"Mary! Mary!" I deep voice called out my name.

Slowly, I turned around; as soon as I did, a mouth reached mine and a hand held the back of my head. I opened my eyes. Pulling away from the kiss, I yelped, "Cory! You're back!" "Yup. and in time for graduation!" "I know! I'm so glad you are!" I flung my arms around his neck in a tight embrace. His hands came around me waist and he picked me up and twirled me. "Let me down!" I chastised lightly. "Why? Why should I?" "Because... of Andrew, you know that!" I pushed him away so we stood with 2 feet between us.

"Andrew... Why does he have to be included in every decision you make? What about me?"

"Ugh. That's selfish."

"Anywa--"

I cut him off by pointing in the opposite direction he was facing.

Once Cory turned around, I ran up to Andrew, who was the one I was pointing to.
"Andrew! Look! Cory's back!"
"Whoopie..." he said, in a sarcastic tone.
"See you tomorrow at graduation!" I called over my shoulder as I lead Andrw by his arm out into the summer heat.

"You could be nice, you know."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"But he... and I..."
"Yeah... I know. I KNOW! This is so hard, Andrew."
"I'm sorry," he said quietly.
"I'm sorry, too."

I wipe a bead of sweat from my temple with my arm and rush everything out of my system, feeling uncomfortable all the while, "I think... I think we should just stay as best friends forever. I mean, like..."
Andrew cut me off, "Yeah, I get it."

"No! Let me explain!"

But Andrew had already started uphill towards his house at a faster pace.
"There's NOTHING to explain when you like another guy!"
"BUT I DON'T I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT I'M GOING TO NOT DATE CORY EITHER!" I scream at the top of my lungs, watching Andrew stop and whirl around.
Suddenly, he ran towards me. I stood with my hands on my hips, glaring at him.

But soon, it was a whirl of hot air and Andrew's lips against mine. I kissed him back because I felt guilty about the Cory thing before Andrew showed up.

"Ok, now it's all gonna be neutral; none of that boy war going on between you adn Cory."

Andrew shrugged and hugged me. "Okay, okay..." I say before shoving him off and sending him home. I watch as he opens his front door and goes in.

I walk the rest of the way home in silence, wondering if Cory would be harder to please about this sudden decision.


* * *

SCHOOL


There's 5 minutes left before the lunch bell. Cory's by my locker leaning in pretty close. I close my eyes, keeping my feelings under check. I loved Andrew as a BEST BEST BEST friend, but Cory was my boyfriend type.

"Cory..."
"Mary?"
"I think I should tell you this before anyone else does..."
"Sure, go ahead."
"I told Andrew..."
"No..."
"No, I didn't tell him THAT, but I told him I wouldn't date you or him..."
"What?"
"Sorry! I couldn't have him be unhappy... I thought maybe this might work between us."
"Oh, so his feelings matter and mine don't? You don't care about how I feel about you? You're just going to blow that off because--"
"STOP!" I nearly scream it out.
"If you're going to be so... so--- like THIS then I DEFINITELY don't want to be yours. I don't get why you can't be happy that AT LEAST I'm doing my best to not hurt anyone's feelings!"
"You're doing a GREAT job!" Cory yells that at me sarcastically before slamming my locker. I muffle a scream before storming off to the girls' bathroom.

Wiping away my petty tears, I use toilet paper to blow my nose and check the mirror for any signs that I cried. Walking out of the door, I notice Andrew leaning against the wall next to the girls' bathroom door. "Hey," I say weakly.

"Hey to you too." He walks over next to me and kisses the top of my head, but I bunch is shirt in my fists and pull him into a furious kiss.

Then I burrow my face in his shoulder and cry silently.

When I finally calm down, we're sitting with our backs against the wall. "You hungry?"
"No."
"Neither am I."
Silence.
"Right after you're fight, Cory went and beat up a freshie."
"Did he get *hiccup* suspended?"
"Not sure, but probably."
Ilaugh a laugh that even sounded cruel to my ears.
"You hurt him pretty bad."
"Oh, so I made you happy and you stick up for Cory now? I don't need you right now. I think I'll go outside."
"No! Mary! Stop! Wait! I didn't mean it like that!"
"So what are you trying to say, Andrew?"
"I'm trying to say that you are the most annoying, beautiful girl and I think you should go ahead and go out with Cory."
"This annoyingly beautiful girl is furious now because if you had said that earlier, THIS!," I point to my puffy, red face, "never would have happened."
"Oh, geez. I'm not saying this right!" He scratches the back of his neck and pulls me toward him in a hug. Leaning his head down, he kissed me softly before breaking our embrace.
"Now go talk to Cory. He needs you."
"I'll always need you, Andrew. You'll always be my gentleman. I'll go with you tonight to that party Katie's hosting." "Thanks, Mary." Then I turn around and walk down the hall towards who knows what fate, but I'll brave it on because I know Andrew's backing me on this and I finally have someone to whisper, "I love you" to. "Mary!" It's Cory. I run up to him and jump, my lips match his and we're in a passionate kiss that's wild and carefree.