The Love of A Friendship

If you think you know what love is, here’s why you’re wrong. From a friend of a friend Sammie and Oliver met, during a time called quarantine. Oliver and Sammie became good friends quickly after meeting each other. They became so close in fact that others believed they were dating at some point. They shared secrets, laughed, and even cried together. 

Freshman year rolled in and Sammie began going on dates and hanging out with boys. At first, it was fine. Sammie would call Oliver when she got home and tell him everything that had happened with her boy drama. Oliver would often make jokes about how Sammie would talk about boys all the time and eventually, he got tired of it. However, Sammie didn't even notice because she was too tied up in her boy drama to even notice if he answered her. A couple weeks later Sammie and her boyfriend broke up. Oliver knew this was his chance to shoot his shot. Oliver had been having feelings for Sammie for a couple of years now and he couldn’t take his patients any further. Oliver and Sammie went to the movies with their friends. Sammie didn’t think much of it, because she had no idea that Oliver had feelings towards her. On the way home from the movies Sammie’s friend got a text from Oliver. “I don’t think she feels the same way.” the text read. Sammie had peeked over her friend's shoulder and saw the text. The whole time her friend knew that Oliver had liked Sammie. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sammie said as her fixated head was still looking at the text. 

“Sammie, there’s something I need to tell you,” replied the friend. Sammie quickly realized what the text meant and she felt completely guilty. Sammie had not yet developed feelings for Oliver and realized what she had just done to him. 

Time passed and still Sammie hadn’t told Oliver she didn’t want what he did. Sammie was also having feelings for another guy, Max. Max had been Sammie’s crush ever since they were in the same math class 7th grade year. Max had given Sammie a shot and she just couldn’t pass it up. One night when Sammie and Max got into a fight Oliver was trying to talk to Sammie. But Sammie was too busy worrying about Max and her. When Oliver felt avoided he lost it. He didn’t speak, text, or call Sammie for 2 weeks. Eventually when he did Sammie had been left heartbroken by Max. She apologized for ignoring him that night and the two returned to being Sammie and Oliver again, well at least for a little bit. The next couple of days all Sammie could think about was Oliver. No other boys, just Oliver. She realized that the only boy who had truly cared for her and been there for her was Oliver. She typed up a paragraph that took her about 30 minutes to make and she confessed how she felt. Oliver was shocked by this and at first, didn’t know what to think. A few days go by and Sammie has thought she has met the love of her life, until Oliver decides he doesn’t feel the same way anymore. 

“I know it's late, and you're probably going to hate me after this but it's not fair for me not to tell you. Sam, I have liked you since the day we became friends. Every late-time Facetime call, every boy drama talk, every dad joke, I have felt a spark with you. But your spark ended after the night you were with Max. I felt so unimportant to you that something inside of me switched and I knew I had to force myself to never have feelings for you. And I will not sit here and force myself to like you. Because if it ends out I can’t get myself to fall for you again, I can’t break your heart like that, so I’m breaking mine now.`` -Oliver 

Months go by. No contact. Sammie and Oliver feel more apart than ever. Rumors are spread, and drama is started. Oliver felt so terrible for ending it the way he did. Sophomore year came around. Sammie and Oliver made new friends and new beginnings. Well until Oliver’s new best friend and Sammie’s new best friend were dating. Sammie and Oliver were often at the same place at the same time, thanks to their friends. It was immensely awkward for Oliver and Sammie to have to be in the same room, and not even speak to each other. One night, the friends went out late at night driving back roads and listening to music. They drove up to Oliver's house because they were hungry. The couple had left Sammie and Oliver to grab some food from the pantry. Oliver's mom had owned a wedding venue in the country. It was a beautiful white barn with a long driveway lit up by sparkling lights stringed on wooden poles. They were waiting in the car when Oliver looked up at Sammie. 

“Hey Sam..,” said Oliver.

“Yeah..” replied Sammie.

“I’m so sorry.” He looked deeply into her eyes. In the past he would often comment about her eyes, how they were a deeper ocean blue with a little green in the right eye and a little brown in the left. 

She looked away because she could tell her emotions were starting to get the best of her. “I’m sorry too,” she said lips quivering.

He grabbed her chin and gently turned her chin.  “Look at me.” He said. She slowly opened her eyes which were filled with tears about to fall. A single tear fell from her cheek. He then kissed her on the cheek. As he backed away from her face, a tear dropped from his eye. 

That night, fate led Oliver and Sammie back to each other.