A lesson in romantics

As friends, the relationship is simple. However the two being simple was an insult to what they had. And regardless of what they believed, they were in love. And once you fall in love with your friend—that will be the death of you.

Prologue

It had beginning to feel tedious, to be near each other. Just once more another day. Through weeks it had always been on schedule—the two had never missed a beat. For they would wake up, endure breakfast and quality conversations about nothing and everything all at once. Then they would share thoughts scattered during the school day. And after, they would drive home together. It was all so normal—all so easily predictable. If by any chance a slight change would surface to their lives, they would speak of these changes so lightly, as if change is normal and do not affect them. They trusted each other's words enough to believe in external words. However, the trust hadn't spread thick enough to understand each other's internal thoughts. External words didn't do internal thoughts justice.

Eli and Clare hadn't found much interest in these changes. For they were just internal. They felt as though these thoughts were nothing, they felt nothing important. However these thoughts began to course into emotions, emotions beginning to flow within their body—urges, beginning to turn into actions. The actions, can be as little as a smile—a longer stare than usual. These actions can turn from a smile—to closer bodies, to a kiss, to so much more. Change had the power over the two.

"Is it possible," Clare stared out the window as Eli took a turn, the car smoothly making its way out of the school parking lot, "that two friends could fall for each other?"

"Depends," Eli's eyes were straight—focused on the road as he pushed the gas pedal with a bit more pressure, "How deeply?"

"What? I would just assume there's one level."

"Falling for each other, and then never completely fall, or really fall for each other? Eli glanced at her, although her eyes adverted his, "Because they are completely different levels."

"Really?" She was interested now.

"Well yeah," he nodded, "You can be falling for each other, which is usually what happens to most people, but that doesn't mean anything."

"I suppose falling for someone is rather fickle," Clare suggested.

"Falling for someone takes no skill. It just happens. Just as easily as you can fall for someone else. It doesn't mean you're going anywhere." Slowly he pressed on the brakes, stopping at a red light. They caught eyes. Green to blue. He spoke once more. "Completely falling for someone, now that's love. That's something else."

Clare contemplated her next sentence, forming words in her mind and breaking the sentence back down. "Both. Can two friends do both?"

"Friends can definitely fall for each other." He stared at her. She bit her lip before looking away, it took force to not turn his lips into a smirk. Her lack of comfort around him was such a slight pleasure—he wanted to further push it. "Why's that pretty little head of yours worrying about something so juvenile?"

"Well now I'm more interested in how you know so much about falling for someone."

He shifted in his seat. His eyes lowered, regaining back his position in the conversation—the need to push her began. "Something on your mind, Clare?"

"Something on yours?"

The light turned green, and within the silence, the honk of the car behind them went off. Silence broken, and intensity lowered as Eli proceeded to drive the car. However they both knew, the conversation was not over.