I wake up with the sun in my face, my mom must have opened my blinds when she got home from work this morning. Instead of getting up and shutting them I roll over and close my eyes, wanting yesterday to have just been a dream. I still couldn’t believe that my best friend had decided to go girl on me. Looking past the point that yes, she is actually a girl; but that is besides the point.

A knock on my door makes me somewhat annoyed, because its more than likely my dad telling me to go find a job. “Bentleigh…you awake?” Or it could always be Rhylynn.

“Yeah, I’m awake, seeing as its only 1 in the afternoon.” She gets her lips set in a straight line and just sort of glares at me. “Can I help you? Did you lose your poodle, break a nail, anything like that ‘cause I’m not an expert.”

“Don’t get shitty, I’m the same girl I was when you left. Just because I look different and don’t constantly sweat and act like an idiot doesn’t mean anything has changed.” Her face turned red and she almost looked like the old Rhy, close…but no cake.

“Minus the tiny fancy fact that you hand out with Cecily and her friends, oh and probably act a hell of a lot like them now that you look just like them!” I got out of my bed and walked to my closet pulling out my jeans and a t-shirt.

“What’s so wrong with wanting to be different for a little while Bentleigh?” I heard her voice, it was something I hadn’t heard since her dad died. I leaned against the wall in my closet an took a few deep breaths, listening to her sniffle.

“Rhy, there isn’t anything wrong with it…if you were actually different. Your not, you’re a clone of Cecily and her dumb blond friends that you’ve hated for years.” She must have cried harder cause I heard her whimper a little. “Maybe you should try to find who you wanna be, not who they want you to be.” I pulled on the jeans and shirt then walked back to my bed and slid on my Van’s.

“So your just going to ignore me, pretend I’m not even around anymore?” She seemed even more upset by that thought because her voice got squeaky and cracked.

“I’m not ignoring you right now, I just don’t think this is who you wanna be.” I crossed the floor and patted her shoulder then headed for the door.

“I did this for you Bentleigh, I changed for you.” I turned and looked at her, she was still facing the other way though.

“What do you mean you changed for me? You were fine the way you were Rhylynn, you didn’t need to change because you’re my best friend.”

She inhaled a deep breath and ran her manicured hand through her white blond hair, then she turned around to me and gave me the biggest shock ever, “I changed because I wanted to be more then just your friend Bentleigh. I’ve wanted to be more then just your friend for so long I’m not even sure how long,” She took another breath and stepped forward, “I love you Bentleigh.”

I froze, my whole body went numb and my mouth went dry. It felt as if I had tried to swallow hundreds of cotton balls at one time. My shirt felt to tight and I couldn’t breathe. I’m not sure why I was feeling all of this but I felt horrible. I didn’t know how I was suppose to respond to that, so I just turned and walked out my door and down my stairs.

“Bentleigh! I didn’t- It wasn’t suppose to come out like that. I didn’t mean to just-“ Her eyes were now a pool of tears, her bright green eyes just swimming in tears.

I stared at her for a moment longer then took off out to my car. I didn’t want to think about her right now, she knew how I was about relationships and anything to do with them. Rhylynn’s been my best friend since I was in the 1st grade, now she wants to spout off she’s in love with me, and its my fault she looks like a Malibu Barbie? I drive around the corner and Jaylynn is riding her bike in the middle of the road so I honk my horn and she pulls up beside my window.

“Hey, why do you look so cranky?” She has her hair up and she’s in cut off shorts with a tank top and flip flops.

“Just had a conversation with Rhy. You wanna go do something? Town just isn’t cutting it for me right now and I want to get out of here for a while.” I felt myself smirk and then she smiled at me. She really has a pretty smile, almost like Rhylynns…I stopped thinking that right away.

“Yeah let me take this piece of crap home and tell mom and we can go rebel it up somewhere.” She took off towards her house an I was right behind her.

When we pulled up I could see Rhylynn coming back from my house, she was still wiping at her eyes and red faced. Jaylynn ran inside and shouted something to her mom then ran back out. She was smiling real big, but her mom came to the door and yelled something at her.

“What do you mean your going out with Bentleigh?” Her mom looked slightly furious as she glanced at my car, and me in the drivers seat.

“We’re gonna go hang out and do stuff, town just isn’t cutting it for us right now.” She smirked and threw a wink I’m sure I only caught.

“Now you know Rhyly-“

“Can’t say crap because she’s too busy with Cecily and her Malibu Barbie friends. I’ll be home later mom, love you!” She sprinted over to the passenger door and climbed in. “Parents, let me tell you that you are lucky yours aren’t on your case all the time. It’s pure bullsh-“ She stopped talking when she saw Rhylynn looking at her.

There was a look on her face I’d never seen and it actually kind of hurt me to see it there. I just wish she hadn’t complicated things between us, then everything would have been fine. We could have been at my grandpa’s in the warehouse he let us turn into our paintball stadium. I backed out of the driveway and we headed to the movies to watch something Jaylynn wanted to watch. I think it was called Beautiful Creatures, but I’m not real sure on that.

We got popcorn and a drink, I started thinking we should have gotten 2 of each because our hands kept touching and she kept apologizing and saying sorry. We watched the rest of the movie, then at the end for some odd reason I grabbed her hand and held it as we walked out. She didn’t pull it away or get mad, she just smiled and turned a little red in the face.

“So, the movie it was-“ I was gonna say interesting but she got on her tip-toes and kissed me. That was way more interesting then the movie…What was even more interesting, was Rhylynn standing on the sidewalk, staring dead at us with Cecily. Im pretty sure Jaylynn hasn’t seen them and I’n not sure if they know I’ve seen them. I just casually pull away and stare at her, she has a tiny smile on her lips.
“I’m sorry I shouldn’t have done that its just that-“ I lean down and place a gentle kiss on her lips, its different. Maybe it wouldn’t be bad with Rhylynn either…

“It’s fine, I didn’t mind it at all.”

“Good, I was so nervous and confused. I wasn’t sure you liked me or if you were just being nice. So I figured I’d give it a shot.” She squeezed my hand and I squeezed back, her eyes having a small twinkle from the fading sunlight.

“Well fancy seeing you 2 here, right Cecily?” Rhylynn’s face is made of stone and her eyes are piercing mine.

“Yeah I guess so, not that I actually care or give a crap.”

“So Bentleigh, I was just wondering how it felt to be considered the biggest jerk I have ever come across?” I stared at her, not knowing what to say to that either. “You’re pathetic, after what I told you, you go for my sister? I hate you Bentleigh, I honestly and truly hate you two much.” She turns on her heel and storms off, Cecily trying to figure out what just happened that she missed.

Jaylynn stands there staring after her sister, I guess she was missing a piece to. I was just trying not to lose my mind and keep all my thoughts together. Jaylynn was a cool and laid back girl, but she is Rhylynns little sister. No matter how cute or funny she is, I’ve watched her grow up and pretty much I’m like her older brother. Rhylynn on the other hand, she’s wild, insane, dangerous, and spontaneous…Or she use to be. I’m sure if I looked past how Barbie she is now, she’s the same damn girl she was before I left. I looked her direction and seen her walking away still, and it was like slow motion…it was her. She may have been my best friend then but I know why seeing her hurt made me hurt…I loved her more then I wanted myself to know. I loved her the way she was, and hell I even love her the way she is.
“Jaylynn I’m real sorry about this.” I take off running towards Rhylynn trying to catch up with her. “Rhy! Wait a second Rhylynn!” She turns and looks at me and stops.

I stop in front of her and just stare into her eyes, she stares back at me.