ˢᵖᵒʳᵃᵈⁱᶜ

✧˚.🎀༘⋆

[ friendzoned ]

𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐡𝐞'𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐨𝐲 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲.

So, you can imagine my astonishment to hear from him whilst I was studying. As you quickly wrote down a note for Biology, the phone rang. You lunged forward, clawing at the phone and placing it against your ear. 

He said he'd come over with some video tapes so we'd watch them. 

After ending the call, you were quick to dial in Cher, then Dionne afterwards. 

A night alone with Christian? I sent for reinforcements!

The girls answered, and you barely had to get the message out, before they were barreling through your front door. 

Then Dee, Cher and I had to design a lighting concept. And costume decisions. I don't rely on mirrors, so I always take polaroids. Whenever a boy comes, you should always have something baking. 

"Ugh, my eyebrows are not working!" you whined. 

"Well, I'm trying to even them out as much as I can, Y/N!" Dionne countered.

"Look, you're all flushed," Cher advised, draping your dress for tonight on your bed so it didn't wrinkle. "You have to calm down, okay? Calm."

You nodded, then began to smile. "You know, I am so glad I never did it with someone I had lukewarm feelings for because Christian is brutally hot, and I am going to remember tonight forever."

"Blot." Dionne placed a tissue in your mouth, and when she pulled it back, it had some lipstick stains, so it wouldn't end up on your teeth.

For the special night, you decided to go with a light pink sheer dress, that closely resembled a night gown, with mini strapped heels and a pearl necklace.

"Hi," he greeted when he opened the door.

"Hi," you repeated softly, and Christian stepped inside. 

As you raised your lips to his cheek, he began sniffing, then grimaced, "Is something burning?"

You glanced up in confusion, before your eyes widened, "Oh, my God!" You sprinted into the kitchen, where smoke was pouring from the oven, slipping to your knees, waving the putrid air out of my face with a washcloth. "Oops."

"Aw, honey, you baked," he teased lightly, and you sighed, standing up.

"I tried."

"Come on." He grabbed your hand. "Show me the rest of your pad." For about ten minutes, you led him around the house, before bringing him outside to your extensive backyard, which held allot of stone statues. "Your father has a well-rounded collection."

"Daddy says it's a good investment," you said.

"He's absolutely right." He looked over, gesturing to a statue. "Claos Oldenburg."

"He's way famous," you nodded. 

He then stopped, in awe of well, in my opinion, a not-as-pretty statue. "Ooh. But this is older, see? Transitional. A very important piece."

"Umm." You tried to divert his attention, pointing to the pool. "You want to go swimming?"

"Mm. Let's watch the movies."

"Oh, okay."

He wrapped an arm around your shoulder as you both ventured upstairs, lying on the bed after inserting the movie. You were both propped on your elbows, through Christian was much more enamored by the film than you were.

Christian had a thing for Tony Curtis, so he brought over 'Some Like It Hot' and 'Spartacus'. 

To diverge his focus to you, you bit your lip as you trailed your foot up his leg. He looked at you after a moment, and you simply said, "My feet are cold." He got up on his knees, grabbing a pillow and covering your feet with it. Christian smiled at you, going back to the movie. "Heh, thanks."

"Oh, watch this part. This is good." But you didn't. Instead, you flipped your hair to the side, but that resulted in you falling off the bed, landing with a yelp. He looked down at you with a laugh, "Are you okay?"

"Uh, I'm fine," you shrugged off, sitting up. "Um, do you want something to drink? You know, I could get you some wine."

"No," he denied, then had a thoughtful look on his face. "You notice how wine makes people want to feel, like, sexy?"

"Well, that's okay," you smiled a bit. 

It was as if it had dawned on him, what exactly you were hinting at, but instead of kissing you with passion and claiming his devotion for you as you made love, he instead said- "I'm actually getting tired."

He shot up from the bed, quickly slipping his shoes on. "But I can make you some coffee if you'd like," you offered, following him. 

"Oh, no, thanks. Got the ulcer."

"But you had all those cappuccino's before?"

