A Wonderful Surprise

Minute 2 of this contest, Garrett could stay staring at Mary without blinking even just once. Mary tried to beat him but she's tired and needed to blink so she decided to lose the game.

`I win! As always!` He exclaimed. Kayla who was busy with her mac gave him simple applause and went back to her task.

`Congrats, Dude. You proud, huh?` Asked Mary playfully as she laid to Garrett's side. The boy nodded excitedly as he took his comic and read that together with Mary.

Now the room was silent, everyone was busy with their own—Kayla with her task, Garrett with his comic and Mary with her mind—she was just looked at what Garrett's reading since there's nothing else to do.

Suddenly, Mary pulled Garrett's shirt as she called him. Garrett just hummed as the respond, he didn't want to be disturbed when he's reading comics.

`I saw you talked to Nick.` She started. `But you guys didn't seem have a good conversation.`

Garrett finally glanced to Mary, he's totally disturbed now. Garrett closed his comic and threw it to the coffee table, and moved his body to face his best girl. He then stared at Mary's green eyes—he stared deeply as Mary couldn't just blink because of Garrett's beautiful eyes. This one was different than the first staring contest they had earlier.

`I'm not going to have another staring contest with you, Gare.` Mary rolled her eyes and looked to another direction. `So, what happened?`

`Nothing. We didn't talk much, though.`

`But I saw you guys throwing hatred to each other.` Now the girl's voice was more concern. She looked at Garrett again who was staring to nothing. `Garrett Daniel Nickelsen...`

`Promise me to answer honestly,` Garrett suddenly said and looked at his best friend. Mary raised her eyebrow. She could see that he was between sad and angry, it was an indescribable emotion Garrett showed to Mary, something Garrett rarely showed to everyone.

Mary knew there's something wrong about Garrett especially when it came to Nick Santino. She was sure what Garrett going to ask was about that Braintree boy. Though, whatever Garrett was going to ask, she wasn't sure about how to answer the question.

`Okay.` Said her finally.

`Do you still like him?`

Silence came to the room. Kayla wasn't in the room anymore, she might be leaving to find something for her task. There were only Garrett and Mary. There were Garrett who was waiting for Mary's answer and Mary who was finding an answer for Garrett's question.

`Maria?` Called Garrett. He waved his hand in front of Mary. He saw her empty look, she's going with her mind too far.

`I don't know, Garrett. I honestly don't know.` Mary finally answered. She leaned on the couch and looked at Garrett hopelessly. `I can't describe my feeling to Nick.`

Garrett smoothened his look to Mary. Even though he was still curious about Mary and Nick, but he also couldn't bear to see Mary like this.

`I'll just accept your answer, everything you say.` Said Garrett, he thought it would help Mary to not think too hard on this thing.

`You sure?` Garrett nodded to answer.

`Well,` Mary started again. `I kept thinking about him lately, I thought it's just because I did have some talk with him at night via online message, but, no, I just can't not thinking about him.` Mary stopped to look at Garrett. She wouldn't continue her sentences if Garrett didn't show a good reaction. But all she saw was an expression of someone who's concern to listen all she's gonna say. Garrett motioned her to go on so she continued to talk.

`Well,` Mary sighed, `even if I tried to keep myself away from Nick, I can't deny it that I still have a feeling for him. That's all.`

Another silent moment came to the room. Now Garrett just looked at her. There's a little disappointment showed in his face but this boy wouldn't just let Mary know. Garrett felt bad because he had a feeling that Nick wasn't the right guy for Mary. He didn't want his best friend go out with someone like Nick. Moreover, Garrett would get a real broken heart if he found someone he loved had no feeling over him but to a guy like Nicholas Santino.

Yes. Garrett Daniel Nickelsen loved Mary O'Callaghan.

Yes. Garrett was beyond jealous to Nick.

No. Garrett wouldn't tell his feeling to Mary now. He's not ready to see Mary's respond to him yet.

No. Garrett wouldn't let Mary to go out with Nick. But what could he do? Mary wouldn't hear him anyway.

`Just, be careful.` Garrett said to break the silence. He moved his body closer to Mary and hugged her so tight. He hoped Mary would know that this hug was meant to show his feeling to a girl he loved.

At first, Mary was surprised to get a really big tight hug from Garrett. But she felt protected, she knew Garrett wouldn't let her feel sad or bad. Without knowing the real purpose of the hug, Mary hugged her best friend back and whispered thank you.