To Be Loved

“Listen up
Turn it up and
Rock it out
Party on
I wanna hear you scream and shout…”

“Geez Amber, can you please shut up? We both know you can’t sing! Knock it off!” Jacobi laughed. I lightly shoved him in his arm as the bass boomed in the car we were in. He playfully rubbed his arm as he put a pouty look on his face. “Hey! That wasn’t nice!” He complained.
I stuck out my tongue at him and then turned my head away from him. The chorus of the song boomed through the car. I tapped my foot to the beat of the song, but I had to fight the urge to sing out loud. I bit the bottom of my lip and I played with my gray cut off sweater. My tiny blue shorts just barely shown through the bottom of the gray sweater.
“Amber?” Jacobi asked concernedly. I looked into my best friend’s sky blue eyes. The sad blue puppy eyes stared back at me, almost like they were saying ‘what’s wrong?’
“Yeah Jacobi?”
“What’s wrong?” His voice cracked.
“Nothing…” That was a lie. I was nervous as hell. I was going to a beach party tonight with Jacobi and my crush Zachary was going to be there. Zachary is a gorgeous, senior from our high school. He sings in a band and this was going to be there album release party. I was personally invited by Zachary. Ugh, I get butterflies just thinking about it. Anyways, there is a rumor going around that Zachary is going to ask me out during the album release party. I should be happy for that right? But of course I’ve never been asked out before, so I guess it’s just first love nerves. Hell, I don’t know.
But that’s why Jacobi is coming to the party with me. He knows I like Zachary and he’s been supporting me since day one. He also loves the band, which is a bonus. I love the band too, but that’s because of Zachary. The band is a punk rock band, and truly I hate rock. All the lyrics are too sad and depressing, and I’m such a happy person. Whenever I listen to rock, I cry. It’s so sad! I’m more of an up-beat, techno, dance person. The only way I found out about Zachary was through Jacobi, who is a punk rocker himself.
“You ready for tonight?” Jacobi asked excitedly, breaking my thoughts. I nodded and gave him a smile. He smiled back and my heart warmed up inside. Jacobi just knows how to make me feel better, even without even trying. I love Jacobi like a brother.
The beach came into sight and I saw the shining water glisten below the setting sun. I could see the bright cars parked at the edge of the road near the beach. I could see a giant red tent that was glowing from the inside. Random people were scattered around the beach, talking and laughing and having a good time. Jacobi pulled up to the road’s edge and parked the car. Just as Jacobi killed the engine, Papa Roach abruptly ended the song.

“Whoa, I just wanna to be, wanna to be loved!”

“You ready?” Jacobi asked before opening his car door. I glanced at him and nodded my head slowly. I knew I had doubt in my eyes, and Jacobi caught onto that. He didn’t believe my answer; I could see it in his eyes. But he just kind of rolled his eyes and got out of the car. What’s his problem?
I sighed as I looked out the car window. Jacobi was already talking to some girls on the beach. The sky glowed a bright red-pink. I slowly reached for the car door handle and opened my door. A few people looked at me like I wasn’t supposed to be there. Maybe I should leave, I thought. But I caught a glance at the host of the party, Zachary. He had a black Metallica shirt on, with dark blue jeans, and black DC shoes. I looked up at bright white banner that had big red letters that said: THE DARKER DAY’S ALBUM RELEASE PARTY! I cracked a small a smile and stepped onto the beach. My sandals sunk into the sand. The warm sand sunk in-between my toes, and honestly, it felt good. My body instantly warmed. I shoved my hands into the pockets of my shorts, which wasn’t very far, and I slowly strutted over to the glowing red tent were I saw Zachary standing.

**JACOBI’S POV**

Why did I let her go? Why didn’t I follow her? Why didn’t I tell her how I feel? Oh yeah, cause I’m a coward. Amber would never go for me, I’m her best friend. And friends are just supposed to stay friends, right? But I love her so damn much.
I guess the question I should be asking is what is stopping me from walking over to her and saying how much I love her? Oh yeah, Zachary. Well I guess he isn’t exactly holding me back, it’s the nagging in my brain that says ‘She’ll be happier with him.’
I see her walking over to him. The sun is going down as a black night sky takes over the red pink sky. I snuck over towards the glowing red tent where Zachary and Amber were standing. I tried to keep myself hidden by standing behind the corner of the tent.

“Hey Zachary,” I heard Amber sweetly say to the jackass. Don’t fall for him Amber, he’s only going to break your heart, I thought.
“Hey…uh…Amber!” The idiot forgot Amber’s name! And he invited her to this party! What the fuck is up with this dude?
“Thanks for inviting me to the party!” Amber exclaimed happily.
“Yeah sure whatever…” Cocky bastard.
Amber stood there biting her lip, nervous, trying to think of something else to say. I wanted to go over to her and get her away from Zachary, but my feet wouldn’t move.

“So how are you Zachary?” Amber finally spoke and asked Zachary. He glanced down at her with a disgusted and annoyed look. I swear to God if that bastard breaks Amber’s heart, I’m going to kick his ass.
“Listen, I invited you because I knew if you came to the party, Jacobi would have come. And I need to talk to him. Now leave me alone!” Zachary yelled straight into Amber’s face.
Amber froze. I could tell that her heart just broke into two. She looked like she was holding back tears behind her light blue eyes. Zachary just crossed the line. He is a dead man.
Amber pushed past Zachary and ran towards the ocean, right past me. I wanted to go straight to Zachary and kick his ass, but friends come first. Amber always comes first, and she needs me. My heart pounded in my chest as I chased after her.
“Amber!” I cried as ran towards her. She stopped at the ocean shore, and she turned towards me with tears streaming from her eyes. It shattered my own heart to see her cry, let alone know that Zachary did this to her. Zachary didn’t deserve her. She could do so much better.
“Go away Jacobi! I don’t want to be a waste of time to you!” She screamed. I felt like crying myself, but I told myself to be strong. I got to be strong for Amber.
I ran over to her and threw my arms around her. I pulled her close to my body and I let her cry into my shoulder. Her face was buried deep in my shoulder, and her hands were balled into fist.
“Amber, don’t say that! You’re never a waste of time! You are an amazing girl and Zachary is a major asshole for saying what he said to you. Don’t listen to him!” I told her. She cried even harder, trying to get out all of the pain out of her heart.
“You’re just saying that Jacobi,” She murmured with her face still buried in my shirt. For some reason, I started rubbing her back and placed my chin on the top of her head.
“I am not. Amber you are the best thing that has happened to me. You always make me smile, laugh…You never could hurt me. Amber, when you told me that you liked Zachary, my heart broke. That asshole uses tricks to get into girls’ minds so he can toy with them. I didn’t want you getting hurt because I…I…” It’s now or never, Jacobi. Tell her now! “I love you Amber. I love you with all my heart. I want to be with you. You complete me. I promise to never hurt you. I-“
“Jacobi, shut up,” Amber told me. I shut my mouth, but my heart raced. I finally told her how I felt about her. Would she reject me? Would she feel the same? Thoughts and worries flipped through my brain. Please don’t leave me.
“I’ve been waiting a lifetime to hear those words for you Jacobi. I loved you all along,” She said to me as she looked up at my eyes. A smile stretched across her face as the tears dried up on her face. Her arms swung around my neck as my arms wrapped around her waist. I pulled face close to mine and pressed her lips to mine. After all these years of waiting, it finally happened. I got the girl I wanted, and she is finally happy.

Would you want anything better than that?