Taste The Rainbow

A Pool Party And Slipped Secret

A Pool Party And Slipped Secret

*I'm coming over.*

I roll my eyes at Anthony's heartfelt text.

*Oh, sure, that's fine. Thanks for asking.*

I hit send and realize he probably won't realize that I'm being sarcastic. In any case, I sigh and wait for Tony to get here.

I bring some food and drinks outside to the pool. I set up the lawn chairs for seating and tables so we won't have to sit on the ground.

No more than twenty minutes later Tony comes out to the backyard since he has a key to my house.

"Hey, Bri." he greets, plopping down on a lawn chair.

"Hey, any particular reason you wanted to come over?" I question though I'm silently grateful that he did come over. Not more than a year ago I realized I had feelings for him that aren't the type of feelings a friend should feel for their friend. Although I tend to ignore the feelings, because there's no way he would go for me, he's not the relationship type.

"I wanted to ask your opinion of the new girl, Dee," Tony explains, looking up at the night sky. I blink and tilt my head to the side curiously.

"I don't know, she seems okay, I guess. If you're into the preppy type." I add a bit menacingly but he doesn't seem to notice.

"You think she would go for me?" He questions and I stare at him for the longest time, trying to comprehend this. Tony isn't supposed to be the relationship type

That's the entire reason I never made a move on him, I knew -- or rather thought -- he would never commit to a relationship. That's just not who he is, he doesn't do relationships.

"I don't know, probably not," I mutter, my irritation and pain creeping towards the surface. He looks away from the night sky to glance at me in hurt confusion.

"Why not?" He demands, biting his lip a bit, a nervous habit he's had for years.

"I just don't think you're her type, but there are a lot of people that would go for you." I add, forcing myself not to add 'and I'm one of those people'. He snorts and his eyes flicker back to the sky littered with trillions of shining bright stars.

"Really, like who?" He probes, his voice filled with a bitterness I've never heard from him before.

"Well, I mean, I don't know off hand." I lie, glancing away from his face to look at the sky also.

"Exactly." He mutters. I swallow and glance back at him, wondering what he would do if I did make a move on him.

"I mean it, there's a lot of people who would go for you." I force myself to say, ignoring the urge to make a move or tell him how I feel.

"You're just saying that because you have to." He replies and something in me snaps. A damn breaks and before I realize it I'm doing something I've feared doing for the last year.

"No, I'm not," I growl before reaching over and taking his hand in my own. His eyes snap to put entwined fingers than to my own eyes.

"Bri..." He trails, sounding uncertain but I continue, despite the small voice in my head yelling at me to stop now before I ruin everything.

"I'd go for you, would love to try to have a relationship with you, if you want," I add. When he doesn't speak and just continues to stare at me I pull my hand away from his, a sinking pit starting in my stomach. Though, before I can pull my hand away from his completely he clasps it in his and smiles.

"Well, s**t, Bri. You should have said something sooner. I only mentioned Dee because I wanted to see how you felt about me." He mumbles, glancing away from my eyes but still smiling. I grin and throw myself at him, wrapping my arms around him tightly as joy fills me, dousing the fear and rejection I felt moments ago.