Fuel to the Fire

A huge smile flashed across Garrett's face as he opened my birthday present to him.

"Thanks Jenni," he said, wrapping me awkardly in a one armed hug across the table. "You're the best friend ever."

FRIEND. Those words always hit me like a ton of bricks coming from Garrett. We had been best friends for nearly ten years, ever since my family and I had moved across the street when we were both in 3rd grade. He had instantly accepted me because I would play alien video games with him for hours on end. I was "different than the other girls," according to him.

I guess that's where the friend zone had come from, but it still bothered me.

I had changed since I was an awkward ten year old. I no longer liked aliens or zombies or video games. I was pretty, at least people told me I was. I was going to school now to become a writer. Let's just say I had a lot going for me, yet Garrett still refused to give me the time of day, at least in a romantic sense.

I forced a smile, "I'm glad you like it Gare," I said.

"How did you know I wanted this," he questioned.

"I saw you eyeing it everytime we went to the mall for the past two months," I admittted with a laugh.

He chuckled. "How you notice these things is beyond me Jenni."

And how you don't notice things is beyond me too, I thought.

My attentiont turned back to the party when an already drunk John O'Callaghan yelled across the room, "Yo Nickelsen, what'd you get?'

Garrett held up the watch.

"Damn," John whistled. Somebody loves you. That wasn't cheap."

"It's just Jenni," Garrett laughed, although a look of concern crossed his face. He came over to stand next to me. He put his arm around my shoulder, his hand cold on my bare skin. It was summer so I was wearing a black strapless dress with blue and red flowers. "She's obligated to get me nice things," he teased nudging me.

I knew Garrett would bring up how much the watch cost later. He hated when I spent money on him. After 10 years, I felt like he kind of deserved it.