[Sorry for any grammar or spelling errors. (Or anything else that's inconsistent) I edited this myself and I actually never planned to post it. Try not to be too harsh in the comments section.][Posting this story has been the biggest hassle in my recent days. It's been like two weeks with straight problems; hopefully you guys like it or it wouldn't have even been worth it at this point.]
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I asked her to meet me in a public place. I didn't want her being upset with me for what I was about to say to her. Or better yet have her lash out at me in a fit of anger, why she would even do that was beyond me, in hindsight; but what I was about to tell her went against everything she grew up believing, or so I thought.
I walked into the mall, towards the food court with a thousand butterflies in my stomach. I was determined to do this though. I was panicking when I arrived at the food court as I looking around for her. I didn't see her anywhere. Looking harder my eyes were straining, with my breath caught in my throat, trying to catch any resemblance of her so that I didn't have to stand there by myself looking like a complete idiot.
This always seemed to happen- even before now. Fiona and I would plan to do something and I'd get there first feeling lost and not knowing what to do until she got there.
Preoccupied with looking around the crowd in front of me I was startled by a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see her, letting out the breath I was just holding but sucking it right back in as I took in her beauty. She had her dirty blonde locks tied into a loose pony tail, a single braid in the mix; which she picked up from me in grade ten a little after we met.
Of course she would notice me first I thought with a laugh.
"There you are." I said with a light smile.
"Yep." She said just above a whisper. She was never one to talk loud when she was around people she didn't know, and she was very shy around big groups of people; weather she knew them or not therefore being here in the mall she was fairly quiet, but I could still hear her.
I guess it wasn't cool to bring her here to talk about something so important, to me, but it was a defense mechanism. I really didn't want her to hurt me, physically or emotionally.
"Uh, let's sit, I'm not in a hurry but this is kind of important. Do you want to get anything to eat? I'll buy it. I mean, unless you want to pay for yourself. I wouldn't mind either way. It's up to you, I think I might get something to eat though." I spat out in a rush.
I'm sure she could tell I was nervous but she didn't say anything, she just smiled.
"I'll eat wherever you eat. But I'll pay for myself."
I shook my head and scouted the big area looking for any open places to sit. After I found one I took her hand and guided her, though the mass of people, to the table. Once we sat down I scanned the area, trying to decide on what I wanted to eat; but really I was stalling.
There were tons of good places around and I was having a hard time deciding but in the end I choose Taco Bell- like always. I told her that I would eat there and she laughed, probably knowing all along that I would go there, and gave me her money and order.
I took the walk to the line, it was long but not too long.
I had been standing in line for about five minutes; it making progress, as I was now two thirds of the way through it. I was contemplating avoidance, I'm sure I could avoid doing what I came here to do, but I didn't want to. There was no backing out, I thought to myself as I looked over to our table. Oddly enough my gaze caught Fiona's as it was already looking in my direction. I held eye contact with her for quite a while, my heart beat quickening and my breath slowing down as I got lost in my feelings flashing a smile in her direction. Before she had the chance to smile back someone cleared their throat, snapping me out of my trance, as they asked me to move forward.
I went through the rest of the line without another bump, ordering our food and making my way back to the table.
"So," she said taking a bite of her dollar burrito "What's up?"
"Uh," I hesitated, avoiding eye contact with her "Not yet; how was your day? Did you have any classes?" I asked, opening my crunchwrap, knowing the answer to the question already.
She looked at me for a moment, not saying anything, before telling me about her day and how, even though she told me before, she made sure not to have classes on Thursday and that I already knew that. Thursday was our recovery day therefore we tried to be free all Thursday every week; though I wasn't always able to, unlike Fiona who always was free.
We talked about random stuff as we ate. It was never uncomfortable for us; we'd known each other so long that even our silences were conversations unheard. After an uncharacteristically long pause on my end I took a deep breath; we both knew this was coming.
