I Must Be Blind, to Not Have Seen the Signs

I’d texted Pip a few times over the weekend just to make sure she was okay, she assured me she was. I didn’t have the time to go and see her since I was so busy with band stuff but I had arranged to go see her the following Thursday.

It was just after lunch and I’d got off the train and was about a 5 minute walk from her house. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and saw I had a text from max. I was reply and walking at the same time, which I know is stupid since you don’t really look where you’re going but there weren’t that many people about so I just carried on.

That was until I was just about to press send and I walked right into someone.

“Shit, I’m so sorry” I said, collecting myself and looking up to who I’d walked into.

It was Henry.

“Oh, hey josh” he said almost shyly, like he was ashamed. Henry wasn’t alone though, his fingers were laced with someone else’s. A petite blonde thing I’d seen a few times before at the K office. It was the make-up girl Ava. Also know as the girl Pip caught Henry with.

“Really Henry? What the hell man?”

“Look I tired talking to her and she wouldn’t have any of it”

“Yeah well I’m not surprised. So what you just latch on to this instead” I said motioning to Ava. I know I was being harsh but when it came to Pip I couldn’t really control what was coming out. “He won’t stay with you for long” I told her. “He’s only using you; he has been from the start love”

“Pack it in mate” Henry said, pulling Ava behind him slightly. Almost as if he was protecting her from me. “Me and Pip didn’t work out yeah? There’s no need to act like this”

“Actually there’s every need. You broke her, man. If you didn’t want her anymore why didn’t you just say instead of all this shit you’ve put her through?”

“Okay yeah I could have done things differently, but don’t act so made, you’re loving this. You’ve been waiting to get in her pants since you first set your eyes on her. You’re pathetic”

Was I really that transparent?

I admit when I first saw Pip there was nothing more I wanted than to jump her bones, but since I’ve known her it’s just been an after thought. I mean sure she was still one of the most attractive girl’s I’d ever set my eyes on, but she was different. She was real.

“You know what, you never deserved her anyway” I said getting closer to him in hopes of being intimidating. It was probably having the opposite effect knowing me. “You stay away from her from now on or you’ll wish you were never born”

And with that I walked away, afraid of what I was going to do if I stayed any longer.

Pip and I were just friends. Just friends. But I felt this need to protect her like she was mine and mine only. All I could think about as I made my way over to her house was holding her and protecting her from all the henrys’ in the world.

I was there in a few minutes and i knocked on her door. I was still angry and worked up from my little run in with Henry through so i probably knocked louder than intended. She opened the door with her eyebrows raised like she was wondering what was going on.

“Sorry” I sighed as she moved to let me in. “I ran into Henry on the way here, he kinda rattled my cage” I explained as she led me into her lounge and we sat down on the sofa.

She just nodded and looked down. I guess the mention of Henry wasn’t the best idea. So I reached over and took her hand, lacing our fingers together. She looked up at me and I smiled lightly. She smiled back and rested her head on my shoulder.

“So Franny, what cha wanna do?”

“Don’t mind. I’m happy doing whatever you want love”

“But you’re my guest” she pleaded and looked up at me. “I don’t wanna waste your time. I’m sure you’ve got plenty of better things to be doing than baby sitting me”

I let go of her hand and put my arm around her, pulling her into my side.

“It’s not baby sitting sweetie. I know you wanna be alone right now but trust me that’s the last thing you need. I don’t want you on your own, yeah?”

I felt her nod against me and i placed my lips ever so gently to her forehead. I swear this girl was doing such strange things to me. I mean she was wearing a pair of leggings and an old tee but she still sent my heart into a frenzy.

I had an urge to just spill my guts out to her about how much she meant to me. Not caring that she probably didn’t feel the same and she didn’t need any more emotional fuckery after what Henry did to her but I needed to tell someone and who better than the girl herself.

I was just about to speak but she beat me too it.

“You’re such a good friend, josh”

My hope deflated instantly. In those few seconds I’d just entered a place that no guy ever wants to be. Not with the girl they’re insane about.

The Friend Zone.