I Have Been Right All Along

JOSH’S POV

I didn’t think it’d be this hard to see Sara with Brendon. It’s really obvious that he makes her happy and that she makes him happy. I am happy for the both of them, but I really think I deserve a chance before Brendon. I know when tour first started, when I told her that I like her more than a friend, I told her to date Brendon if that’s what she wants, but I can’t help it. My stomach turns every time I see them together.

Thankfully Sara’s agreed to talk to me today. It’s been two days since the beach party when she told me she didn’t want to be with me and I can’t stand not talking to her another day. Ignoring her isn’t working for me anymore.

We agree to meet up at the local Starbucks and I order both of us a water before she arrives. I wait almost ten minutes before she walks through the door, her hair pulled back into a loose ponytail, a few strands flying in the slight gust of wind the opening door causes. She looks around for a few seconds, scanning the small dining area for me, clutching the handle of her purse tucked tightly under her left arm. I wave my hand, looking up at her unsurely and she spots me at the table for two and walks over, a small smile playing on her face.

“Hey,” she sighs, plopping down into the seat across from me. I slide her the untouched cup of ice water and she thanks me, taking a long sip.

After a few moments of watching her sip on the water, I decide to speak up.

“I just want to say I’m sorry. I know I made you cry the other night.”

Her bright blue eyes stare deep into my own brown eyes. I can’t read her feelings, not even after five years of friendship.

“I want you to know that I still like you and I want to see where we can go relationship-wise. I want you to give me a chance.”

“I’m not giving you a chance. I told you that the other day,” she says dully, not taking her eyes away from me. Her right hand grasps firmly onto the cup of ice water, the condensation on the cup drips down onto the table.

I stare back at her, not saying a word.

“It wouldn’t be fair to either of us if I agreed to date you. I don’t have feelings towards-“

“I think you should just give it a chance! You won’t know until you try.”

“Josh-“

“I really want to give it a shot. You’re the most beautiful girl I know and we’ve been friends for five years. We know a lot about each other and we can just jump right into a romantic relationship.”

“No,” she says repeatedly, shaking her head from side to side.

“We can skip all that pre-dating, let-me-get-to-know-you crap.”

“Josh, listen to me!” she says, slapping her hand onto the table.

“I’m not doing this to be mean! Not dating each other is the right thing. I don’t have feelings for you the way you do for me. It’s not fair to you if I pretend to like you in that way.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. I think you have feelings, you’re just not accepting them or acknowledging them.”

“No, Josh, I do not have any feelings for you, other than ones of pure friendship. Friendship. That is it.”

She scoots her chair back and quickly snatches up her purse from the table before grabbing the cup of ice water.

“I’m going to go. I can’t do this.”

“Can’t do what?” I ask, my body perking up at her sudden actions.

“Thank you for the water,” she replies before turning on her heel and walking to the door and out onto the street.

I let out a sigh and watch her walking away before quickly getting up and practically jogging out of the place to catch up to her.

“Sara, what’s wrong?” I ask, walking next to her. She doesn’t reply, just glances at me blankly and quickens her pace.

I reach out my hand and grab her arm, stopping her in her tracks. She shoots me a annoyed glare, but still doesn’t say a word. I quickly lean in a plant a kiss on her lips, hoping to convince her that we should date. I leave my lips there for a few moments waiting for her to kiss me back but she never does.

Quickly pulling away, I look into her blue eyes.

“What the hell was that, Josh?” she practically yells, throwing her hands up in the air, a look of pure disgust written all over her face.

“I can’t believe my best friend of five years just kissed me,” she mumbles, quickly walking away from me.

“Sara wait!” I yell, running to catch up to her.

“I’m sorry,” I say once I catch up. “What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong with you kissing me? Everything, Josh, I don’t have feelings for you in that way.”

“No, I don’t mean that. Why did you leave me in Starbucks? What’s wrong?”

She sighs and leans all of her weight onto one leg.

“You don’t know?” she asks, looking at me as if I’m stupid. I shake my head.

“Well first of all, you interrupted me too many times to tell me how perfect we are for each other and how we should just suddenly become romantic with each other,” she looks at me for a moment. I decide not to reply, finally giving her a chance to explain herself, no interruptions.

“You obviously don’t care enough to listen to what I have to say about everything. I’ve tried to explain, but it doesn’t appear as if you have ever listened to me…not once.”

“Look, Sara, I’m sorry. I do care and I just think you should at least think about giving us a chance.”

Sara sighs, giving up. She throws her hands up in the air and rolls her eyes.

“Fine. I’ll think about it,” is all she says before walking away, making her way back to the venue.