Protect My Heart

She sat on the edge of her bed, a smile adorning her lips as she stared at the photo in her hands. It was a photo of her and her two best friends, Liam Harris and John O’Callaghan. She couldn't believe how far the three of them have come. It's been 9 years since the three of them have met and absolutely nothing has changed. Physically yes, but they're still the same fun-loving kids/teenagers at heart.

And like how the usual cliché stories go, Teagan Reed fell for one of these boys. The dirty blonde haired boy named Liam who was also her best friend of nine years had her heart ever since they were 16, a year after the three of them had first met. And nobody knew about this fact other than Teagan's other best friend, John. Despite her feelings for the boy, she decided that it would be best if they remained friends and she kept how she truly felt to her self because of the fear that she might ruin their friendship. Now, they're all at the age of 23, living their dreams. Well at least most of them. John and his band, The Maine are getting pretty big and are starting to tour around the country and around the world occasionally, Liam now works in an engineering firm in Arizona for his uncle. But as for Teagan, she's sharing a flat with John in Arizona since Liam got an apartment with his girlfriend, Natalie, and is helping her father out in his Apartment business.

Teagan's train of thoughts were interrupted as a familiar voice came from behind her.

"Teag, what the hell are you doing, staring at that picture frame grinning like an idiot?"

She set the picture frame on her bedside table and shook her head “O’callaghan, didn’t your mom ever teach you how to knock?”

“Last time I checked, I also lived in this house. You’re not the only one who owns this.” He said as he let out a chuckle.

"What, we haven't seen each other for two whole months and you're being an ass to me already?" She joked.

"Aw, sorry Teag. You know I love you.”

John finally entered her room, climbed her bed and wrapped his lanky arms around her from behind “I missed you." He breathed.

She sighed, missing this feeling " I love you too and I missed you too, JohnO. I thought you weren't coming home until tomorrow?"

"Eh. Change of plans. Plus, I wanted to see my best friend. Like you said, it's been two months."

To most people, it would seem like Teagan and John were a couple. They touched each other like a normal couple would do; they did almost anything, if not everything, together. And although their relationship was completely platonic and Teagan never really saw John as something more than one of her best friends, there was no denying that through the years John had developed feelings for the girl. He started harboring affections for her, those that he didn't even know existed. As much as he wanted to tell Teagan about how he felt, he couldn't.

Because deep down, John knew that the girl he was falling in love with was in love with someone else.

After a brief moment of silence, John spoke up "Did you get Liam’s text last night?"

"Yeah… I read it this morning." She answered quietly, suddenly remembering the text message.

"Any idea on what he has to tell us?"

She shook her head "No. Not at all."

"Hmm," He said, resting his chin on her shoulder "I guess, we'll have to wait until tonight, huh? Have you had lunch already?"

"Not yet, how about you?"

"Me neither, what do you say about some Chipotle?"

“Sounds good to me." She said, a smile clearly evident in her voice

"Alright, let me just go grab my keys." John said unwrapping his arms from her waist, got off the bed and left the room, leaving Teagan alone in her room with nothing but her thoughts.

She couldn't help but think about the text that Liam sent her and John last night. Just thinking about it made her stomach turn. What ever he had to tell them, she had a feeling that tonight wasn't going to be good.

And boy, she couldn’t have been more right in her life.