Sweetheart, Just Be Real

"Hey, how was your date?" My brother asked as I walked inside.

"It wasn't a date." I corrected.

"Sure it wasn't." He grinned. "Johno likes you."

"No he doesn't." I sighed, rolling my eyes.

"Yeah he does. He wants to mack with you." He argued.

"Really? Did he tell you that?"

"Yep."

"What did he say then?" I asked, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

"He said 'I like Kimmy. I wanna mack with her.'"

"Oh, yeah. I'm sure he did." I chuckled sarcastically.

"He did. You'll see..."

I just rolled my eyes and walked up to my bedroom. I opened the door and laid on my bed for a second before pulling myself up and walking over to my dresser.

I laid some panties out and then went into my bathroom. I stripped down and stepped into the shower before turning the water up so high that my sun kissed skin turned a light shade of pink.

Does John really like me? No, no way. Well he is being super nice all of the sudden...

No! No. No. No.

Love is stupid. It doesn't last and it always ends in heartbreak. Even falling in love with John is too big of a risk to take. If we ended on bad terms, our friends would have to choose sides and Lord knows what Eric would do. He's Johns best friend and my brother.

And I'm not even falling in love with John. He's just being nice and I'm jumping to conclusions.

After we ate our ice cream and he was standing in front of me at his truck, I almost thought he was going to kiss me. How fucking stupid is that?

Finally, I turned off the water and wrung out the excess water from my hair. I pulled back the curtain and picked my towel up, wrapping it tightly around my body.

Then, I opened the door knob and stepped into my room.

"Hey." I heard a voice say.

I turned my head and found John laying on my bed with my bag, and my panties in his hands.

"John!" I shrieked, pulling my towel tighter around my body.

"What? You're wearing a towel." He shrugged with a smirk as he played with my underwear.

"Get. Out." I gritted through my teeth.

"Fine, fine. I was just going to tell you that you left your bag in my truck." He sighed as he got up and placed the lacey lingerie back on my bed. Before he left the room, he turned back to me. "Your bed is really comfy." He grinned.

"Out!" I exclaimed.

He quickly opened the door and scurried out.

I grabbed my panties and slid them up my legs in a hurry. I pulled my shorts on, then my big Sun Devils sweatshirt.

I walked to my door and pulled it open, only to have a tall boy almost fall on me because he was leaning on the door just a second earlier. He stumbled into me and I let out a little giggle.

"What are you doing?" I asked as I couldn't help but let a chuckled escape.

"Waiting for you." He answered as he stared into my eyes with his gorgeous ones.

I couldn't respond.

John was the first man to ever take my breath away.

I just stared at him back, not knowing what else to do. He was in his giddy mood now. So many thoughts swirled through my brain that I couldn't focus on one thing.

John just smirked as if he knew the power he was holding over me at the moment. He leaned down and suddenly I stepped away.

His cocky expression fell off his face immediately and was replaced by a crestfallen one.

"Um, what, uh, did you need?" I asked, nervously shifting my weight from one foot to the other and avoiding direct eye contact.

"Nothing. I just, uh. Bye." He stuttered as he rubbed the back of his neck and walked away swiftly.

I almost went after him. Almost.

John

God damnit. What's wrong with me? I had her right where I wanted her, and I still couldn't close in.

I ran down her stairs as fast as I could before Halvo stopped me at the bottom.

"How'd it go? Did you ask her out?" He asked eagerly.

"Nah, man. Um, I don't know how well this is going. Maybe I should just quit." I frowned.

"No! You can't quit. Come on, John she was so happy tonight. Did you not see that? I don't think she's ever had that much fun with a guy. Our dad leaving was hard for her and I just...want her to be normal again." He confessed.

I felt a tug on my heart and I shifted uncomfortably.

"Not to rub it in or anything, but you haven't exactly hit it off with anybody either ..." He brought up.

He had a point. I've never met a girl I liked hanging out with as much as Kimmy.

She was amazing. She's everything I've ever wanted in a girl. Beautiful, funny, kind, honest. My family loves her, my friends love her.

I might love her.

"I think... I like Kimmy." I whispered.

"I know you do. Why do you think I asked you to do this?" He smirked.

"What? How did you know? I didn't even know!" I cried.

"You guys are practically the same person. Somehow, she's the only girl you talk to at parties, you took Latin just because she said she didn't have any friends in her class, your stupid Christmas movie party, the way you always switch around with everybody to get her for secret santas. It's obvious, man." He laughed.

Maybe I've known all this time and I was just too scared she'd shut me out if I made a move.

"Shit, man." I sighed. "I really, really like her." I said, running a hand through my hair.

"Then do something about it!" He encouraged.

"Aren't you gonna give me the 'I'll cut your balls off if you hurt her' talk?" I asked.

He laughed and shook his head.

"I know my sister. If you hurt her, she'd cut your balls off herself."

"She would." I chuckled.

"Go for it, man. I know you can get her." He told me.

"I'll get her. I don't know how, but I will."

No matter what it takes, I won't give up until Kimmy Halvorsen is all mine.