This is it. Today I'm going to tell Lyn I like her.
This was the one most important thing that Mindy had on her schedule. Today she was going to the mall with Aislyn. Aislyn and Mindy were best friends, and Mindy had feelings for her, but she was just too nervous about telling her. Pathetically, she had been crushing on her since sixth grade, and now both of them were seniors in high school. And still Mindy was struggling with telling Aislyn.
Sure Mindy had been thinking this for a ridiculously pathetic amount of time that she's too embarrassed to tell, but today felt special somehow. And Aislyn and Mindy didn't see each other outside of school very often. She'd have plenty of chances to tell her.
Mindy was waiting at the subway for Aislyn. They were going to ride together to the mall.
"Min!" a voice called. Mindy looked in that direction, and saw Aislyn running over, waving. Her long red hair flowed beautifully behind her in the wind...
Mindy tried to quickly fix up her hair as she turned towards Aislyn. It was plain brown in a single braid down her back, and that was how she liked it. Her hair wasn't nearly as beautiful as her friend's, so she might as well just tie it back.
"Hi, Lyn," said Mindy.
"Hiya, Min," said Aislyn. "How ya doin'?"
"Fine," said Mindy. "You?"
"Good," said Aislyn. "Oh yeah, I was wondering, do you think I should dye my hair? I mean, red is nice and all, but..." Aislyn began to twirl a lock of hair around her finger.
"No!" Mindy cried out, surprising herself. "I like you just the way you are!"
Aislyn stared blankly at Mindy, and blinked a few times. Then she smiled. "Aw, thanks Min."
Mindy breathed a sigh of relief. Aislyn didn't suspect anything.
But then another thought came to Mindy. What if she just kept hinting at her crush until Aislyn figured it out by herself? Then she would save the embarrassment of telling her!
Yes! It just might work!
The subway was packed, so Aislyn and Mindy had to stand. Mindy found herself spacing out, and when the subway stopped near the park, she stumbled and almost fell, but Aislyn caught her.
Mindy looked up and saw Aislyn smiling, holding Mindy by her underarms. "Be careful," said Aislyn. "You have to hold on tight."
"Oh, yeah," said Mindy, somewhat out of breath. She had been sure she would fall and injure herself... She slowly stood up and grabbed the bar again.
The next time the subway stopped, Mindy fell on purpose. Aislyn caught her, again.
"You okay, Min?" Aislyn asked. "You're not too well on your feet today..."
"Um, yeah," said Mindy. "I just... wanted to fall into your arms..." Mindy bit her lip, wondering if she was being too obvious. What if she just sounded weird?
Aislyn stared blankly at Mindy again, then smiled. "Oh, you're so silly, Min."
Did she seriously not catch that?
When Aislyn and Mindy arrived at the mall, they went straight to the clothes and Aislyn started to ask for Mindy's opinions on different articles of clothing.
"Okay, how about this?" Aislyn asked. She held up a couple shirts. "Which is better?"
Mindy shrugged. "I think you look beautiful no matter what you wear," she said. Listen this time!
Aislyn gave Mindy that blank look again, then just smiled. "Oh, really? Thanks! But seriously, which one should I pick?"
Mindy's heart sunk. She pointed at the pink one. "That one."
"Okay!"
Mindy sighed, and Aislyn ran off to the changing room.
Aislyn tried on many other outfits before she and Mindy left the store. Then they went to the Starbucks in the mall. Because Mindy and Aislyn wanted the same drink, they got only one to save money, and shared it.
Mindy sat at the table, and watched Aislyn put straws into their drinks. Two straws.
"Hey Lyn," said Mindy. "Isn't two people sharing a drink with two straws kinda romantic?"
Aislyn stared blankly at the straws, then giggled. "That's funny!"
"Yeah," said Mindy, faking a laugh. Do you not realize what I'm suggesting!?
Mindy and Aislyn walked around the mall with their drink, and passed a jewelry store. Aislyn ran over to the display and pointed at a diamond ring excitedly. "Oh Min, isn't it beautiful? If I get married someday, I want a ring just like this one!"
Mindy nodded, taking a sip of the drink. Then she pulled out her cell phone and took a picture of the ring. In case we're together someday, I should keep this picture to remember what kind of ring to get her, if I have to propose...
Aislyn laughed. "Why'd you take a picture of it? You really like it that much?"
"Well..." said Mindy, thinking over her response carefully, "I might have to get it for you someday..."
"I don't see why," said Aislyn. "But whatever you say!" She smiled cheerfully.
Seriously? She seriously isn't going to question that? I might as well just kiss her, and she'd say something like, "Oh, do best friends kiss nowadays? I need to keep up with the times!" and laugh... Is she really that oblivious?
