'Loving is the easy part'(short story)

'Why do you have that expression on?' He asked his childhood best friend who could as well pass for a boy. Sophie tried to focus on anything other than the piercing look in Dan's eyes as he waited for a reply. When that didn't seem to work, she averted her eyes to the two children no more than five, trying to out run the other in a popular game of 'I call on'. How she missed the days when Dan and her would chase each other round the streets shouting at the top of their young unstable voices. She remembered how he would try to dissuade her from jumping all those huge gutters and how she would call him a chicken for not being as brave. No younger than the children currently in sight, Dan and her had begun their friendship and spent the better part of their childhood in each others company.

So why was she finding it difficult looking at his beautiful brown eyes? She knew the answer to that. She had done the unthinkable and fallen head over heels in love with are best friend. Could she be any more cliche than that? She thought...

'What expression?' She finally replied. Dan knew he felt more than what he should for Sophie as far as friendships went. He had been meaning to voice his feelings to her but always balked when he thought he could do it. He knew Sophie had never had a boyfriend because of the permanent frown she always carried around. Knowing Sophie well enough, it was all for show. With her baggy sweats and all those sport Jerseys( courtesy of her brother Andrew) she constantly wore, one could mistake her for a boy. The 'approach me and you die look' had always discouraged guys who saw beyond her baggy clothes but not beyond the facade she had created.

Weighing his words carefully, he said 'You look like you just swallowed a glass of lime juice'. I just told you i plan on asking Cynthia out, because i think she likes me'. 'What do you think?' He said watching her, trying to gauge her reaction. He noticed the slight twitch on her mouth and his heart leapt in his chest. 'Well' she began 'You know i hardly get along with the girls in school but Cynthia looks like a nice sort..i mean go for it if she is truly who you want' she said the last part in a slightly rushed manner.

The bubble of hope that had begun to rise in Dan, suddenly melted 'If you say so' .

Making to stand up from where they had been sitting, with his hands outstretched to Sophie in a bid to help her up, her back pack suddenly fell open, spilling the contents of the bag. In the midst of the chaos , Dan singled out something, something he thought she would have discarded by now. Something he himself had all but forgotten about till now.,
His beaded wrist band. But..hadnt he..She said.. Looking confused he stared at it so hard that Sophie noticed this and suddenly had a look of embarrassment on her face and something similar to ..wait shyness?.No way ..Sophie shy?.'Uhm Sophie,why do you still have this?'
'I couldnt throw it away after i misakenly dragged the strings and caused it to come loose'
'So i uhm .kindofpiecedittogetherhoping togiveittoyouwithaproperapologyintow'
Dumbfounded by her reaction, Dan could hardly make anything of it because Sophie only rushed her words when she was nervous. Notwithstanding, he understood her enough to know what she had said.
'You mean to tell me that you had the patience to look for every tiny missing piece just because..?'
'I was going to give it to you as a birthday gift'..ehh ..Surprise?!'
'Why'..
'Why would you go through the trouble?'
Sophie looked at him as if he was looney . why should he be shocked..didnt he know she would go to the ends of the earth and back for him?
,'Because you are my best friend and i love you'..more than you can ever imagine..she said the last part to herself, or so she thought .
Dan thought he heard wrong. She loves me more than a friend? Trying to probe the truth out of her he slyly asked..
'So you are in love with me ehh?'Sophie suddenly leapt in defence to cover her slip
Scoffing she said'who said anything about being in love with you'
Dan replied with a cheeky, 'oh but i am madly in love with you'
Struck with an emergency speech impediment ,Sophie could all but stare at Dan...'You are?'
'Since the day you allowed me use your flute, something not everyone has the privilege of boasting of'.
'You mean to say you've had feelings for me since junior secondary?'
'And it has grown into a giant mass since then'
Sophie didnt say anything else she just leapt on her best friend of thirteen years laughing and crying at the same time while she ran sloppy kisses all over his face chanting 'I love you too'