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Beth sat at her desk studying for a biology test when her phone started to ring.
She looked at her phone and felt fluttering in her stomach when she saw that Rick, her best friend and the boy she secretly was in love with, was calling her.
She wondered why he was calling her at almost 12am. This Saturday night he, Courtney, Henry and Yolanda had gone to some party that a popular girl at school was throwing. They begged her to come with them but Beth told them truthfully that she wanted to study for the big Biology test coming up on Tuesday.
Rick had pulled her to the side after they told her at lunch, “Hey you know I can stay with you if you want while you study?”
Beth smiled appreciatively at him, “Thanks Rick but really it’s okay! Y’all go and have fun! You guys deserve a break.”
Rick looked at her still unsure, “So do you Beth.”
“Don’t worry I’ll take some some breaks and hang out with Chuck!”
Rick frowned when he heard Chuck’s name and moved away from Beth to head to class, “Fine. I’ll see you later.”
Beth’s eyebrows scrunched in confusion before she brushed it off and headed to class.
Now in her room, Beth picked up the phone and was met with the sounds of muted party music.
“Hello?” She asked.
“Bethhhhh” Rick slurred.
‘Oh gosh he’s really drunk’
“Hey Rick! Are you okay?”
Rick hiccuped, “No. Im not fuckin okay Beth.”
Beth sat up, “What’s going on? Do you need me to head over? Where’s Court and everyone?”
Rick groaned into the phone “Yes I need you Beth. I need you so badly.”
Beth paused, confused.
‘Rick doesn’t sound in pain. He sounds...’ she stopped, not allowing herself to think that.
“Rick, where is everyone?”
“Ugh they’re inside. I told them I was gonna get some air. It’s so fucking stuffy in there Beth. All those people and none of them are you. What’s the fucking point?”
Beth’s heart skipped a beat at his words and she felt herself relax realizing Rick was truly fine and just had drunk too much.
She giggled, “Rick you’re very drunk be careful. Stay with the squad!”
“I’m fine they know where I went.”
“Okay that’s good.”
“Good...” Rick slurred again, “Beth I’ve been good. “
“Oh?”
“Yes. Very Good...”
“What do you mean?” Beth asked, confused.
“Girls have come up to talk to me. They talked. Yeah they did,” Rick paused groaning “but it didn’t sound anything like when you talk I promise.”
Beth had to hold her mouth to stop herself from laughing.
‘I should tell Rick he can talk to anyone he wants to, but honestly I don’t want to’
“Oh okay” was the best response Beth could come up with through her stifled laughs.
“Have you been good?” Rick said almost in a whisper
Beth’s eyebrows drew together in confusion, “What? I’ve been home studying so yes?”
“Studying. Yeah studying. That’s what you said. But Chuck’s there too.”
“Rick” Beth said laughing “Chuck isn’t a real person. He’s an AI.”
“Yet somehow he manages to take your REAL time away from me” Rick frustratedly grumbled through the phone.
Beth still taking this all as a joke continued to laugh, “Rick you’re officially not making any sense.”
“I just wish you were here with me and not with him.”
Beth placed her head on her desk. Willing herself to not interpret what he was saying incorrectly.
‘He’s drunk Beth. He’s drunk.’
“Rick...”
“I fucking love you” Rick slurred interrupting her.
Beth’s heart beat sped up and she couldn’t even find words. Tears filled her eyes because this was all so unfair. Her best friend was drunkenly telling her the words that she always day dreamed he would tell her.
‘But he’s just drunk right? Yeah he probably barely knows what he’s saying.’
Beth sighed, “hang up, and tell me this when you’re sober”.
“Beth you don’t love me do you?” It was the clearest he had said anything on the phone tonight.
“Of course I do Rick. You’re my best friend and I want you to be safe. So go back inside and stay with everyone.”
“Okay Beth, you know I’ll do anything you say.”
The phone hung up and Beth got up laying her head in her pillows. Willing the tears to go away.
It was 9am when Beth’s phone rang again waking her up from the pillows she had accidentally cried herself to sleep in.
She sat up and groggily reached for the phone and saw Rick’s name again.
“Rick?” Beth answered the phone worriedly.
“Hey Beth” he sounded completely sober, “I’m sorry if I woke you up.”
“It’s okay. Are you alright?”
“Yeah um I’m at your door. Can I come up and talk to you?”
“Actually my parents are probably home right now…”
“Oh yeah. Fuck I’m sorry. I’ll just go”
“No it’s okay!” Beth quickly interjected, “Um do you have your hourglass with you?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay give me like 20 minutes and be ready to catch me.”
“Always.”
Beth quickly got ready and 24 minutes later she was pushing her window up. She looked down, saw Rick, and let herself fall.
She free fell and landed in Rick’s arms. “Got ya” Rick smirked. Both of them laughed remembering the first time Rick caught Beth like this a year ago.
Rick softly sat Beth down on her feet and she led them to the neighborhood playground.
They both sat side by side on the the swing set in silence.
She tried to think of something to say but could tell Rick was trying to work up to something. So she just swung a little bit on the swing before Rick grabbed her swing making it stay still and then twisted it so she faced him.
“I’m sorry about last night Beth.”
Beth let out a slight laugh trying her best to make light of the situation, “It’s okay! I’m surprised you remember anything.”
“I remember most of it. Enough to have a general sense of what I said to you.”
“Rick, you don’t have to explain its really okay-“
“But I want to Beth. Since it’s out there... I need to.”
“Rick seriously it’s-“
“Beth”, Rick interrupted, “I don’t expect you to love me and I’m sorry if I ruined our friendship by telling you but fuck I’m so happy I did because keeping it to myself has been awful. You told me to tell you when I was sober. Well here I am. I’m in in love with you Beth. ”
Beth stared at Rick with wide shocked eyes suddenly wondering if she actually woke up, “You’re in love with me?”
“Yes” Rick didn’t break eye contact with her at all, his eyes heavy but determined, “I just wanted you to know that everything I said was the truth. Even my jealous ravings about Chuck. Embarrassing I kn-“
Rick was cut off by Beth’s lips pressed against his. She felt him reach up and cup her face softly kissing her back.
Beth never imagined she’d get to feel the fireworks of kissing someone she loved in high school but here she was completely electrified. Beth‘s hands laid on Rick’s knees, she felt them shake slightly underneath her fingertips as he kissed her back.
When they separated Beth leaned her head into Rick’s chest. She felt his heart jumping against her ear. Her heart drumming in tandem. Tears filled her eyes again, this time happy tears. Beth looked up as Rick softly ran his hand up and down her back.
“I love you Rick. With all my heart I love you.” Beth confessed.
Rick smiled, she’d never seen him smile with pure joy. It took her breath away, he looked so beautiful.
They kissed again but had to separate because both of them kept smiling like idiots, making it hard.
Rick held Beth’s hands in his own. She asked him with a giggle, “So are you gonna stop being jealous of Chuck now?”
Rick let out a snort, “Chuck makes you laugh in ways I can only dream of doing.”
Beth softly stroked his fingers, “But you, you make me happy in ways I only dreamed of being.”
Rick relaxed and leaned his head against hers smiling, “Well shit Beth when you put it like that…” and kissed her again.