Secrets

Alice's PoV
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I'd been having a great time getting to know Sammi and Ella. Journee and Jamie seemed more than glad, though. They were jumping on the balls of their feet. What confused me most about the morning, was how happy the whole group seemed to look at me. Did I actually look decent today, or something? It seemed to be.

"Alice?" Sammi asked me, while Ella drove her car. We were all in Sammi's car, though, just driving towards the town. It was really weird having to sit in the back with Sammi and Journee. Jamie sat in the front, talking to Ella about the plans we were having with the other guys. Ella just shrugged her shoulders.

"Hm?'

"So how did you and Andy meet? You two seem like a cute couple to me." I turned my head from the conversation that stopped with Ella and Jamie and looked at Sammi. I blushed fiercely.

"Andy and I aren't dating," I simply explained, shaking my head.

"That's odd. He won't stop talking about you and you two seem to be so comfortable around each other so I just guessed you two were. . . You know. . . "

"Were just friends. And I'd like to stay that with him."

"Really? I mean, Andy would be such a good guy than just a friend. You guys seem closer to each other than he ever was with his ex-girlfriend, Juliet."

"I'm pretty sure I want us to stay friends. He seems like a great guy and all but I just don't like him that way." The life seemed to drain from Sammi's eyes as I said this.

"Are you sure? You always seem like your practically in love with the man!" I just shook my head again.

"I've never had a guy friend before. Andy's the first one and I really like him, just not in any romantic way. I feel sorry for him and Juliet, but I'm just really not that great with dating and all. Andy should date someone who likes him that way and - wait a minute." Everything clicked inside my head. "Why are you asking me so much about Andy and I in the first place?"

Sammi looked taken aback by this.

"Uh-I. . . Um. . ." She was stuttering. I caught her in the act. They all thought I didn't hear them at the park when the guys told Sammi and Ella and to talk to me about Andy.

"You are trying to set me up with Andy, aren't you?" I accused her. Ella stiffened in the driver's seat and looked in the rearview mirror. I smiled back at her. Caught, too.

"Guys," I started. "I'm not going to date Andy and I don't need or want to."

"Why not?" Ella whined from the front.

"Because I don't see him any more than a friend."

Sammi pouted her lip out. "But, why ever not?"

"I don't know. I just. . . Don't." She nodded and I looked over to Journee who was frowning. "What's wrong, Jamie?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe the fact that Andy may possibly like you and your not even going to give him a chance," she said, barely above a whisper. I could tell she - actually everyone in the same car - wanted me to date Andy. It just wasn't going to happen.

"Listen guys. I'm not going to date someone I don't like more than a friend. That's final."

Jamie turned to look back at me.

"Why are you so afraid of love, Alice?" The question was odd. I wasn't afraid of love. I just couldn't find it with Andy.

"I'm not afraid of love, Jamie. I just don't see it with Andy. Especially not when I first met him." She looked taken aback by this. Everyone in the car did. I was utterly confused and oblivious to the next answer I wasn't prepared for.

"So you are saying that if you and Andy had a little more time to get know each other, then would you consi-"

"I didn't mean it like that! Stop twisting my words! Why is everybody so hung on to me going out with Andy?!" I practically screamed in the car.

Everyone just ignored the questions from me and looked out the windows. It even hurt when they did this, because with me in the back, I was in the center of it all. Almost everyone in the car had their lips in a tight line. I must have missed something, because Jamie and Journee seemed to get whatever message from Sammi and Ella loud and clear. It felt like I got slapped in the face. I racked through my brain, trying to figure out this mess. Then it was as if it hit me in the head with a brick. Could it be-? Did my problem happen to-?

I couldn't finish the questions that ran through my head in chaos. I had to ask this out loud though.

"Does Andy like me?" I could barely be heard in the noise of the traffic, but everyone in the car heard, and they were all stiff in their seats and there mouths were hung open. Their mouths were all hung open to where I could see them facing me.

When no one answered me and just looked shocked, I noticed we were at a red light and Ella had turned to me, too.

I asked the question again. "Does Andy like me?" Everyone snapped out of the trance and looked at me with intense eyes and Sammi's mouth turned into a hard, thin line.

"If we answer this question, will you not get mad?" Sammi asked.

I sighed but nodded my head in agreement.

"Yes." That one word struck me hard. How wouldn't it?

I sighed very deeply.

"And he set you guys up to this?" Sammi and Ella bobbed their heads. I turned my attention to Jamie and Journee. "And how did you figure this out?"

They both looked at each other, worried of what I would think.

"We already told you how Andy looked at you last night," Jamie said.

"And we kind of just carried on when Sammi and Ella tried to convince you to go out with Andy. . ." Journee continued the conversation. I let out a third sigh and looked deep into everyone's eyes before the light turned green, and Ella pushed herself back towards the road.

"Listen. I only want me and Andy to stay friends. I don't like him in that way, and he kind of maybe just broke up with Juliet." I told them this with my hands pressed together in a motion of understanding and had my voice cut darkly. I wasn't going to date Andy. Even if the world ended. I don't mean to sound harsh, it's just that Andy could do so much more than just date girl after girl. He was confusing me with his emotions and I didn't like it. Not one bit.

Sammi spoke first.

"It's just that you and Andy look so great together, Alice. He already knows that you'd say this. He just wants to be with you. That's all. But what catches my mind is, why don't you like him?" Hadn't she asked this already? I thought so.

"Andy's is a great guy. It's just, I don't want a boyfriend or a date. All I want right now are some friends to get me pass the sinking feeling in me from my parents for the next two months. I hope when you tell Andy this he doesn't take it personally and to please just find another girl." With all that said, I slumped back into my seat, making it clear the conversation was over.

The whole ride to our destination, I couldn't help but wonder about why I didn't like Andy. Was it that he was, too old? Too straight and forward? Getting other people to convince me to go out with him? Because I just didn't like him? Because he just broke up with a girlfriend? I didn't know. But a nagging feeling was bubbling inside me that drove me up the wall. I didn't like Andy because I can't feel any other feelings for him. I know it sounds like I should just get to know him better, but I knew in my heart that it wouldn't matter if I knew him better or not. I just didn't like him.

I know it sounds cheesy and all, but I felt no spark when he side-hugged me at the park. All I felt was that something was wrong. I guess I found it out.