Page 29 of Welcome to the Friendzone

“You don’t have to be sorry. It’s all okay. We’re good.”

“You don’t hate me?”

“No, I don’t hate you.”

His features softened and he looked relieved.

“Are you still my friend?” His voice was small, as if he were scared to speak the words out loud.

“Of course, Oliver. You’re still my best friend. Let’s pretend this never happened, okay?”

She shot him a shy smile.

“Okay.”

Deep in his heart he didn’t want to pretend that this never happened. Marta had parked him in the friendzone after she confessed she felt the same way but still she kept him at arm’s length and didn't want him to be close.

What should he do?

Kiss her again?

Forget that it happened even once?

His heart was bleeding because of the rejection although he was relieved that he hadn’t lost her.

A burning sensation in his heart made one thing very clear for him:

He’d fight to get out of the friendzone.

I don’t want to lose you

THEN

Fall 2021

“Come on, go on a date with me,” Oliver begged.

“You know how ridiculous that sounds, right?”

“It’s not ridiculous. I just really want to go on a date with you. You can’t deny the chemistry between us, Marta. The longer you do it, the more depressed you’re gonna be when you’re finally ready and I‘m off the market.”

Instead of taking his argument seriously Marta burst into laughter. They were sitting on the couch in the community kitchen, a bowl full of popcorn on Marta’s lap, while watching the animated version of “Arielle” on the big TV in front of them.

“Why are you laughing?”

Oliver looked at her, in surprise. It wasn’t exactly the reaction he’d expected.

“You've barely been going out because you've been babysitting Butch for ten years now. When would you even meet another woman? Don’t get me wrong, you’re a handsome, funny, and charismatic guy, but that doesn’t mean anything when you can’t show it to someone.”

She clapped her palm on Oliver’s thigh before grabbing a big handful of popcorn.

“That’s pretty mean, you know that?”

“Yeah.”

“Seriously Marta…”

Oliver grabbed the remote control and paused the movie, getting a loud sigh in response.

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