"Oh. Well, you know, that was, like, uh, foam."

"Right..."

After grabbing his jacket, you and Christian went downstairs. He opened the door, then turned to you. "You're great. We're friends, right?"

"Yeah," you whispered with a nod. 

He smiled, then titled his cheek to you. "Knock me a little kiss." You did so, though you wished you could press one to his lips. "See you."

He left, closing the door behind him, and you leaned against it. "Did I just get friend-zoned?"

I don't get it. Did my hair get flat? Did I stumble into some bad lighting? What's wrong with me?

"-Nothing. Maybe he really was tired," Dionne consoled. You were sitting in her car in the backseat, Murray beside her in the passenger as she drove.

"I suppose it wasn't meant to be. I mean, he does dress better than I do," you sighed. "What would I bring to the relationship?"

"Get back into the right lane- What's the first thing you do?" Murray questioned. 

"First thing I do is I put on my blinker," she answered, but the button she pressed set off the wipers. "Oh, wait. Shit." 

"Watch the road, watch the road-!"

"Alright! Stop!" she cut off. "Then I looked in my mirror. Okay. Then I glance at my blind spot."

The car suddenly swerved, and Murray scolded, "With your head, not with the whole car! I swear to God. I swear to God, woman. You can't drive for shit!"

"I'm not trying to hear that," she fumed.

"Hear me! You-."

"Actually, going all the way is like a really big decision," you interrupted their arguing. "I can't believe I was so capricious about it. D, I almost had sex with him."

"You almost had sex with who?" Murray inquired, looking back at you.

"Christian." He sputtered out a laugh at your response, cackling. 

"What?" Dionne asked. 

"Yo, look! Are you girls blind or something? Your man Christian is a cake-boy!"

"A what?" you and Dionne questioned together.

"He's a disco-dancing, Oscar-Wilde-reading, Streisand-ticket-holding friend of Dorothy, know what I'm sayin'?"

"Uh-uh. No way," you denied, shaking your head.

"He's gay."

"Not even."

"Yes, even."

"He does like to shop, Y/N, and the boy can dress," Dionne added. 

And it was right there, at that moment, that you wanted to implode with realization. "Oh, my God. I'm totally buggin'. I feel like such a bonehead."

"What the hell?" Murray spoke up. "Yo! You're getting on the freeway!"

"What!?"

"Yo, turn right! Get out of the lane!"

"Okay, wait, no, okay, wait-!"

"No, no, no! Forget procedure! Get out of the lane!" You and Dionne began screaming at all the noise, honking and Murray's ordering. "Truck, truck, truck!"

"WE'RE ON THE FREEWAY!" you shrieked. 

"What do I do, Murray?" Dionne sobbed.

"Go straight! Go straight! Go straight!"

"Oh, shit!"

"Just relax and drive, baby. Just relax and drive," he soothed.

"Okay. Okay!"

"I'm here with you, I'm here with you."

"Shut up!" you yelled at a honking car that passed the car. You all started screaming when a group of bikers revved around you, and from the fear, Dionne lifted her hands to her ears. 

"Whatever you do, keep your hands on the wheel at all times!" he taught, loudly, and she frantically placed her hands back.

"I'm sorry, I can't!"

He glanced back at you, doing a quick check-up, but caught sight of the massive red truck behind the car. "AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Dee, right there, to the side!" you ordered over the honks. 

"Go to the right!" She followed the commands, and you nearly cried in relief when you slowly got off the freeway. "Oh, there it is. We're off. Damn. You did wonderful. It's alright, baby. Relax, relax, relax."

"You did it, Dee."

As the girl heaved, Murray gently soothed her, offering her sweet words of comfort. "Honey, relax. Baby, relax. Breathe, breathe. Breathe in, breathe. Let it out. Breathe, honey." She looked back at him, and your eyes widened as you leaned back when the two suddenly locked lips, overpowered by adrenaline. 

Boy, getting off the freeway makes you realize how important love is. After that, Dionne's virginity went from technical to nonexistent. I realized how much I wanted a boyfriend of my own.

