Naomi wouldn't call herself oblivious.

In fact, she'd argue that intentionally ignoring obvious hints to bask in the bliss of ignorance is a healthy emotional decision. It's not denial, it's just avoidance. It works.

Unfortunately, Naomi would be wrong.

She is wrong when she excuses the linger of her eyes on a certain raven as a habit of observation, or attributes the spark at the brush of a hand to transfer of electric current.

She tells herself the cacophony in her stomach is because of hunger, and the warmth in her chest is a case of cholesterol.

None of it is, though. It's just the simple pull of blue eyes that's disrupting her trail of thought, and reserved smiles that heat up her cheeks more than she'd ever admit.

It's Bennett, to be exact - and Naomi never thought she'd find herself unable to differentiate between platonic and romantic feelings.

She does what she always has - reads to find an answer.

How to Differentiate between Love and Friendship - WikiHow.

1. Take a closer look at your feelings

Naomi spends time considering her emotions, the intensity of them when applied to her other best friends as opposed to one particular best friend. There's chemistry in both, and there's care and strong feelings.

What there isn't though, she lets herself realize, with a vow to suppress whatever awakens - is giddiness. She's excited when she's talking to her friends, but she isn't giddy.

Their eyes don't make her feel special. Appreciated, yes. Seen and heard, too.

But like she's one of a kind and the most beautiful thing they ever saw? Not really.

2. Notice physical reactions.

That's slightly harder, because Bennett's relationship with touch is weird, and Naomi is pretty sure he'd notice if she tried to assess every small gesture of physical contact.

"Maybe you become nervous or flustered," The article says, and a voice that sounds annoyingly like Jordan agrees.

3. Compare the relationship to others.

She has, multiple times. It's what's kept her back from letting her feelings develop, or acknowledging what's already developed - she doesn't want them to come between her friendship. Not her and Bennett's, or her and Declan's, or her and Jordan's.

Though, if the blonde ever asked, she'd say yes to cutting ties just to watch him bring out the dramatics.

Naomi sighs, it was going to be a long fall.

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"Oh my God, Bennett's high out of his mind."

Jordan sounds too giddy for someone whose best friend is staring at him with eyes blankly absent of recognition.

"We don't use that term," The doctor corrects him, "He's just on the pain meds. The anaesthetics cause temporary memory loss, but it should all be fine by tomorrow."

Declan nods at him, and the doctor leaves, leaving the three alone to circle around their best friend's bed - the same friend who had a sudden decision to get his wisdom tooth removed and only told them when the hosptial said he'd need someone to sign for him, indicating they'd take him back home as he'd be too high to drive.

High on medications, that is.

"This is the best day of my life," Jordan giggles, stifling a full laugh as Bennett tries to reach for something on the table, and fails, making a water bottle fall to the floor.

Naomi takes pity on him, and quickly gives him what he's looking for. He stares at her owlishly as their hands brush, forehead crinkling in concentration.

"Who are you?"

He doesn't remember her.

Jordan fails to contain himself.

"I'm, uh... I'm your friend. Naomi."

"Naomi," Bennett repeats after her, drawing out the syllables like he's testing them, "Pr'tty name."

His voice is muffled from the cotton ball in his mouth, placed there to stop the blood, and if Naomi's surprised why the nurses haven't gotten alarmed by Jordan's booming laughter.

"Pretty name for a Pr'ty girl."

Jordan stops. Declan was already stationary but he makes a surprised motion. Naomi stops.

The clocks in London tower stop. Prince Philip stops singing in his grave and Michael Jackson stops teaching Emperor Akbar the moonwalk in the afterlife.

The world stops.

"Did Bennett just," Declan is the first to start again, like the very first creations did all those years ago, "flirt?"

"I think he did," Jordan talks like he's scandalized, "He called her pretty. Naomi? He called you pretty."

"I heard Jordan, I was present."

"Well, are you the past now? Because I could be your future."

"Jordan I swear to God-,"

Just like that, Bennett's medicated slip up is forgotten by the two guys. But it lingers in Naomi's mind, a skipped syllable in a word he's never called her before. She wonders if he has thought it, and decides that hoping for the same definitely crosses the platonic lines she set for herself.

"Who are you two?"

Bennett's question interrupts them, and they turn to see that he's pulled himself up in a seating position.

"I'm Jordan, your sugar baby- Hey!"

He's cut off as Declan places a hand on his mouth, but he's Jordan, so you can't blame him for licking the brunette's plam, making him pull away in disgust.

"Don't mind him, he's just Jordan."

"Yeah, the sugar baby you've been neglecting to get a tooth removed. Now can you Venmo me one grand for some dild- mffffumfff."

Declan decides that spit on his hand can be washed away, but memories of what Jordan says can't. So he makes a sacrifice for the greater good.

"I'm Declan, he's Jordan."

"Are you two dating?"

"I'd rather die," Declan says, at the same time as Naomi lets out an affirmative "Yes." He looks at her with betrayal in his eyes before turning back to Bennett.

"Ignore what she said, but no. We aren't dating."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

Bennett moves his hands around in the air, and accidentally knocks off a small container with extra cotton balls in it. He huffs at his small catastrophe, and carries on.

"She's pretty. I can't ignore 'er."

Naomi is glad they're in a hospital. If she gets a heart attack, there would at least be a cardiologist on call.

Not that she would, a serious attack doesn't really happen to you in such trivial cases unless you're a 2014 Wattpad teen fiction protagonist.

"Okay, buddy. I think you should just not talk till you remember everything. You're killing Jordan, which is like the one aim of my life, so I can't let you."

Naomi is thankful for Declan's interruption, and silently cheers as he maneuvers Bennett to lie down again.

Her heart definitely doesn't melt when the man on the bed gives her a smile.

The next day, when it is all recollected by an embarrassed Bennett, he goes to apologise. Naomi laughs it off, calling his worry silly as they make their way to the couch, plopping down to start a movie.

If Bennett falls asleep halfway and she moves so he can rest his shoulder comfortable in the crevice of her neck, it's no one's buisness.

If she holds him close when sleep hits her and falls into the soft couch with him, really, don't you have better things to care about?

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author's note

Me : so what if I simultaneously worked on 3 books while in the most crucial time of senior year. Seems fair.

anywho let me know what you think, and comment and vote if you'd like to !

hazel <3

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