She loved to watch him. His graceful form, the way he smoothly hit the ball, his agility on the court, everything. Whenever she went over to his house, she took her place relaxing on in the driveway and watched him practice. Usually she loved it.
Except for today. Today was the last day she would see him.
"I still can't believe you're moving across the country." She finally said, breaking the semi-silence.
"Yeah, I know." He said in between serves. "But I have to go. I can't back out now."
"That's what you keep telling me."
"Cheer up, Big Sis." That was his nickname for her. They were best friends since childhood and were like siblings to each other. Since she was older, she often made him call her 'Big Sis'. "Remember," He went on, "If I don't like it-"
"You'll come back." She finished. They had been through this several times before. He was leaving her for a tennis academy across the country and if he liked it there, there he would stay. Forever.
As much as she wanted him to be happy, there was no way she could be happy while he was gone. He was her everything. Her best friend, her brother, her protector, her sanctuary and most importantly to her: her lover.
Except for that last bit. The "lover" part he was clueless about. He knew every other adjective she had for him, but not the last one. He had no idea that she was head-over-heels in love with him. She had come to realize it a while ago, but just wasn't sure if he felt the same way.
More than anything, even more than wanting him to stay, she wanted him to love her back. However, chances are, he didn't. He always went on about the girls he liked and it killed her.
Most people would be yelling at her right now saying "Do it! Take that risk! Tell him already!" but they don't know how she felt. She was terrified. She couldn't see into the future, and was quaking in her boots. She didn't know what was going to happen and was scared of it. Just like always. As much as she loved him, she treasured their close friendship more than anything in the world. Anything. It was her prized possession, that friendship, and she didn't want to lose it. Because she knew that if she did, she would die.
"So what was it you wanted to talk about?" He asked as he put his black and red racket back on the garage shelf.
Here it was, her chance. Her one opportunity to tell him. Her one time to not have any regrets. She couldn't let this slip away.
"Uh, about that..." She started, her throat constricting and her heart pounding. "I just needed to - to tell you something." The fear began to settle in the pit of her stomach and she could feel the need to hide somewhere overpowering her. "I-I-I-I lo-love.... y-you." She barely managed to stammer it out in a quiet, tiny whisper.
Dry silence swept over the both of them as he processed this. Here she way, his best friend, admitting she loved him. He just didn't know what to make of that. Thoughts bounced around his head for what seem like hours.
When he spoke again, a single tear fell from her face and landed on the cold concrete floor.
