Lizzie

I try really hard to ignore Brandon as we drive. Not ignore him per se, just, you know, try not to take in his slightly muscular arms, the tattoos that run up his arms, the fact that one of them says, Lizzie. It was his first one. God knows what his first serious girlfriend will say about that. Before I can stop to think, the words come out of my mouth as he drives steadily along the road, takes a left and starts pulling into Mason's breakfast diner.

"How you going to explain that tat to your steady girlfriend?"

"Huh, what tat?" He asks as he carefully parks. His pickup truck isn't exactly small, but he's a good driver.

"That one. The one that says, Lizzie." He looks down at his arm, the pickup now in park, and removes the key from the ignition.

"Nothing, why?"

"Only if it were me with a guy and he had a girl's name permanently inked on his arm, I think I'd be a little jealous." I bite my lower lip, I know I'd be jealous if it was some other girl's name on Brandon's arm. I'd want to cut it out with a knife.

"Lizzie baby." He drawls. My stomach churns again for about the fifth time since I've been sitting in close proximity to him. I feel myself blushing again, with strange things going on down below. Yeah, okay. So what? He is turning me on, and there isn't a damn thing I can do about it. I told y'all already; it sucks being a teenager with raging hormones and crushing on your best friend.

"We are always going to be best friends. Even when we're separated at college. Ain't no girl who is gonna take your place. Do you understand?" He looks so serious as his eyes literally bore into mine. Now I know that I have gone beetroot and very hot. I'm getting hotter than a raging furnace. "Always and forever, Lizzie. You know that. So what. If they don't like it, I ain't gonna be getting it removed nor having a new tat over it. They either accept it or they can jog on." That's it. His words melt my heart; they melt my insides. I am a pile of mush. If he asked me to walk over hot coals, well I know I would.

"Okay." Is all I can say. What else can I say? He's right; we will always be friends. Forever and for always. We made a promise to each other when we were just five years old; we pricked our index fingers one day in my tree house and pressed our fingers together. We promised to be best friends forever and for always. Nobody would separate us, nobody would drive us apart nor stick a wedge between us. We are bonded, our blood has mixed and he has my heart. I only wish he felt the same way about me as I feel about him.

Brandon ruffles my hair then pulls playfully on my ponytail. "C'mon, girl. Don't be so daft. Besides, I ain't going to get serious with some girl. It's not for me. I've got college to focus on and playing for the Aztecs, then who knows. You know I want to get into the big leagues. I haven't got time for dating and all that love-emotion crap. No way, siree." He starts to get out of the truck.

My heart takes a nosedive. So I guess he doesn't love me after all, and there I was hoping with all my heart that there was a remote possibility he could love me back. Love me the way I love him. Helplessly in love. Fearlessly in love. Crushing on him every second of every minute of every hour of every day, of every month and of every year since I was so young.

I first realized I was in love with Brandon when I was about eleven, and now I'm in my senior year; it has only deepened, and with that has come this need to have him, to be touched by him, to be kissed by him. Like I said. It. Is. Frigging. Killing. Me.

"You coming?" He shoots his head back inside. I nod and step out of his pickup and follow him into Mason's breakfast bar. It's a quirky joint, all brick and wood on the outside with a large timber door. The sign is black slate with white paint on it in large capital letters, MASON'S BREAKFAST BAR. Old man Mason has owned the joint for longer than my daddy has been alive. Rumor has it that old man Mason is in his eighties. Well, you wouldn't think it to look at him.

Sure, he's an older guy with dark hair laced with grey, a white beard and moustache and a jolly face. He is always chosen as Santa Claus at the local town Christmas festival, and he plays the part well. He's rotund and always wears a flannel shirt. Everyone loves Mason.

He has two sons; one is a lumberjack in Connecticut, and the other helps his dad run the business. Jed is the one who stayed, and Jeremiah left to be with some cousins running their mill. He comes back to visit his dad a few times a year.

I trail behind Brandon, watching his cute butt as he opens the large door and steps inside. The interior has slate floors and a long, wide wooden bar. Tall wooden stools are placed in front of the bar, and old wooden tables dotted around inside have seen better days.

"Where have you been?" Shouts out Lilly from a corner table, where she is sitting with Denver and Tobias, who has his head bent down and his mobile in his hand. No doubt he is either reading the news, catching up on some nerdy game, or reading, as I do sometimes when I'm using my phone. "We ordered pancakes for all of us, coffee and a latte for you, Lizzie."

"Thanks, Lilly. Morning all." I say as I pull out a chair and sit down. Brandon pulls the one next to me out, sits down, and I can't help but notice his long and lanky legs that he stretches out in front of him.

Jed comes over with a tray of mugs and a large pot of coffee. The creamer and sugar is already on the table. He places a dainty pink china cup in front of me with the green tea bag still in it. Just the way I like it.

"No sign of Tammy then?" I ask. Denver and Lilly shake their heads.

"She wasn't in a good way last night. We had to put her to bed. She was out cold. To be honest, I don't think she's going to make it in today." Brandon lets out a long breath, I sigh, and Lilly looks like a frightened rabbit. We're all extremely worried for Tammy. Our beautiful princess, the girl that could have everything in life. I notice that Tobias doesn't look up. I know he's thinking about her, he's liked her since we were all fourteen and it kills me to see the hurt in his downcast eyes.

"Let's eat, and then I guess one of us has to go and collect her for school. That means one of us is going to have to be late and suck it up." Nobody says anything.

"I'll do it." Says Brandon. My heart bursts that he is being so unselfish. I then feel his hand squeeze my leg. I crush even more on him and fight the desire to lean over and kiss his smooth cheek. I smile. It conveys a thousand words and then some.