The next day, you, Tai and Christian were at the shops, standing on the escalator as you laughed together. Not that Christian wasn't a blast to hang out with. He was becoming one of your favorite shopping partners.

"-And so was the red!" he grinned, and you chuckled. "Um, where's Tai?"

"Oh, she met some random guys at the Foot Locker and escorted them right over there," you informed, pointing at her. "I don't know where she meets these barneys."

"I have a question, alright?"

"What?"

He grabbed a jacket from his shopping bag, and you set your hands on your hips as he held it up to his chest. "The jacket- is it James Dean or Jason Priestley?" he asked.

"Carpe Diem, okay? You looked hot in it," you sighed.

"Really?"

You looked over at Tai's dramatic, and quite cringy, set of words, "If I fall, would you guys catch me?"

Christian faked a giggle and you scoffed, "Could they please be more generic?"

Just as you turned away, her very real scream echoed through the mall. "AHHHHH! STOP IT! PLEASE! Bring me back up!"

You and Christian ran forward, but he got their quicker, heaving Tai up. "Thank you," she gasped, then dashed to you, running into your open arms. 

Christian shoved the man in flannel back. "You asshole!"

"Hey, man, we're just joking."

"Oh, really?" Christian half-yelled. "Someone could get killed."

"Y/N, you don't understand," she panted in your arms. "I was sitting there. And I was just talking to those guys. And then all of a sudden, we were laughing and-."

"Hey, you okay?" Christian asked, now next her.

"Y-Yeah."

"You sure?"

"I'm fine. Uh-huh."

"Let's get you home for some R and R," he smiled as they walked off together.

"What's that?"

Boy, considering how clueless she was, Tai certainly had that damsel in distress act down.

Meanwhile, back at school, everyone was talking about Tai's brush with death at the mall.

"Was it like a montage of all the scenes in your life?" a guy asked.

"Mm-mm, not- not exactly a montage. But it's..."

You watched from afar as you walked forward, wearing a black and pink baby doll top, with a mini denim skirt, silver heels, your Prada purse and some silver Tiffany and Co. jewelry. 

"Hey, Y/N, is it true some gang members tried to, like, shoot Tai in the mall?" Summer asked, coming up beside you. 

"No," you chuckled.

"Oh, that's what everyone is saying."

"Whatever."

"When I was 9, I fell of this jungle gym," the guy started. "I swear I saw this light, you know-."

Tai gasped when she saw you, gripping your hand and asking, "Will you move down for Y/N?"

He did so begrudgingly, and Amber brought Tai back. "Tell me more. Tell me more."

"Oh, where was I?" she asked. 

"You were thinking about what was really important."

"Oh, right, right. Okay, right before you die, your mind just sort of gets very clear. Its- It's a very intense spiritual thing."

"Yeah, I mean, I know when I was held at gunpoint-."

"Excuse me. You were saying?" he interrupted you.

"It's spiritual. I don't know, I can't pinpoint the spirituality of it for you. If you've never experienced anything-."

"Tai," you intervened, and she looked at you. "I was planning on going to Tower and getting something for Christian."

"Uh-huh," she nodded with a smile. 

"You know like some kind of present or something. You wanna come?"

"Sure. I mean, I owe him my life."

"So, I'll get you after school."

"Yeah. Oh, you know what, not today. I'm going to Melrose with Amber."

"We're going to Melrose," Amber smiled, sickly sweet. 

You grinned back. "Um, well, how about tomorrow?"

"Do you think we could do it next Monday? I mean, my week's filling up fast here."

Dionne tapped her shoulder, and the girl turned away from you. "So, when we got back from the IHOP, it was 8."

"Oh, swoon, here comes your boyfriend," Tai joked. 

You looked up at the target, finding...Travis? Why was she being such a bitch to Travis? That was, like, your job. 

"Tai, check it out," he grinned at her, before spitting a ball into the air.

"EW!"

"Hey, could you shove down a little?" he asked with a gentle tone.

"No!" Dionne scoffed.

