[CONTENTID1] Best Friend and Something else [/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2] Lalisa is my best friend and protector. Ever since kindergarten we've been friends. We met in school and have since then never left each other's life. As much as she annoyed me with her decisions in life, I was always a call away for her. Until she got involved with some 'cool kids' in school, our time together was cut shorter and shorter until it was non-existent at this point. We were already about to start our second year of college, I've moved on from her and her ways, if she didn't want to be friends, then I can do that too. I was fed up with her antics, she was almost always drunk even if it was a school day. I wondered now if I should still invite her to my debut party. Turning 18 years old was a hassle, I had to plan all of these things in a matter of a few months. Make it perfect and memorable when all I wanted was to stay home and lounge around my room, maybe watch a series from Netflix. First year, second term are almost over and I've heard that Lisa had already dropped or failed a couple of subjects. I can't help it because I was helping our professors check some papers and I can't help but overhear that Lisa was at an all time low with the professors. Almost every professor hated her and her smug demeanor.

I almost wanted to in and tell them, I hated what she's become too. That I get she's upset with her Dad cheating on her mother and her mother finally breaking free and finding another man to love. Uncle Marco loved Lisa truly as if he was her own Father. The big Santa Clause of a man that he is turns into a puddle when it comes to Lisa. Lisa had him wrapped around her fingers, giving in on almost every one of Lisa's whims. This was a long time ago, her mother and father separated first when she was 8 years old, then got divorced when she was 12. While I understood her pain, I don't understand why she always had to resort to drinking even if all these things are in the past and there was nothing she could do to stop both parents.

It was the weekend before our finals, I was studying in my room and preparing for the final exams and at the same time planning my 18th Birthday Party. Things like who to invite and who not to invite and such. I had other friends aside from Lisa, true friends that never left me even if the going gets tough. I was still mulling over whether I'd invite Lisa or not when my room's door opened and when I turned back to see who it was, it was her. My best friend Lisa smiling like there wasn't anything wrong. Like our friendship still existed. My brows furrowed into a frown at her pressence.

"You can't barge in to my room and my life as if nothing ever happened, get the out of my house now." I screamed at her.

"Hold your horses will you? I'm here to apoligize, I've been busy." She said calmly and entered my room and laid on my bed.

"Come here." She said.

I was not going to fall for her antics now, I shook my head no and stayed rooted from where I am standing.

"No. Please get out of my house and never come back again. You are not welcome anymore in this house." I replied to her.

She looked at me, hurt with all of the words I just said. She approached me and I backed away. I can smell her breath wreaking of alcohol. My nose scrunched up at the smell and was almost about to throw up. Apart from alcohol, she also smelled of cigarettes.

"Come on, Rosé. Just cuddle me please." She said her words a little slurred.

"I don't want to and I never want to cuddle with you ever again. You lost that privilege when you started to ditch me." I said, my words are laced with venom and pain if being betrayed and left alone.

"Please?" She said taking another two steps in front of me and I backed away two more steps until my back hit the wall.

She saw this and took me by the waist shielding my back from the wall. I pushed her away naturally.

"Can I take a bath first? Then let's talk?" She asked me a little groggily.

"You can't because all of your clothes aren't here anymore, I sent them back to you a month ago. Besides, can't you see I'm busy?" I reasoned with Drunken Lisa.

"Now, if you'd excuse me, I need to get back to work." I followed up and walked past her to my table.

I gathered my things and was about to transfer to a different room when I felt her hug me from the back, her arms strong as ever. I stood stiff at what she did. As far as I am concerned we were no longer friends, so holding me this way won't work anymore, cuddling with me in bed was a privilege she long lost when she decided to ditch me. I know cuddling was for couples only, but she was my childhood best friend and she was like a twin sister to me. We almost did become twins at one point, we wore the same outfits with out even planning to. I felt my back grow wet as she still hugged me from the back. She heaves and whimpered softly.

"I'm sorry Rosé. But I can explain everything and finally come clean to you." She said.

"You have five minutes to explain. After this, please go home." I said to her.

She wiped her tears while still hugging me from the back with her other hand.

"I am in love with you Rosé, that was why I avoided you and found new friends, I couldn't tell you because you are my best friend and I don't want you to think that I am taking advantage of the fact that we are best friends. I can't take it anymore okay? I don't want to stray far away from you. Not anymore and not now that I actually had the guts to confess to you. I drank the sorrows away all this time and I did drink before coming here, because I know I won't have the gall to show up in your home. It just... It hurts to be far away from you and I will do anything in my power for us to be okay again." She said.

"First thing you need to do is get your act together, I heard from some of the professors that they've already dropped you for not showing up even once. Ace the finals or never and I mean NEVER show your face again." I told her as I unlatched her arms from the hug.

She never stopped me, so I got into my closet and gave her a towel, one of her shirts, undies and shorts that I kept to myself holding out for the possibility of her coming by and wanting to sleep over, I tossed the items to her and I said.

"Take a bath, your toothbrush is still in the bathroom. You wreak of alcohol and Cigarettes. Are you smoking now?" I asked eyeing her.

She shook her head no and replied.

"No, ma'am. I've never smoked, I've been offered to but I chose not to. The house where we drank are smokers though." She replied.

"Second, never ever touch any alcohol ever again. I'm serious Lalisa Pranpriya Manoban!" I widened my eyes at her to intimidate her.

"Go before I change my mind." I said to her.

My Mom and Dad are currently out on vacation to another country and Lisa always had a key of her own to our house, so she didn't need to buzz our doorbell. She nods and quickly got into the bathroom. This left me to myself, thinking about her sudden confession. I still couldn't believe that she confessed her feelings for me and how stupid could I be not to notice her and her feelings? Did I honestly expect her not to fall for me when I was the one who made time for her and gave her parts of me, she shouldn't have. The parts where I am vulnerable. Another question popped into my mind, was I reacting mean to her because she has hurt me time and time again? Was it just me being her friend or did I do those things to spite her to provoke her from confessing? Do I love her the same way that she loves me? Was I ready to be with her more importantly? I know my parents are cool with me having a girlfriend, what concerns me are people from school.

After about 20 minutes, Lalisa got out of the bathroom and was already dressed in her home outfit. She went to my bed and dried her hair using the towel while she sat. I helped her dry her hair or to say, I stood in front of her and dried her hair myself, gently rubbing portions of her shoulder length hair. Her head was down and her hands around my waist as she helped me steady myself. Once her hair was dried I stopped to hang the towel on the drying rack at the back of the bathroom door. Once I got back to my room, Lisa was laying down in my bed, cradling her head.

"Have you had anything to eat just yet?" I asked her.

"No, I haven't yet. The last time I ate was yesterday in the evening and then went on a drinking spree until this morning." She said lazily.

"Alright, go ahead and sleep, I'll be at the kitchen preparing lunch for us." I replied to her.

"Rosé. Please cuddle with me for a few minutes." She said sulkily.

I heaved a sigh before climbing back into bed with her, she assumes the big spoon position, her arms automatically went to both sides of my waist, she held me close to her chest. I felt her heart beating faster like the previous times we've cuddled. She sang a song from an unfamiliar artist, one I've never heard of before.

Oh I'm obsessed
With the way your head is layin' on my chest.
How you love the things I hate about myself
That no one knows, but with you, I see hope again.
Oh I'm a mess...
When I overthink the little things in my head.
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