"I am on the left!" I bark back, rolling my character out of the way just as a giant axe slams into the stone floor. "Maybe if you actually pulled aggro instead of hiding behind me—"
"I'm not hiding, I'm strategically retreating!"
I bark out a laugh, almost choking as my screen fills with fire. "Strategic my ass! You just left me to tank this thing alone!"
Jacob's cackling, his character sprinting back in like some kind of hero after I've already eaten three hits. "Relax, I got you. Pop a flask, stay alive—NO, don't roll into the fire—"
Too late. My health bar vanishes, and my controller vibrates like it's mocking me. "You've got to be kidding me!" I drop back on my bed, groaning. "I'm never playing with you again, dude. You're bad luck."
Jacob's howling, actual tears in his voice. "Bro, you're the one who panicked rolled! That was all you."
"Yeah, yeah." I respawn, shaking my head. "Next time you're bait. I'll stand back and strategically retreat."
We go again, and again. And somehow an hour turns into two, the both of us swearing, trash-talking, and laughing like idiots every time we wipe.
"So... it's prom night." Jacob suddenly say. "You and Care are going together, right? Are you excited?"
I hold out a long sigh. Here we go again.
Jacob's been on my case about me and Caroline since January, ever since I publicly announced — although it was purely not intentional — that I was going with her.
And it's not just curiosity. He's been trying to figure us out for a while now — what the real deal is between me and my best friend.
I can't even count how many times he's asked if there's something more going on, like I'm hiding some big secret romance from him. He bugs me about it so much it's practically become his favorite hobby. And every time I shut him down, it feels like I'm hanging on by a thread — because there are moments I almost slip, almost blurt out the truth. That I'm in love with her.
But I catch myself. Every damn time. Because if anyone's gonna hear that from me first, it sure as hell isn't Jacob. It's Caroline.
And it's not just him being nosy. It's him fishing. Testing the water. Because deep down, I think I know why he's so curious about whether she's single or not.
"Yeah," I say, still focused on my respawn screen. "I'm excited about prom."
He snorts. "I don't mean prom. I mean prom with Care. You excited about that?"
"Mmm... it's okay."
I let it out flat, casual, like I'm talking about a math quiz instead of the one night I've been losing sleep over. That's the point. With the guys, I never let it sound like anything more than childhood-friend stuff.
Because if I ever made it obvious — if I slipped and showed just how much she means to me — they'd eat her alive. She already takes enough shit just for being my best friend. The whispers, the stares, the way girls shoot her daggers like she doesn't deserve to sit next to me. It's nasty, cruel, and I've lost count of how many times I've had to bite back the urge to tell people to fuck off.
And that's just for being my friend. If everyone knew I liked her as more? They'd triple it. Quadruple it. Caroline would never get a break.
And beneath all of that, beneath every excuse I've ever used—there's the truth I could never say out loud:
I haven't had the courage to admit I'm in love with her, because I didn't know if she felt anything back.
And if I was wrong… if she found out…
I was terrified it would blow our entire friendship to pieces.
So, I play it cool. Pretend she's just "the girl next door." Childhood buddy. The one I grew up with. I act like prom with her is no different than prom with any teammate's little sister.
Meanwhile, inside? My chest's trying to cave in at the thought of holding her all night.
Jacob doesn't drop it.
"You sure you two are just friends?" he presses.
"Yeah," I say. "Been friends since forever. That's it." I keep my voice flat, easy, like there's nothing to read into. Then I toss it back, casual but pointed: "Why do you keep asking, anyway? You interested in her or something?"
