A Friend Like Me

I get so breathless when you call my name.
I've often wondered, do you feel the same?
Breathless - Corrine Bailey Rae

I was walking to class on Monday when I had a little interruption.

“Hey Ava!” said a tall, brunette girl whom I did not know to me.

“Uh. Hi.”

“Here.” She thrust a porcelain-colored envelope into my hands and flounced off.

Well then. That was completely unexpected.

I opened the envelope to find an invitation to…

Ohoho, another gala event. Honestly, I don't know why I'm being invited to another one. I mean, I've never even really went to any of my high school's dances.

“It's a little NYU gala,” Random-Gala-Inviting Girl said. “It's formal.”

Come to think of it, I think that girl is a socialite.

“By the way,” said Socialite Girl, turning back to me, “invite someone to come with you, too, okay?”

This should be interesting.

{∞∞∞}

“So,” Joe said after I got out of school, “how was your day?”

“Why are you asking me that?” I said. “We're never this formal with each other.”

“Well, you go to college now. So that's why.”

Huh?

“What?” I asked, confused. “Well, anyway, speaking of college, there's this little formal college party.”

Joe's smile disappeared. “Oh, college party, huh? You should go. Then, you can go dress up for James again for you guys' little exclusive college party.”

“What?!”

“Then, you and James can go snuggle in that stupid party.”

I stood up from the couch I've been sitting on. “Oh really? You know, I was supposed to ask someone to come with me and I was actually going to ask you, but since you think it's so stupid, then I won't.”

Joe's hardened features softened. “You were – You were going to ask me?” he asked incredulously.

“Yeah, I was, but since you'd rather have me 'snuggle with James…'”

“No,” Joe said softly. “I wouldn't.”

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Does this mean what I think it means? Am I finally, after years and years, out of the Unrequited Love bandwagon? Or am I jumping to conclusions again (as usual)?

My cell phone rang, breaking the silence.

“I'll get it,” Joe said, reaching for my phone.

I merely nodded, flustered.

“Hello?” Joe spoke into the phone. A frown appeared on his lips for a second, only to be replaced by a mischievous smile. “Oh. James.”

My eyes widened. “Joe!” I whisper-shouted. “Give me the phone. Now.”

Joe waved his hand at me. “Oh Ava. You should be patient,” he said loudly. “Can't you keep your hands off – ”

Joe was cut off, for I had took the phone away from him and pressed the red button.

“Do you have to drive him away from me?!” I snapped. “Why have you been acting so weird recently, anyway?”

Joe mumbled something. I caught the words, “Not good enough for you.”

“What do you care if he's not good enough for me? Who is, then? I've never meddled with any of your girlfriends.”

Joe opened his mouth and closed it.

“Just because you're can't keep a girlfriend doesn't mean you have to destroy my relationships.”

The moment I said this, I regretted it.

I knew the fact that he couldn't keep his relationships bothered him. I knew that it hurt him when people called him a womanizer, when really, he just wanted somebody to love.

And what I just said (and in addition, what I told him Friday night) were another reminder, this time from one of the people who knew him the most.

Joe lowered his eyes. “You're right. Go with James. It's hopeless being with me.”

I sat back down onto the couch, speechless.

Ugh, I'm so stupid.

“I just feel so alone sometimes,” Joe said.

I put a hand on his arm. “Well, you're not. You've got me and I'll stick with you through whatever. I mean, we have made it through seventeen years, haven't we? And it's not like we've agreed with each other the whole time, because, I mean, hello? Us, agree on everything for even only a day? Impossible. Anyway, we've raised each other. I've been with you through the whole “making it” part, to actually making it in Hollywood, through the girlfriends and the, well, the stalkers, and through the motels to the five-star hotels.” Finishing my encouragement speech, I pulled him into a hug, smiling at the contact.

What? I like his arms around me.

Wait. Oh God. The stupidness just doesn't stop, does it? See, now I'm taking advantage over his vulnerableness.

Which, you know, doesn't come up often, so I'm at perfect liberty to –

Okay. Shut up, stupid, Joe-obsessed part of my brain. If it weren't for you, our relationship would be completely 100% platonic.

“You're right,” Joe whispered into my ear, his lips brushing softly against my skin, making my heart flutter. “And thanks for staying with me for seventeen years.”

Then, his lips pressed against my cheek.

I know. Oh. My. God. He kissed me!!! Well, he kissed my cheek, but whatever (details, details).

Smiling, I pulled away and touched the spot where he kissed me. “What was that for?” I blurted out.

Ahh, we can't keep nice moments to save our lives.

Joe shrugged. “I don't know. It was…uh…you can forget about it, if you want.”

Ha. Forget about it, my butt. I'll probably think about that little peck on the cheek the whole day.

Because A. EEEEE! B. He's never, ever kissed me in some way and C. He's Joe. I can't not think about him.

“Well,” I said, my voice coming out softer than usual, “I don't really think I can – not that it was bad, because it wasn't. I mean, that is, it was just…I don't know.”

Sometimes I wish that we had that love at first sight thing, that we met later on in life and saw each other and just fell in love, so we'd be all romantic and it would come naturally.

Except for the fact that I'm opposed to love at first sight, because, I mean, hello? How can you fall in love at just seeing the person, when you know nothing about them? All you see is their looks. I mean, you should get to know the person before deciding to have some feelings. So technically, you just fell in love with what they look like, which is completely and utterly shallow.

“I'm hungry,” Joe declared. “I'm gonna go get some food. Come with?”

I shook my head. “I'm going to study.”

Well, that and maybe skip around the room, from the state of happiness I was in. And I'll also need to text Vanessa (after turning it on, that is, since I'm always too lazy to turn it on. Joe has always nagged me about this).

“Study?” Joe repeated, as though unfamiliar with the word (which he was. He was always asking me for help in school, back in the day). “Ah, well, to what he owns, I guess.”

“What?”

“You know,” Joe explained, “when you have an idea you own and nobody else owns it.”

I laughed. “Joe. It's 'to each his own.'”

“I knew that. I was just testing you.” As he said this, his mouth moved slightly off to the side.

“Lies! Your mouth moves a little to the side when you talk, did you know that?”

Joe's mouth fell open and he touched his lips with his hand, as if to test my statement. “No!”

“Yeah, it does. See, now we're even. I have my eyebrow twitching and you have your slight jaw movements.”

“Whatever, Summers. I'm going to get some food now.”

“You do that.”

“Gonna get some food!” Joe sang loudly in one of his made-up tunes. “Food! Glorious food!”

I laughed, shaking my head.

When Joe left, I touched the spot on my cheek where he kissed me, which was feeling really nice and toasty. Really pleasantly toasty. I smiled to myself and let out a small giggle.

And to think that all he did was hug me and kiss my cheek.

I blame all these pent-up love for making me feel like this.