I woke up at exactly eight in the morning to a quiet, empty house. Mom and Dad had already taken my brothers to school before heading to work, leaving me alone with the silence.
For a while, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, replaying last night's conversation with Jeremy in my head. He was taking me out today—to "cheer me up," as he said. The thought made my heart flutter.
I dragged myself out of bed, took a warm shower, and stood in front of my closet. My eyes landed on a short black skirt and a red crop top—simple, but cute. "Perfect," I whispered to myself, smiling.
After dressing up, I headed downstairs and fixed myself some breakfast. Halfway through my toast, there was a knock at the door.
When I opened it, I froze for a second. Standing there was a tall, dark-skinned guy with a neat afro, crystal-brown eyes, and lips so perfectly pink they almost glowed. Jeremy. But beside him stood another guy—slightly taller, with caramel skin and deep brown eyes I didn't recognize.
"Hi, Laranie," Jeremy said, flashing his familiar, heart-melting smile. "How are you doing today?"
"I'm fine," I replied, trying not to stare too obviously. "And you? Oh—by the way, who's your friend?"
"Oh, this is Logan," he said, motioning toward him.
"Hey," Logan greeted warmly. "Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you from Jeremy."
"Really?" I smiled nervously. "Nice to meet you too."
Jeremy clapped his hands together. "Alright, Laranie—are you ready? Let's go!"
"Yeah," I said, grabbing my bag. "Let's go."
Outside, a silver Lincoln waited in the driveway. I slid into the passenger seat while Logan settled in the back. As Jeremy started the car, I couldn't help but imagine what life would be like if he were mine—not just my best friend.
I had always liked Jeremy, ever since our first year of high school. But then Louis had come along in the eleventh grade and confused everything. He'd said we were "just friends," but my heart never agreed.
Before I could get too lost in thought, the car stopped. We were at the town fun fair.
We bought our tickets and went straight for the swimming area. Jeremy and Logan were already in the pool when I went to the changing room. I took a deep breath before stepping out in my black bikini. The way both of them looked at me made my face heat up.
The water was icy at first, but soon we were splashing and laughing like kids again. Then I started to shiver—my teeth chattering as goosebumps prickled my skin.
Jeremy noticed immediately. "You're freezing," he said, swimming over. He wrapped his arms around me from behind, pulling me close. The warmth of his body made my heart race.
When I turned to face him, our eyes met—his crystal-brown gaze locking onto mine. Without thinking, I bit my lip. His face leaned closer… his lips brushed against mine.
But then I pulled away, heart pounding. "Jeremy… I think it's time we go to the next place," I said quickly.
He blinked, looking a little embarrassed. "Oh—yeah. You're right. Let's get dressed."
As I walked away, my mind screamed at me. Why did I stop him? Why didn't I just let it happen?
After we changed, we headed to the car in silence. I sat staring out the window, lost in the "what if." When I came back to reality, we had arrived at the movie theater.
The movie was Annabelle. Horror—my least favorite genre. But I didn't want to seem scared in front of Jeremy, so I agreed. Big mistake. Every time a creepy scene came on, I jumped and hid in his muscular arms. He laughed softly each time, and even though I was terrified, being that close to him made me feel safe.
After the movie, we walked outside into the late-afternoon light. I decided to tell him how I felt—finally.
"So, Jeremy…" I began, looking into his eyes. "I want to tell you something."
"What is it, Laranie?"
I hesitated, my heart thumping in my chest. The words I wanted to say—I love you—stuck in my throat. "I just wanted to thank you," I said instead. "For today. You really cheered me up."
He smiled. "You're welcome. But the day's not over yet. We've got one more stop."
"Really? Okay, let's go," I said, forcing a smile.
We drove to a restaurant called Luka's Great Pizza, the most popular spot in town. The pizza really was great—hot, cheesy, perfect. But I could barely taste it. I was too distracted by Jeremy sitting right next to me, his arm brushing mine now and then, while Logan sat across from us.
After dinner, I glanced at my phone. "Jeremy, it's getting late. I should head home before my parents do."
"Alright," he said, finishing his drink. "Let's go."
The drive back was quiet. When we reached my house, he parked and got out, walking me to the doorstep. For a moment, we just stood there, facing each other under the porch light.
"So… I guess I'll see you tomorrow," he said softly.
"Yeah," I replied, smiling shyly. "Thank you for everything."
He stepped forward and pulled me into a hug. "I love you too," he murmured before I could even respond.
I held onto him tightly, breathing in his scent, wanting to stay there forever. But reality hit, and I let go. The air between us felt strange—heavy with things left unsaid.
"Bye, Jeremy," I whispered.
"Goodbye, Laranie," he said, giving me one last look before walking back to his car.
I watched him drive away until his car disappeared at the corner of the street. Only then did I realize—I was smiling like a fool again.