Always With You - A Best Friends To Lovers Novel

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

Bowie

It was snowing outside, and although I didn't like the way the flakes melted immediately as they hit the ground, I hoped that soon the streets would be covered in snow. Not only the thought of that made me happy, but the graded exam I had last Monday which I received this morning added to my happiness.

100% was written in bright red, and I couldn't help but stare at it since I received it back from the professor. The exam itself was difficult, but thanks to River helping me study, and Ford giving me those old notes, it was easy for me to answer and solve every single question.

"That's one hell of a gorgeous smile. Why so happy this morning?" River stopped in front of me as I was walking down the path on campus to get to my next class. I looked up at him, grinning like a fool.

I held the paper up to his nose, and he grabbed it with a chuckle. As he saw the mark, an even bigger grin spread on his face and he wrapped his arms around me to pick me up. "I knew you'd crush it!" he told me, letting me back down and cupping my face with both hands.

"Congrats, Bow. I'm proud of you," he whispered before leaning in and kissing my cheek. His lips were warm, compared to my cold cheek.

"Wanna walk me to my next class?" I asked, and of course, River nodded.

But as we started walking along the path, I heard someone call my name. I turned to see Ford jogging our direction with a bunch of flowers in his hand.

"What the hell," River muttered, and I nudged his side to make him shut up. "Play nice," I told him, and when Ford reached us, he held out the flowers to me. They were wet because of the snow, melting on top of them, but they were still pretty.

Flowers weren't really my thing. I'd much rather have him bring me a few vinyl records. "What are these for?" I asked, trying to sound more excited than I actually was. I hadn't spoken to him in a while, but he often stared at me when I was close to him on campus.

Ford looked at River, then shifted his gaze to me and smiled. "I've been thinking about you a lot lately. I know I messed up, but I want you to know that no matter how much you don't wanna hear from me, I still wanna show you how lovely I think you are."

Ford seemed like a changed man. First, he tried to force himself on me, then he apologized, and now he's somewhat stalking me. I bit down on the inside of my cheek and eyed the flowers he was still holing out to me.

"I don't think she cares much about what you think, man," River said, annoyed.

Ford ignored him, keeping my eyes on me, and waiting hopefully for me to take the flowers. "These are...nice, Ford. Thank you," I said, finally taking them out of his hand.

"I was hoping you'd give me another chance. A second date. We can go wherever you want." As he was talking, River reached for my hand which wasn't holding the flowers, and I loosely linked our fingers.

He was silently telling me not to agree on a second date, but I didn't need his opinion on that. It was my choice, and I knew exactly what I was going to tell Ford. "Thank you again, Ford. But I don't think a second date would change the way I feel about you."

Still, Ford looked hopeful, and I hated to be the bad guy to tell him off. "You can have him take you home after. I don't care," he said, nodding toward River. "Just let us get a drink."

River's fingers squeezed mine, and I pressed my lips into a thin line. I tilted my head to look down at our hands. River was standing slightly behind me, and my hand was pulled back by him.

As I looked down, Ford's gaze followed mine, and soon enough, his face fell. "I don't get it. You guys are not dating. Why the hell won't you give me another chance?" He sounded frustrated now, and I looked back up at him to find a deep crease between his brows.

"He's my best friend, Ford," I explained, carefully choosing my next few words. "You're a nice guy...but I don't have enough space in my heart to let another guy in. Not right now," I told him, hoping that was enough to make him turn and leave.

What River and I had was special. Unconditional love. And whenever I thought about a guy that was not River, I knew there was only a very small chance for him to become more than what River was to me.

After what felt like minutes of silence, I smiled up at Ford and tilted the flowers at him. "Thank you for the flowers. I'm sure we can get a drink someday at the bar. As friends," I added, making it very clear to him that I was not going to date him. Or any other guy.

Ford looked at River, slowly nodding, and then turning his gaze back to me. "I hope he makes you happy," he said, then left. Not sure he got the part where I said River's my best friend.

I watched him walk away, and while I thought the situation was kind of sad and slightly awkward, River was more than pleased with it all. "Next time you turn someone down, try to be harsher on the guy. You were way too kind." His amusement was not to miss, and I nudged his side once again before starting to walk in the opposite direction of Ford.

"You're way too pleased with yourself, Riv," I laughed. River didn't let go of my hand, instead, he interlocked his fingers with mine.

"Aw, come on, Bow. You have no idea how nice it is to hear you talk about me the way you just did."

And I liked talking about him that way. Only thing was...if we grew older, and I never let anyone else this close, I might end up alone with a few cats and a wine addiction. But I still had time, right? College had only begun, and there is plenty of fish in the sea.