Then Mindy and Aislyn went back to the clothes. Aislyn finished the drink and threw it away. Then she started to look through clothes again. "Hey Mindy, don't you want to try on anything?"
"No, I have enough clothes," said Mindy. "I looked a little and I don't see anything that really catches my eye."
"Oh, okay," said Aislyn. "Well I'm going to try on this skirt now." She walked into a changing stall, and Mindy stood in front of it, waiting patiently.
"After I try on this skirt, we're leaving," said Aislyn. "I noticed it's getting late."
Mindy looked at her watch. "Yeah..." Then Mindy realized that she was running out of time to tell Aislyn her feelings.
I could tell her any old day... but I should really just get it over with... Hinting at it isn't helping, so I'll just have to tell her straight out.
"Um, Lyn?" said Mindy nervously.
"Yeah?"
Mindy started to fiddle with her hair, a nervous habit of hers. "Um, I need to tell you something..."
"What is it, Min?"
Deep breath. "...I like you."
Mindy stopped breathing for a short time while she waited for Aislyn's response.
"Well I like you too, Min!"
Mindy started to breathe again. She still doesn't get it? "No Lyn, you don't understand! I love you!"
"Aw, I love you too," said Aislyn.
"Lyn, you don't get it. I like you in a more-than-a-friend way!" said Mindy, exasperated.
"What kind of way is that?"
Mindy groaned loudly. "Geez Lyn, you're so oblivious! You really don't know what I mean? You really haven't figured it out by now? Or are you just in denial and trying to think I'm saying something else?" Tears began to roll down Mindy's face. She sobbed loudly, wanting Aislyn to hear it through the stall door.
It was a while before Aislyn responded. "Min..."
"Don't you understand, Lyn!?"
"Min, I... I know I'm in denial, but... well, what am I supposed to say?" Aislyn's voice quivered, and Mindy knew she was crying too.
"I don't know!"
"I'm sorry Min, I didn't realize it until now..."
"Say something, Lyn!"
"I..."
"You what!?"
"I... I..." Aislyn started to cry louder, and Mindy ran away.
Mindy sat on a bench near the mall entrance, her head buried in her hands. This is it. Our friendship is over. I made her cry... Lyn doesn't cry... She wiped at her tears, ignoring the curious glances from strangers.
Then she felt arms wrapped around her from behind.
"Min..."
"Lyn..."
"Min, I'm sorry..."
"Why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything wrong, Lyn."
"You're crying."
"That's my own fault."
Aislyn sat down beside Mindy.
"I don't know why I didn't realize it sooner. It was so obvious all along," said Aislyn. "Remember when I was dating Mason? I honestly thought the reason you were so upset about the relationship was because you liked him. It didn't occur to me that it was me you liked. I never even knew you liked girls Min, and I think that was part of why I never realized it."
"I like boys too," Mindy said. "I'm bisexual." She wiped another tear from her eye.
"I'm bi too," said Aislyn.
"Really?"
"Yup. I don't normally have crushes on girls though. I prefer boys."
"I prefer girls," Mindy said.
Aislyn smiled gently. Then she put an arm around Mindy, scooting a little closer to her. "Let's go to the mall again next Saturday," Aislyn said. "Except this time, it'll be a date. Wanna?"
Mindy's eyes widened. She's asking me out? She's seriously asking me out? "Sure!"
"Cool."
Mindy twitched a little. A thought was nagging at her brain, a question she was dying to ask. "Lyn... do you... like me back?"
Aislyn giggled. "Maybe."
"Maybe as in you don't know, maybe as in you don't want to tell me, or maybe as in you don't like me but won't say it because it'll make me cry more?" I said.
"It's not important," said Aislyn. "It's probably not the last one though."
"Tell me, Lyn!"
Aislyn jumped up from the bench.
"Lyn!"
Aislyn began to walk in circles around the bench, humming.
"Tell me, Lyn!"
Aislyn stopped walking in front of Mindy. "We'll see where this goes," she said.
Mindy raised a confused eyebrow at her friend. "Huh?"
"We'll date and see where it goes from there. Satisfied?"
Mindy broke out into a huge smile and jumped up, giving Aislyn a huge hug. "Thank you so much!"
"It's no big deal," said Aislyn.
"No big deal? I've been wanting to go out with you for years!"
Aislyn laughed. "Everything comes with time," she said. Then she quickly leaned over and kissed Mindy on the cheek. Mindy stared at her with wide eyes.
"Lyn!?"
"What, you embarrassed? No one saw... I think..."
"Lyn!"
"What?"
"Nothing!"