The door is hard to open. It gets stuck as I push it. A nurse stops me from entering the room.
"Excuse me, who are you?"
"Robbie? I'm Sam's friend," I reply as I attempt to enter the room. The nurse looks at me up and down. Her lips puff out, and she judges my soul. She already knows my faults before I do.
"I suggest you go buy your girlfriend flowers before you visit her."
Flowers, why should I buy Sam flowers.
"Typical man, girls like flowers. It tells them how you feel about them," the nurse laughs.
"I already told you, I am her friend. Can I go see her now," I ask?
"Honey, I've been around a lot longer than you have. I've seen it all at this hospital. I heard their break up, and if you're here. That means you must be the reason. I'm amazed that guy didn't hit you on his way out. So buy her flowers. You obviously care about her. Here's a ten-dollar bill, tell them, Nurse Betsy sent you."
I take the ten-dollar bill and feel l
The definition of a best friend is the person one is closest to. I don’t know why it took me this long to realize that the person I am the closest to is Robbie. Everything I do has always been for him. When we crossed the line the night of prom all those years ago, I hoped it would be him. I always imagined us being those friends who would find our way back to each other and realize that it has always been us. We were always meant to be together, and he knew it before I did.When my parents got divorced, and I cried my eyes out, the warmth of his body comforted me. It brought me back to my center. He and I have always been tethered together. Perhaps it was destiny, or maybe it was fate. I knew things weren’t going to work out between Mark and me. We were too different. I was too wild and unpredictable and a little selfish at heart to know what to do. But, on the other hand, he was a gentleman, to his core.If I had a second chance, it would be to tell Mark
Why would Sam throw up after the doctor gave herthe all-clearto go home? None of this is adding up. I am not going to bother trying to figure it out. If I were in her shoes, I would feel exhausted and emotionally drained. Instead, she got knocked out and broke up with Mark for me. I need to give her the benefit of the doubt.But still, something seems off, and I will find out what it is. I didn't like the doctor shoeing me out of the room. I don't know why they do that. Now I sound like a jealous boyfriend. I really need to stop that before it becomes a bad habit ingrained in me.After my dad died, my mom dated a bunch of weird boyfriends about a year later. Some were kind, but most were controlling. There was this one who stood out among the rest, Max. Max drank too much beer and looked like sawdust. He was a carpenter, I believe. He would tell my mother what to eat, and when he moved in with us, it got worse. She would eat her favorite food
"He asked me to marry him!" Samantha screams through my cell phone speakers. My. World. Stops. I'm not sure if it's because Sam is my oldest and longest friend or if there is some other reason I freeze. I want to be excited by her news, but I'm not. "Congrats. That is so exciting. I'm happy for you, Sam." Fuck did I lie to Sam? Now I know something is wrong with me. This is Sam we're talking about. Samantha Laplow, with her long brown hair and soft blue eyes. She would make any man happy. But that man will, unfortunately, never be me. "Robbie, are you okay? You haven't said anything for a few minutes. Were you even listening to me?" Fuck again! She said something, and now it's a pop quiz. I don't have a cheat sheet for this test. I'll admit I have a slight crush on Sam. But who wouldn't? She's hot as fuck. And I'd be blind not to notice. But a crush isn't a rea
Robbie looks at my lips. My heart pounds a little. I just told him I'm engaged, and now this. My eyes stare back at his lips. It's not like I haven't thought about being with Robbie. Robbie Garvie has always been there for me. And compared to me, he's a tree. He notices me staring at his lips. He inches closer to me, and I can feel him closing the gap between us. Does he have feelings for me? I guess I'm about to find out. As I close my eyes and prepare to kiss my best friend, he kisses my forehead instead. I don't know what to do now. Apart of me is relieved he didn't kiss me. We can't pretend that there isn't some attraction between us. I'm embarrassed now. I know that whatever I say right now, however, I react will define our friendship from here on out. "Thanks for always being here for me, Robbie." I hope this response doesn't scare him away. I can't imagine life without Robbie in it. He's been with me my entire life. He
I watch Sam pull away. I feel like a fool for not going after her. But I can't worry about that now. I can't worry about everything that our relationship isn't. She has Mr. Darcy now. I'm sure he'll make Sam very happy. The doorbell rings. It's Percy Jamrog. Percy comes in with his muddy boots. His shoes are always filthy. But, instead of going to college like the rest of us, Percy works with dirt. He started his business plowing snow, cutting down trees, and doing any other yard work he could get his hands on. "Hey, man. How are you? You look confused." I can't tell Percy that I held Sam in my arms and kissed her. Best friends don't fall in love, do they? "Robbie? What's your deal? You haven't said shit to me since I came in. What the hell happened?" "Sam's engaged. She came over here and showed me her ring. And told me all about Mr. Darcy." "You don't still lik
Pulling out of Robbie's driveway was hard. It was the hardest thing I have done in a long time. Yet, when I replay our moment together, his words still echo within me. "Can I kiss you one more time?" Why Robbie, why would you ask me that. "Sam, don't do this. This never happened. You're marrying someone...else." Fuck I can't focus on driving. I pull over. I look at my ring. I love Mark. I love Mark. He's kind to me. We had a grand time in England. His parents live in a modest home in the countryside, and I helped them with their farm animals. I learned a lot about English living. Why am I thinking about Robbie? I can't think about Robbie. He's my best friend, and now we've crossed a line. One I wish we crossed a long time ago. There's no going back now. We can only move forward. I can't start this engagement with betrayal. Mark won't suspect a thing. And why
Damnit, Sam! Damnit me. I'm such an idiot. Why did I tell her I loved her? Because I do. I'm old enough to admit that now. Old enough to know what rejection is. She didn't say it back. How can she fool? She's engaged. But she came back to my house. We haven't been that close in ages. It's been so long since I touched a woman. I thought I did the right thing. I stopped when I was supposed to. And asked permission. All the things I know Sam would like. I wasn't planning to have sex with her. She just wanted to test the waters out. But for what, to find out the truth? And she still isn't at my side. God...I'm such an idiot. Maybe, I can blame my feelings on the alcohol I had with Percy. Alcohol makes me talk; Sam knows that. I'm pissed at her. She didn't even say anything. What am I supposed to do now? I can't be at the wedding; I can't watch the wedding. It's decided I'm not going. I grab my keys and hea
"I...love...you...Sam."These are the four words Robbie said to me. These are the words that mean our relationship has changed...forever."Sam, what's wrong with you? You've been acting strange, " Mark asks while he sits at the edge of my bed.I barely remember coming home last night. I was crying so much from the sorrow Robbie put me through. The large mirror in my bedroom reveals the truth, that I'm a bitch inside and out.Bloodshot eyes stare back at me. Fatigue and sadness are the worst to experience with a migraine."What did Robbie do to you?""We got in a fight. It happens between best friends," I reply.