"Okay," here it goes I thought to myself. "so. Shit this is hard. Okay, Fiona. Hold on." I took a deep breath and sipped on my water. She looked at me the whole time, he expression was unreadable; almost emotionless. Well that doesn't help, I thought. "Fi how long have we known each other? Eight years?" I asked and she answered yes with a light shake of her head. "And in that time, we have gotten to know each other pretty well, right?" She shook her head yes again. "And... you care about me?" Another yes. "And you know I care about you?" The final yes.
I was scared. I wanted as much clarity that we would be okay after I said this. I was not saying anything at this point. Just looking into her eyes. And she was doing the same. My heart was growing hot and my feelings were getting caught in my throat. She had beautiful eyes, a dark brown even in the light. I gave her a light smile, which she returned, before looking away for a moment.
Sighing I began again. "And do you have any idea what I am about to say?"
She shook a no. I sighed, not expecting to blind side her like this, I was hoping she would have a slight idea.
"Well, after all this time; you see, I know that this isn't exactly what any friend would want to hear from her best friend. There is something that I want, I mean, I know I don't really talk about this kind of stuff so don't be shocked. I want to someday get married." I said, pausing for a moment; Fiona's eyes widening with I look I couldn't decipher.
"I imagined my wife to be a beautiful woman, you know, someone I can't take my eyes off of, even if I wanted to. She would want the same things as I do; and I would want what she wants. I would want my wife to be someone great, someone who knew what she wanted and rarely ever had to give it a second thought. She would be amazing; she would be...perfect. She would have to be someone I knew as well as I knew myself." I paused so that I could look her in the eyes and catch her entire reaction. "She would be. She would be... someone like you." I finished, before I felt my own eyes widen.
I can't believe I did it! I thought, feeling victorious for only a brief second as I noticed her flinch, as if someone had hit her. Her eyes were wide and my heart began to sink.
"I mean, wait what did I even say?" Shit I need to compose myself and remember what I was saying. "OH! Oh my god. I, um, what did I say? I mean you're great. I don't have a wife, yet. Wait, what?" When I get like this, afraid, everything in my mind goes black and I have the worst time putting together thoughts and sentences. "Fiona," I began again, tears welling in my eyes. "I have to go; I have stuff to do. Uh... yeah. Later" I said all while her expression changed from shocked to dumbfound in a split second.
I got up and ran. I didn't care if she saw me or not, I ran out of the building and I ran to my car trying my best not to puke. I unlocked my car and got in. Bracing both hand on the steering wheel.
I laid my head gently on it. I began crying, and then I felt stupid for crying which only made me cry more. Why is this happening? Why am I so stupid? Why am I acting like this? She didn't even say anything. I thought to myself.
'Well of course she didn't say anything,' I argued with myself, tears running down my face and falling into my lap. 'She couldn't stand hearing what you had to say you fucking idiot, why can't you keep your mouth shut like you always do.'
I had to stop, self-depreciation was not something I liked to do; no matter how dumb I felt.
After a few minutes I calmed down and started my car. Pulling out of the parking space I got a text on my phone. I didn't bother looking at it, too focused on getting away. I was pulling the car out of the parking lot, which made it where I had to drive towards the mall entrance the get to the exit.
I was at a stop sign, getting ready to turn out, when I noticed Fiona standing just in front of the sliding doors at the entrance of the mall. She looked at me and I looked away, I didn't want her to know I'd been crying. I turned and began driving towards the main road so that I could get on the highway and head home, but the mall parking lot was crowded with people and other cars also trying to leave or enter.
I was trying to maintain my composure when suddenly my car door opened and Fiona got in the car.
"Hey, Brooke, what the fuck?"
I guess now that it was just the two of us she could be more vocal and assertive.
"What?" I asked, trying and failing to hid my annoyance with her right now.
She is my best friend so of course she feels okay just getting in my car and of course she is okay with cussing at me when I do something stupid like run out on her. I choose to ignore it though, continuing to drive as if nothing happened.