Began as Friends

Mike paced his apartment, it was 8PM he had seen Jamie two hours ago now. He didn't know when to call. He had checked movie times over and over and over again. He chose a drama, he knew she enjoyed dramas. Most of the time he got lost in them, but he wanted to make her happy. Was she back yet, he thought.

He picked up his phone and dialed her number, after the third ring his heart dropped thinking she was probably on a date, or she forgot and was doing something else. Finally on the fifth and final ring she picked up.

"Hey Mike," she said.

"Hey."

"So?"

"Oh, yeah, want to catch a movie with me in a half hour?"

"Yeah, come pick me up, I'll be downstairs," she said and they hung up.

***

Jamie didn't think much of the call or the plans they made, they had been doing this for almost a year now. It was a Tuesday night at 8:30PM, hopefully no one would be around to notice them Jamie thought.

With that she pulled on a pair of dark jeans, now size 6 rather than a size 12. She stared at herself in the mirror for a few minutes. She couldn't believe it, for so long she hated staring in mirrors, and now she was enjoying the view.

She had to literally buy all new clothes, but the clothing she did keep were most of her t-shirts. She was able to shrink a bunch of them and a lot of them were of her favorite sports teams so they didn't need to fit perfectly. She grabbed an old shirt from the top drawer and pulled it on. It was a grey shirt that said, "Lions Track" on it with a running shoe with wings on the front. It fell over her fit frame falling a little bit above her jeans. With the shrinking she had been doing a lot of her shirts became shorter. You could see a thin strip of tan skin where her t-shirt didn't reach her dark rinse jeans. She slipped into her old Sperry's that were at the door and ran downstairs.

As she reached the curb she pulled her long blonde hair out of the pony tail it had been in leaving it in messy waves that framed her face. Everything about her was slightly different, her face was slimmer revealing slightly defined cheek bones and a strong jaw line. Her green eyes also looked bigger.

She sat on the curb and texted Mike.

Hurry up Mike

***

Mike pulled on a t-shirt and jeans and sneakers. He put a hat on over his messy mop of hair and jogged to the elevator. His phone buzzed with a text from Jamie telling him to hurry up. He hopped into his new Saab and raced to her apartment which was only down the block. He saw her sitting on the curb.

She was so much smaller than when he last saw her, he was taken back by her newly fit body. She had curves in all the right places whereas before everywhere was curvy, he didn't know where to look first.

As she stood up he got the chance to check her out as she stood for a few seconds pulling up her jeans while standing in front of his headlights. Her chest was the fitting her new frame, he guessed she was a large B cup and they were perfect looking. As she turned to the side he checked out her backside. He ass had the perfect curve underneath as her ass met her legs. She lifted her arm waving at him smiling like a maniac and laughing, as she lifted her arm he got a view of her newly flattened and fit tummy. She looked breathtaking and this was only in jeans and a t-shirt.

Mike wasn't used to this. He got to know Jamie's personality before ever appreciating what she looked like. When it came to women Mike usually met their body before he even knew their name. With Jamie he loved her personality, her laughter, and her quirks. Now he was appreciating so much more.

"Hey," she said as she slid into the seat next to him.

She rubbed the side of her seat saying, "Nice new whip Mike."

He knew she was being sarcastic, she always thought he only needed one car.

"Thanks," he said.

Mike looked at her and said, "Thanks for coming." He dropped his eyes again looking down her body and felt her staring at him, so he quickly looked back at the rode.

"We better get going then," he said, smiling.

***

What was he doing just now, what was that, that look, that lingering look, Jamie's head was yelling at her.

She pushed the thought out of her mind and started talking about her summer and asking about his. The movie theater was about five minutes away so the ride was short. Jamie had been waiting to see this movie for a bit and was surprised Mike even picked it. Usually when they saw drama's he asked her a lot of questions.

"Want snacks?"

"Yes," Jamie answered.

They wandered over to the food line. Everyone around them was a couple, holding hands, standing really close. Jamie and Mike were a couple inches apart and clearly not together. Jamie leaned her head on his shoulder as she was reading the menu above them. He liked her using his shoulder as a head rest, he liked the contact.

