I look at her and she’s amazing, I can’t take my eyes off of her. How did someone this perfect even exist? I feel like I’m dreaming every time we’re together. I like her so much that it’s hard to even pretend that I don’t. I mean look at her, what isn’t there to like? She’s beautiful, smart and funny. She just has this aura to her, she draws people in. There’s never an awkward moment with her because she’s so nice to everyone. I look at her and I feel like the luckiest person ever to even call her my friend.

It was the way she looked at me that made my palms sweaty.
It was her playful and crazy personality that made me excited.
It was the way she stood close to me whenever she was tired. 
It was the way she encouraged my crazy ideas that had me completely head over heels for her.

“If you were going to be a baby why did you buy tickets already?”
We’re standing in line for the haunted house and I’m losing my mind. Why did I even buy these tickets?

“You said you wanted to go… I thought it would be fun but now that we’re here…”
I didn’t want her to just WANT to do or go places, I wanted her to be able to experience them and I wanted to be the one to give those experiences to her.

“It’ll be fun. I’m so excited; Mark, Jinyoung aren’t you guys excited?”
She stood in the middle of the two and looked at them, then back to me. She was so excited and it was so cute that I almost forgot we were about to enter this haunted house. Actually… the ‘we’ was only supposed to be me and her but she kind of asked about Mark and Jinyoung so it ended up being the four of us – just like how it’s always been…
Mark, Jinyoung and I have been friends for so long, so long that we’ve pretty much became a packaged deal; we’ve always had the same group of friends. Back then I didn’t mind, I mean they’re my best friends, we’re like brothers almost. But now that we’re older I don’t want to keep sharing.

“I’ll protect you Jackson!”
She jokes as she puts herself in front shielding me.

“I’m the man, I should protect you! Plus you’re so tiny, what’re you going to do to anything that pops out? With a simple push you’ll fall down already.”
She turned and gave me an annoyed expression. I tried to keep a straight face but she was so cute I couldn’t help it.

“Come on, let’s go.”
Mark came and placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her forward with him. The way he held onto her and the way she placed her hands atop his made my heart skip a beat. Did Mark like her too? If he did he wouldn’t have told me or Jinyoung so there was no way of knowing. You see, the thing with Mark is that he’s pretty much perfect; he’s like every girls’ ideal type. Every girl I’ve ever liked, liked Mark, and because of that I always felt second best… But don’t get me wrong, even though those girls like Mark, he never dated a single one of them because we were friends.

“Jackson, come on.”
Jinyoung waved me over to where the three were waiting. Mark still had his hands on her shoulders and that weird feeling in my chest became more prominent.

“What were you doing still over there?”
Her arms were crossed but Mark was still holding onto her. At the sight up close I felt my throat become dry.

“I was thinking about something.”
Thinking about the possibility that my best friend might like you and you might like him too.

“About what?”

“About how I’m probably going to regret this in the future.”
I looked up at the haunted house, there were about four stories. The deal with the ticket prices was that if we made it through all four floors and back out, then we get our money back.

“Don’t worry, I’ll hold your hand?”
She adorably held out her hand and of course I took it. Being able to hold her hand even though I’m scared as will probably make it more endurable. 

“Jackson, you can open your eyes now.”
I couldn’t remember anything anymore after we entered the haunted house holding hands. I just remembered screaming a lot.

“Well… at least you got your money back. To be honest I didn’t think you’d make it out Jackson.”
Jinyoung teased as he casually placed his arm around her shoulder – there went my heart again.

“To be honest, me either.”
I breathed a sigh of relief as I looked at her.

“Jinyoung and I have to open the shop tomorrow so Jackson will take you home okay?”
Mark hugged her tightly and pinched her cheeks as if she were a baby.

“I’m glad you finally got your haunted house experience, goodnight!”
Jinyoung hugged her too, just as closely as Mark had. Again, there was that tugging at my heart. It’s not even that I have to right to be jealous or anything since I haven’t even told her that I like her yet. It’s like I’m jealous for no reason.

“I’ll see you guys at home then. Drive safe okay?”
I shook both of their hands and they were off.

“Thanks for the haunted house experience. You didn’t have to, but I’m very appreciative that you did.”
She linked her arm with mine and I swear my heart was on overdrive.

“I told you, I always got you!”
She always took it as a joke but I sincerely meant it; I wanted to give it all to her.

