These Secrets Will Kill Us!

I heard my bedroom door fly open, hitting the wall behind it. With no hesitation the person enters my room and sits down heavily on my bed. This meant it was one of two people.

“Ron, we’ve gotta go in thirty minutes to help Ian set up, your not even ready! And I know how long that takes you!” the person says, confirming it to be my brother.

I sigh. “I think I may just…rock along when the rest do. I don’t really feel well, I can’t face setting up.” I mumble without making eye contact with my brother, knowing this is gonna make him mad.

“What?” he frowns. “Ronnie you have to come and help! You promised!”

“I know, but… Ian will understand. I feel real b-”

“-Look, I have no idea what’s going on between you and Tom at the moment, seeing as you’ve stopped talking to me about your problems, but you have to put it behind you, just for tonight. If your not willing to come to help out Ian then do it for Carol!”

“Matt, I ca-”

“Fucking hell Ron! We’ve all been through a tough time, but Carol’s been like a mom to us both! Its not like her two aren’t enough work, but whenever we’ve had problems, she was always happy to help, no matter what!”

A few silent tears escape my eyes and I nod. Matt looks guilty and leans forward, pulling me Into a tight embrace. There is no need for his guilt though, I deserved that, he’s right.
Trouble is, I’ve been avoiding Tom for the past week (which has been half term) but now it’s his Mom’s birthday.

I moved up to Sheffield, from Grimsby, six years ago, after my mother died of cancer. It was a very dark time for all of us, and my dad couldn’t afford the house we lived in so we had to move in with his parents up in Manchester for a year until he could afford a flat across here in Rotherham. Its not such a nice area, but thanks to making some great friends, its now home.
Carol lives next door. Her husband Ian, is mates with my dad (they watch football, drink beer, and garden together), Her oldest son is best friends with my older brother (they play in a band together) and her youngest son is…my best friend. (We do everything together. Best friend is an understatement.). Whilst we’re all getting into trouble and screwing things up, Carol’s always there; sorting it out. She really is our guardian angel. And now I’m letting my stupid selfishness get in the way. Because of her youngest.

I met Tom when I moved to Sheffield. He was my first friend here. We’ve been best friends ever since. Completely inseparable.
He lives next door to me. We take all the same classes. Have all the same friends. All the same hobbies.

You know what happens when a boy and a girl are best friends? People always assume stuff. They cant imagine that its possible for them to actually be just friends.
It drove us crazy. Every time we met someone new we had to go through this whole routine of convincing them we were just friends. I don’t think Tom minded that much. I never noticed up until recently that I was the one always defending it. He would just laugh…

My phone has been ringing off the hook for and hour now. Tom was panicking because I wouldn’t answer and he didn’t have time to come over.

After just introducing Tom as my best friend., You may be wondering why I was choosing to avoid him at the moment?

He’s always been there for me. He’s what’s been keeping be going through everything. He
Means truly does mean the world to me, so I do feel bad for this. But its for the best, I think, because I’m so confused, but I think…I like Tom, as more than a friend…