"Hello, don't the slackers prefer that grassy knoll over there?" Tai sneered, causing the table to laugh. But you didn't. Instead, you watched as Travis' expression fell, though he put on a quick smile and walked away.

"Tai, so anyway, have you ever done it in water?"

"Oh yeah," she nodded to Dionne's question. 

"Really?"

What was happening? Dionne asking Tai for sex advice? Tai being the most popular girl in the school? It was like some sort of alternate universe. 

As you walked to Cher's house that day for a sleepover, you glumly opened the door. Cher told you that she needed to quickly study for the Debate exam, and that you could make yourself comfortable. She also said that Tai was downstairs. As you were walking by the glass doors, your eyes widened when you saw Tai and Dean together. They were playing a game with a small ball, kicking it up. 

You opened the door with a scowl, though it was received as more of a squint of the eye from the sunlight. Tai saw you, and grinned, "Hey, Y/N! You're here, finally!"

"Hey," Dean greeted with a smile. 

"Hello," you bitterly replied, crossing your arms. Dean looked at you with soft yet analyzing eyes, but you completely ignored his gaze, focusing on Tai who was grabbing a box. 

"I gotta tell you something. I'm really sorry about whatever is bothering you, but I am so glad you're here. There's something I gotta do, and I really need you here while I do it. Does this work?" 

"Yeah," you shrugged, turning on the remote-control fireplace. "What is this stuff?"

"This is a bunch of stuff that reminded me of Elton," she answered. "But I wanna burn it because I'm so over him."

"What stuff?"

"Alright, do you remember when we were at the Val party, and the clog knocked me out, and Elton ran and got a towel of ice to cure me?"

"Yeah...?"

"Well, I didn't tell you at the time, but I took the towel as a souvenir."

"You're kidding," you chuckled shortly, and she giggled. 

"No." She tossed it into the fire. "And then... do you remember that song that was playing when we danced? Remember that? You know, Rollin' with the homies."

"Oh."

"Anyways, I got the tape, right? I listened to it, like, every single night."

Just as she threw it, you took it from her hand. "Don't burn that, okay?" You stood up, palming the tape. "Tai, I'm really happy for you, but what brought on this surge of empowerment?"

"It's like, I met this guy who's so totally amazing that he makes Elton look like a loser."

"That is so great," you beamed. 

"Look, you've got to help me get Dean."

"Get Dean what?"

"You know what I mean," she smiled. "I like him,"

You let out a breathy laugh, not believing what you were hearing. "Um, do- do you think that he likes you?" you asked with a stammer.

"Yeah."

"How do you know?"

"Like, little things, you know? Like, he always- he finds some sort of way to touch me or tickle me. Ooh, and do you remember that time at the frat when I was totally depressed? And he asked me to dance with him, and he was really flirty!" You titled your head to the side, reliving all the wonderful moments you had with Dean. "You okay?"

"Yeah..." you mumbled. "Oh, actually, I was really bad today. I had two mochaccinos. I feel like ralphing."

She sighed, understanding. "I know exactly how that feels. Like, the other day, I was talking to Dean, and we were discussing the difference between high school girls and college girls. See, college girls wear less make-up on their face, and that's why guys like them more."

"But, Tai, do you really think you'd be good with Dean?" you wondered. "I mean, he's like, really smart... and sweet... And personally, I don't think you're much into that."

"What, am I some sort of a mentally challenged airhead?"

"No! Not even! I didn't say that," you denied.

"What, I'm not good enough for Dean or something?"

"I- I just... don't think you mesh well together," you tried.

"You don't think we mesh well?" she repeated, then laughed, though it was condescending. "Why am I even listening to you to begin with? You're a virgin who can't drive."

You felt a spring of tears at your eyelids, and you let out a shaky breath. "Oh, that was way harsh, Tai."

She sighed, "Alright. Look, I'm really sorry. Let's just talk when we've mellowed, alright? I'm outtie." She grabbed the box and left the room with a click of her heels, and you rubbed your eyes, standing.

What did I do? I've created some sort of a monster! I could feel the chunks start to rise up in my throat. I had to get out.