“I know and I keep telling you that you don’t have to but really, thank you.”
She leaned her head on my shoulder and I’m thinking how she would ever expect someone to not fall for her when she does little things like this.

“Should we grab pizza? It’s kind of late and I can’t send you home until I’ve made sure you ate.”
It’s obvious she ate today, but I wanted to make sure she kept eating. I didn’t want her to miss any of her meals.

“Sure, why not. BUT you have to let me buy it this time or I won’t eat it.”
She crossed her arms as she looked over at me.

“That’s not fair…”
How could I let her pay for it? I’m the guy so I should pay for it right?

“You paid for our tickets for the haunted house, I can totally pay for a $5 pizza Jackson.”
I didn’t want her to have to pay, but that would be the only way she would eat. I knew better than to test her.

“But I got all the money back, I can totally buy the pizza. Plus, isn’t the guy supposed to buy stuff? How would it look if we walk in there and you pay? People would think I’m a bad guy.”
Yes, I resorted to pouting to try and get my way. But really, wouldn’t people think I was a bad guy for not paying for the food? I just feel like I should…

“Shut up Jackson, it’s not even a big deal. Either I pay for it or we won’t eat.”
Of course I gave in. She had to eat, I couldn’t send her home without making sure she ate.

“Fine, fine, fine. But only this time.”
We walked into the nearby pizza place, she ordered her favorite, a supreme with extra mushrooms. The cashier looked at me, obviously expecting me to pay – I was expecting to pay too – but she took out some cash and handed it over. I already felt bad, the cashier was probably thinking that I wasn’t good enough because I didn’t pay for the pizza. We found a booth and sat there as we waited a few moments for the pizza.

“You see, that cashier guy was totally judging me for not paying for the pizza.”
I complained. If she would have just let me pay then we wouldn’t be having this talk.

“Jackson it’s all in your head.”
Of course she brushed it off.

“First I almost die in the haunted house and then now you didn’t let me pay for the pizza. What am I going to do with you?”
Hopefully date you, soon. Before Mark decides that he likes you back.

“I don’t know, I guess you’re just kind of stuck with me.”
She looks at me through adoring eyes. Is this the moment? Is this the moment I tell her that I want to be with her? That I like her so much that I can barely contain my feelings for her?

“Hey um…”
I’m croaking and she’s looking at me with those eyes again.

“I uhh… I was wondering…”
Why was this a lot harder than I thought? In my mind it played out so perfectly but now that it has come why do I feel like this? Quick, I gotta make up for it.

“I was wondering if you saw Jinyoung’s face when those live actors jumped out; it was hilarious!”
It was an obvious lie; even I didn’t see Jinyoung’s face because I’m pretty sure my eyes were closed the entire time.

“Really? Oh my god I wish I saw it! I was practically holding you the entire time to even be scared.”
She joked. I laughed but on the inside I’m mentally punching myself over and over again. How do you even mess up something like this?

“Pizza, pizza, pizza ~~~”
She coos as our order number was called. I didn’t have the courage to say much anymore, I kind of just sat there and listened and laughed when she talked. It was sort of disappointing that I messed up telling her how I felt. I guess I just like her so much that I didn’t want to mess up, BUT I messed up anyway. Even on the drive home I barely spoke –which is a first for me since I’m always talking.

“Jackson, are you okay? You’ve been quiet like the entire time.”
Of course she noticed, dammit.

“Yeah, I’m just a little worn out from today. I think I’m getting old, I need to sleep more now.”
I’m half joking; I’m just thinking that I shouldn’t have tripped over my words when trying to confess my true feelings.

“Ahh I see. It’s good that you got me home quickly then. Thanks again for the haunted house experience and the pizza, I appreciate all that you do Jackson!” 
She hugs me tightly before getting out of my car. I watch until she enters the house before pulling off. I’m glad that when I got home neither Mark nor Jinyoung were awake still; at least I’d have a moment to myself before I actually fall asleep.

“Jackson how do you mess up at things like this?”

I’m usually a pretty confident guy, how did I mess up with her? I feel like something bad is going to come from this. Was it because I kept thinking about Mark? I don’t even know if Mark likes her or not, and I don’t even know if she likes Mark. I really just don’t want past events to repeat themselves…

But I guess what I REALLY don’t want to happen is that Mark actually dates her this time.
I should get the girl, this time I should get her.