My Best Friend's Boyfriend (Story)[long]

I could not believe it was really happening. My best friend’s boyfriend was asking me to the prom! Ok, he isn’t her boyfriend but he might as well be. She has had a huge crush on him for months. “Umm,” I didn’t know what to say. Scratch that. I knew what to say but I just didn’t know how to say it. “I was planning on going alone actually.”
“Oh,” his face fell. “So you won’t be my date?”
“No.” I answered Jeremiah flat out as I tried to stay calm. This was insane! He wasn’t supposed to ask me! What if Christine found out? Oh gosh. It would kill her. She’s been practically in love with him although she continues to deny it. I don’t know why she tries to; her feelings are so transparent to me. “Why don’t you ask someone else? Like Christine? She might like to go with you.”
“Umm, it’s ok,” he answered. I could see he was feeling more awkward by the moment. “I just thought I’d try and see if you’d go with me.”
“Sorry. I just want to go without a-“ the word was stuck at the back of my throat and I had to force it out. “date.”
“Ok. No lah. Just asking. Well anyway,” he said with forced cheerfulness as he got up from the chair in front of my table. “I better finish my Accounts tuition homework or my teacher will kill me.”
“Alright. I have to finish my add math.” The tension between us was so thick; it was hard to even breathe. He stood in place for a few moments. Bent over my book, I could feel the heat of his eyes on me. Finally he left and I heaved a sigh of relieve as I threw my pencil beside my book.
I couldn’t believe it.
All of a sudden the classroom seemed so suffocating and all together too quiet. With only a few weeks to our SPM examination, all my classmates were busy with their noses stuck into their books. I wished I could run out of class but Jeremiah would know it was because of his invitation. How would I explain this to Christine?
As if my thoughts summoned her, Christine sat herself in front of me with her Chemistry book in hand. “Hi,” she said brightly.
“Hi.” To me, my voice sounded high and weird. I could feel sweat forming on my forehead. Could I do this? Could I tell her something that would break her heart? Or if I didn’t, would I succeed in hiding it from her? “What are you doing here?” I said with a forced joking tone.
“I’m here to bug you like I always do. Besides, I sit here so often it’s practically my seat,” she joked back. Her expression changed into one filled with concern as she peered at me. “Hey, are you ok? You look kinda off to me.”
“Huh? Umm, I’m fine,” I cleared my throat and stared at my add math book. “Just tired. I slept kinda late last night.”
“Uh huh.” I could tell she wasn’t buying my excuse but she left me alone and attended to her own book.
I counted to fifteen and took a deep breath before looking up secretly at her. Her eyes darted left and right as she scanned the pages. Every now and then she would close her eyes briefly. I had always wondered why she did that and often thought it was to rest her eyes until one day she explained it was to picture, visualize, and process whatever she was reading.
I wondered if she knew what had just taken place; that Jeremiah had just asked me to the prom. I wondered what she would say if she knew. My head was a mess even without the help of add math. I didn’t want to hurt Jeremiah by turning him down since he’s a good friend but there is no way I could go with him because Christine likes him. She been saying recently that she doesn’t anymore but I knew she still had some feelings for him. Even if she didn’t like him anymore, I couldn’t go to the prom with a guy my best friend liked! It’s unheard of!
“Confused?” her voice appeared, penetrating my fortress of thoughts and scaring me. Did she know something? I looked up at her with wide eyes. She eyed me with an amused expression. “You haven’t done a single calculation in the last five minutes.”
Relief washed over me. She wasn’t talking about Jeremiah. “Umm, yeah.” I turned the book around and randomly pointed at a question I hadn’t solved. “This one.”
She picked up one of my pencils and started on the question. “This is an easy one.” She looked up at me. “What’s wrong? You’re acting pretty weird.”
“I told you, I’m just tired.” I pulled the book back out of her hands. “I’ll try again. I think my brain’s not working.” I stared down at the question. Add math is the last thing on my mind right now.
“Why don’t you rest for a while?” she suggested.
“Yeah, good idea.” I pushed the book aside and rested my head in my arms. I had to tell her. If she found out herself, she might never forgive me and I owe her that much. But how could I tell her something so awful?
The scene played in my head. I could see myself telling her Jeremiah asked me to the prom right before she has a heart attack or runs out of the class in tears. ‘Pull yourself together!’ I told myself. ‘Just tell her. You have to. After all, they are quite close and he might tell her himself and you’ll be in trouble then. She will find out even if you don’t tell her.’
‘But-‘
‘No buts! Just do it!’
‘How? It’s not so easy.’
‘Just say it. Now!’
I groaned inwardly as the argument takes place in my head. Ok. I had to do this. I took a deep breath, counted to three, then lifted my head. “Umm, Chris? I have something to tell you.”
She flipped the page before looking up from her book. “Yes?”
“Umm, well. I don’t know how to tell you this, but-“
“Just go with Jeremiah. I told you I don’t like him anymore. Yes, I already know. I’ve known that he likes you since last month and yes, it’s ok with me, I don’t mind. Although I know you think it’s weird to go with him because I used to like him, I think you should because he deserves a chance too. Besides, I rather see him at the prom with you.”
I stared at her, struck speechless by what she had just said. Bitch, she already knew!