Friend-zoned in the very worst way possible
It started by trading a few stares back and forth during class over a couple of days. I detected a smile from her as she shyly looked down when she noticed I caught it, her long brown hair covering her face. She made the first move and questioned, "why are you so serious?" She quickly followed up with, "Serious can be good," as though she sensed my sensitivity. When I smiled shyly... I suppose... she literally beamed. Over the next few weeks, she and I exchanged pleasantries but kept our distance. I wanted to say something directly, but each time I was about to, she playfully said, "what!" play-acting exasperation. She smiled and I laughed. "Nothing," I would say and we both took our seats. This happened many times and became our routine. She sometimes touched my arm as she turned away. I was careful not to read anything into this, but each time it happened I looked up what it means when someone purposefully touches your arm and I smiled each time as though I was learning what it meant for the first time, each time.
Two days ago, she asked me what I was doing after class. I literally had no idea what to say but braced myself to say in a deep confident voice, "let's do something together." Instead, I re-found my middle school voice and barely said, "nothing, I guess," in what must have sounded like a childish and apprehensive voice. She laughed, not maliciously, but sweetly and took the cue to say my line, "let's do something (she left out "together"). I suppose I nodded my head because after class we walked across the street to get something to eat (burgers and fries).
Me: "I suspected you only ate health food... like celery."
Her: She laughed confidently and said, "celery is not my friend."
Me: I laughed.
Her: "Are you sure you want to pay for lunch for both of us?"
Me: With a confident laugh, "Don't worry about it."
We talked for a while, back and forth. I was reserved and a bit awkwardly halting, I'm sure. But still...
Her mood suddenly shifted. It was subtle, but I picked up on the seriousness of it and with a telling dramatic delay she said, "My boyfriend and I are arguing so much. I love him so much; I don't know what to do." I felt the air deflate in my entire body. I imagine my face became flushed and I literally felt like I was going to sink under the table. She told me about how she loves him... I didn't hear the rest. I think she asked me if I had a girlfriend. I shook my head, no, unable to form any words. Then the final, fatal, and devastating blow...
"It's so easy to talk to you. It's like talking to my sister."
We finished our meal and she said, "let's do this again." I squeaked, "sure." She ran to the bus stop and I saw her get on as the bus pulled up as if on cue. I decided to walk home.
Two days ago, she asked me what I was doing after class. I literally had no idea what to say but braced myself to say in a deep confident voice, "let's do something together." Instead, I re-found my middle school voice and barely said, "nothing, I guess," in what must have sounded like a childish and apprehensive voice. She laughed, not maliciously, but sweetly and took the cue to say my line, "let's do something (she left out "together"). I suppose I nodded my head because after class we walked across the street to get something to eat (burgers and fries).
Me: "I suspected you only ate health food... like celery."
Her: She laughed confidently and said, "celery is not my friend."
Me: I laughed.
Her: "Are you sure you want to pay for lunch for both of us?"
Me: With a confident laugh, "Don't worry about it."
We talked for a while, back and forth. I was reserved and a bit awkwardly halting, I'm sure. But still...
Her mood suddenly shifted. It was subtle, but I picked up on the seriousness of it and with a telling dramatic delay she said, "My boyfriend and I are arguing so much. I love him so much; I don't know what to do." I felt the air deflate in my entire body. I imagine my face became flushed and I literally felt like I was going to sink under the table. She told me about how she loves him... I didn't hear the rest. I think she asked me if I had a girlfriend. I shook my head, no, unable to form any words. Then the final, fatal, and devastating blow...
"It's so easy to talk to you. It's like talking to my sister."
We finished our meal and she said, "let's do this again." I squeaked, "sure." She ran to the bus stop and I saw her get on as the bus pulled up as if on cue. I decided to walk home.
