If I Told You I Loved You, How Far Would You Run?

“I can’t,” he says softly, looking at me with large, sad eyes.

My brain seems to stop working. Unable to process what he had said, I stare dumbly at Ryan for a few seconds before finally kicking myself back into function. “Why not?” I ask.

“Because … I’m in a relationship right now, Brendon,” he say. “And my dad just kicked me out today and I can’t deal with thinking about breaking up with Keltie for you because honestly, I don’t think I’m gay.”

“You … I … we’ll still be best friends, right?” I ask numbly, trying to understand this surreal moment.

“Of course,” Ryan says and for once there is something solid that I know I can hold onto. “Hey, do you want to put some cheesy classical music on?”

“Why?”

Ryan begins swaying back and forth, arms raised as though he’s dancing with a ghost. “So I can teach you to waltz, baby,” he says, closing his eyes.

“Where the hell did you learn how to waltz?” I ask, laughing.

“Who says I did?” Ryan shoots back and leads me over to our rack of CDs. “Do you have Mozart?”

Waltzing ends up as Ryan and I stumbling over each other’s feet and laughing our asses off.

“Man, who the hell said you could dance?” I ask, throwing myself down on the couch.

“You weren’t much better, twinkle-toes!” Ryan gasps out, falling down on top of me.

“Who’re you calling twinkle-toes, Mr. I-Will-Teach-You-To-Waltz?”

We collapse into a hysterical fit of giggles, still tangled up on the couch, when Jon shuffles into the living room.

“Glad to see you two worked out your differences,” he says with a grin. “I call being best man.”

Awkward silence.

“Who’s getting married?” Ryan asks in a strained attempt to relieve the tension. “Spencer and old Mrs. Levac next door?”

“Uh … Apparently, I chose the wrong time to walk in,” Spencer says, coming over to stand by Jon.

“Wait … so you two aren’t … you didn’t … are you together or not?!” Jon ask, looking at Ryan and I in complete bewilderment.

Ryan and I look at each other and grin. “We’re best friends,” Ryan says, slinging his arm around my shoulders. “Sorta like you and Spencer.”

Jon shakes his head at us. “Well, I’ll be …” his voice trails off. “I could’ve sworn you two were a chemical reaction waiting to happen.”

“Nope,” I say, grinning and hugging Ryan back.

But maybe we still are.