Page 144 of Friends Like This

God help me if he realizes that, I’ll never hear the end of it.

But seriously…am I in love with Aaron?

What the hell is going on here?

“Earth to Rae,” Joel says.

“Sorry. I just—this is a lot. I don’t know what to do with this.”

“You need to be honest with yourself about how you feel and what you want. Then you need to be honest with him. You guys should probably—”

“Talk. Yeah, I know.”

I look over at the four of them getting in go-karts.

Don’t take too long.

What was that kiss? What did it mean to him? What does he want? What do I want?

I think of what everyone has always said about Aaron and me. About how we’re meant to be. I think of the puppy love that grew intopotentialthat we haven’t acted on. Or have we? I know I’m feeling something, even if I don’t know what it is. But what about him? I mean, he did kiss mewith his tongue. And he gave me that incredible speech about love and what I deserved. All the things I’d have one day.

My eyes widen and my stomach twists as I stand there, staring across the field at him. And realization hits. Everything I said I wanted is what I have with him. What I’ve always had with him.

I wanted swoonworthy moments. A boy who looks at me like I’m the only person in the room, who always fights for me, who makes me feel loved and adored, who thinks I’m the best thing in the world, who only wants to see me smile. The one who understands me, the one who knows how amazing I am and treats me that way, the one who loves me like no one else ever will. All of the things Aaron has always done for me, always been for me.

I think of all the moments we’ve shared. And then I think of the first day he held my hand and sent that tingly feeling rolling through my body, the same one I felt tonight. I think of how it made me feel as a kid—how it still makes me feel.

Like I’ve always known him and like I’ll know him forever.

Oh. My. Gosh.

I think I’m falling in love with my best friend.

Holy shit.

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