not like it?
"How was that?" She whispered.
"Brilliant," I smiled down at her. She looked up so I could stare into her moss green eyes, the ones I've come to love. "I guess now's as good a time as ever to admit this. I'm in love with you. I have been forever."
"I love you too," she whispered with the biggest and most beautiful smile I had ever seen.
"Will you be my girlfriend?" I asked her. She blushed and nodded quickly.
"I'll see you tomorrow, slinthead," she giggled and covered her mouth.
"Goodnight shuckface," I smiled and released her from my death grip. She climbed back into bed and tried hiding the smile on her face. I wasn't. I was completely over the moon and I wanted her to know that. She just made me the happiest person ever.
I closed her door and walked back down the stairs where her mother was waiting. She had her arms crossed with a light smirk.
"What?" I asked kindly.
"I can hear through the floor."
I blushed "Oh, sorry."
"What for?"
"For the conversation with your daughter?" I said in more of a question.
"Are you kidding? I would rather you be with her than anybody else."
I smiled with even redder cheeks. "Thank you."
"She'll be seeing you tomorrow then," Mrs. Kole smiled and uncrossed her arms.
"Yes I will." I smiled and walked outside. Seconds later, I walked back in to find her mother right where she was before. "Can I have a ride home, please?"
"Of course," she smiled and grabbed her keys.