A Short Story - My Best Friend

My best friend Jason and I have arranged to meet and go for drinks after we finish work on Friday. People often ask if it's strange to have a man as a best friend but I love it. He's great fun to spend time with. I just love his company!! My colleague Lisa hasn't any plans for the weekend so I suggested that she joins us. I hope they get on well, but not too well of course! I've always fancied Jason, but justsecretly of course. He's never shown any interest in me so I doubt he'd respond well if I told him!! We head out of work and after changing our clothes and applying more makeup.

"Wow, you girls look gorgeous" He says.
I'm about to respond saying "Charmer" when Lisa says "Thank you Jason" and gives him a big smile.
"Come on you too" I say and start walking to the Lion and Lobster. It's a great local pub in Brighton.

"My round" I say as we head in the door "Who's having what?"
"Pint of my usual" Jason says "Thanks"
"How about you Lisa?"
"Gin and Tonic please"
"Okay, find a table and I'll join you"

After waiting for about twenty minutes I'm served and I wander around with a tray trying to find them. They are on a small table chatting like they have known each other forever. I put the drinks tray on the table and sit down.

We chat for a while and then Lisa offers to buy the next drink. While she's at the bar I ask Jason

"What do you think of Lisa then?"
"Haha blunt question much"
"So are you going to answer it?"
"Haha okay, I think she's lovely, gorgeous and I might consider asking her out later" he says winking at me.
"Oh my days you're not serious, you don't even know her" I say fuming. How dare he like her and not me.
"I am serious, and isn't getting to know people what dates are for?!"
"I guess so" I reply frowning.
"What's wrong?" Jason asks.

I wonder if I should tell him the truth but I know he would just laugh at me and I would be humiliated as well as losing my friend.. So after thirty seconds I reply

"Nothing"
"Well cheer up then babe and when I suggest going to a club say you don't want to go, okay?"
"Okay"

We enjoy our drinks and then Jason and Lisa head off to the Honey club.I stay for another drink and try to fend off a couple of guys who try to chat me up before getting a taxi home. I go out of my mind the next day waiting for Jason to call me but he doesn't and when I call him his phone just rings and rings. He eventually calls me on Sunday evening.

"Hi Amy"
"Hey Jase, I've been so worried, are you okay?"
"Haha I'm fine, better than fine actually"
"So did you have fun clubbing"
"Yes, and since then actually. I only left Lisa's a couple of hours ago!"
"A couple of hours ago?" I repeat not knowing what to say as I'm completely in shock!
"You okay?" he asked then.
I swallow and say "Yes of course, sorry"
"You've been acting weirdly since Friday, you not happy about me and Lisa?" he asks.
"Yes, I'm very happy for you, it's just..." I pause and nervously say "I can't talk to you about this over the phone, can we meet tomorrow?"
"Of course. I'm seeing Lisa at eight so it'll have to be before that"

We agree that we will meet at the pub at six pm.

*************************************

The next day at work Lisa comes up to me excitedly.

"Thank you for introducing me to Jason" she says.
"No problem" I reply.
"We're going out again tonight, I can't wait" she says excitedly.
"That's great, have fun" I reply calmly hiding my annoyance.

*************************************

After work I go straight to the pub and head inside feeling nervous with lots of butterflies in my stomach. Can I tell him? I wonder. Jason's there at a table with drinks in front of him for us. A pint for him and half for me.

"Hi Jase" I say sitting down and taking a sip of my lager.
"Hi Amy" he says then adds "So what do you need to say to me?"
"Um..." I say feeling incredibly nervous "Have you ever fancied a friend?"
He blushes then and I wonder why but then he responds "Yes, I have"
"Well I like a friend too, I've always..." I swallow "...liked you"
"Oh" he replies "Why didn't you tell me before?"
"I thought it would ruin our friendship" I say "I hope it hasn't?"
"It's just ironic really because I liked you the moment I met you, you made me laugh so much, and still do"
"Why didn't you ask me out?"
"There are always men around you asking you out and you never give them the time of day"
"What men" I reply confused.
"Tell me, when Lisa and I left did any men come and speak to you?"
I think back to Friday "Maybe one or two losers" I reply.
"Exactly! you always call them losers, but they're just guys interested in you! If I had asked you out when we met I would have had the same disinterested response!"

I'm speechless, just shocked at what he's said.

"I have to go and meet Lisa now" he says looking at his watch. He quickly finishes the last of his pint.
"So what I told you didn't make any difference?" I ask. "You are still going to date Lisa?"
"Yes, you're too late, I really like Lisa, but we'll always be friends, right?"
"Yes of course" I reply chocked up.

He kisses me on the cheek and heads out of the bar. Tears fall as soon as he has left, I feel so sad and foolish. A guy comes up to me a couple of minutes later and asks

"Are you okay Amy?"
"How do you know my name?" reply still crying.
"You're in here all the time, and your gorgeous, of course I know your name"

I look at him and realise he looks like a nice guy, probably one of the guys who always ask me out.

"What's your name" I ask wiping the tears away.
"I'm Gavin" he says and then asks "Can I get you a drink?"
"Hi Gavin, that would be lovely, thank you"

He heads up to the bar and buys the drinks. We chat away and seem to get on really well. When I tell him it's time for me to go home he asks me

"Can I take your number?"
"Yes" I reply

We exchange numbers and he says he will ring me the next day to arrange a date. I realise I'm looking forward to it! Sure enough he rings me the next night and after chatting a bit we arrange to meet for dinner on Friday. I can't stop smiling! When Jason rings me later to let me know how his evening with Lisa went I can't wait to tell him about my date with Gavin. He's really excited for me and I'm so grateful that we are still friends after everything we discussed. The smile doesn't leave my face all week. All my work colleagues compliment me on looking good! On Friday I get dressed up for the date wearing a dress and my nicest heels. I meet him at Gah's Chinese restaurant.

"You look gorgeous" he tells me.
"Thanks Gavin" I reply smiling.

Gavin's actually really funny and we have a great evening with lots of laughs. I order satay chicken and he goes for prawns in sweet and sour sauce. It comes on big plates in the middle of the table so we each try both dishes. The food is wonderful. As we head outside he says

"I've had a wonderful evening"
"Me too, it's been great"

He leans closer and kisses me then whispers in my ear saying

"When shall we go out again?"
"Soon" I respond wrapping my arms around his neck as we kiss again.