A few people noticed Mike, it was hard not to, He stood a little over six foot with broad strong shoulders and large arms. He was a big guy and very recognizable with his big cheeks and big brown eyes. Some people same up and shook his hand giving him luck for the upcoming season. Unlike Ovechkin who would have given high fives and big smiles, Mike was more shy. He said thank you and gave weak smiles, but it only caused him to pull his hat lower and put his head down. Jamie pinched his arm causing him to look at her. She put her face up to his and whispered, "you're doing fine," giving him an encouraging smile. He never thought her would get used to the fame.

They got their food and went to their seats. Midway through the movie Mike had stopped paying any attention and still had his mind on Jamie. What the hell was he going to do about her. He liked her, he knew that, but they were friends, they were good friends, he didn't want jeopardize that.

Mike first put his hand on his leg sliding it in Jamie's direction, then pulled it back feeling stupid. He felt like a fifteen year old boy all over again. But he couldn't shake the feeling. He did what he only knew to do next. He stretched, he yawned and stretched his arms over his head placing his right one over Jamie's shoulders. He can't believe he just pulled that move.

He slowly looked to his right, luckily Jamie was so into the movie she simply leaned back into his arm looking comfortable.

What did he just do, Jamie thought. Lord Mike, you have to work on your skills she was thinking.

The movie ended and Mikes arm was still around Jamie. As she rose he pulled his arm back to himself and they ventured to his car. Jamie was rattling on and on about the movie, but Mike was only thinking about what he had done.

As they pulled up to her apartment he hopped out and opened her door for her. Jamie knew this wasn't normal, he never did this before. As she got out Mike didn't move out of the way to allow her room to walk back to her apartment. She slid out and was stuck between him and the car behind her back.

Mike decided as he drove home he would just have to make a move. He helped her out of the car and then put both his arms on either side of her his hands placed on the car door behind her.

"Wha-"

Mike crashed his lips into her making her swallow her words. He kept his hands behind her and opened his mouth tilting his head to the right still keeping pressure on her lips. As he was about to slip his tongue into what he thought was her waiting mouth he felt a deep shove into his chest and in a moment he was pushed back from her.

"What the hell Mike," Jamie yelled at him.

It wasn't like she didn't want it, she just wasn't prepared, and when she broke from the kiss all she wanted to do was pull him back to her. Jamie didn't know how to react to the kiss or her yelling at him, so she turned quickly and ran into her building without looking behind her.

"Wait, Jame," she heard him yell her nickname, Jamie without the ee sound at the end. She could hear the hurt in his voice, but she didn't turn back.

Shit, he thought, shit, shit shit. He got back in his car after standing outside for a few seconds longer and ripped down the street, getting home in a matter of seconds it felt like. He got into his apartment threw his keys on the couch and threw himself on his bed. He kept his face in his pillow asking himself over and over again, "What the hell was that," until he fell asleep.

Jamie paced in her apartment thinking the same things over and over. What was that tonight, first the gazing, then the cuddling during the movie, and that kiss, that kiss, where did it all come from. She woke Josie up and told her everything. Josie didn't seem surprised in the slightest.

"Like it or not Jamie, you are hot, I mean drop dead sexy in even sweatpants hot, why is this so surprising."

"Because we are friends, and I was caught off guard, and stop I don't thin-"

"No, you stop, you have to allow yourself to be wanted, to be admired, Mike is wanting all of you baby girl, and you like him back, so let him try and win you over," she said, "seriously, I am not hearing another word, you need to let yourself be and realize how beautiful you are, he wants you and soon other guys will want you, just don't let something good get away from you."

Was she right Jamie thought as she climbed into bed with her best friend.

"I am sleeping in here tonight," Jamie said as she started to feel tears well up.

"Of course," Josie said. She knew how difficult it was for Jamie to admit she was pretty, for so long she didn't feel that way and it wouldn't change in a matter of seconds, it would take a while. A lot of hurt happened to Jamie when she was overweight and Josie knew this was overwhelming for her.

"It is going to be fine babe," Josie reassured her grabbing her hand, "just think one of the cutest guys in DC wants you," she whispered in the dark.

"Thanks Josie," Jamie whispered back.

Josie could hear the lump in Jamie's throat and left it at that, "Goodnight" she said.