Best Of Friends

"5....4....3...2...1" the whole diner chanted before finally shouting, "Happy New Year!!!!" The year 2020 is finally upon us and I couldn't be happier. I got to spend my New Year with my closest. My twin sister, Nancy, and Lionel Jones are my most favorite team in the world. Heck I'd pick them over anything even when it involves Pizza, and I love Pizza more than anything. This year marks a lot of things. The start of our last semester in college, the first part-time-job hunting, the 15th anniversary of our very close friendship and also the second year I hidden the fact that I had fallen in love with my long time bestfriend, Nancy.

"Hey, pouty face," I didn't realize I was in a trance until Nancy called me out of it.

"You okay bro?" Mike speaks up as he has his arm over my sister's shoulder and my sister holding onto it as if it was the most normal thing ever. Well to us, especially to me it's normal since we are that close. Only Lionel is allowed to that though, if it's any other guy I would blow his face up to Kingdom come.

"Uh.. yeah I'm fine I'm fine," chuckling softly as I tried to convince them, but who am I kidding.

"You sure?" Nancy put her hand on my foreheaforehead with a concerned look, "You're not sick or anything right?"

"Yes, Miss Prom Queen I am fine," that name is something I always teased her about since she won hands down but she never really liked that much attention on her. That same statement earned me a good punch to the shoulder.

"I told you not to call me that anymore," she gritted her teeth as she glared at me.

"Owwww.." I rubbed my shoulder with an expression of pain as I looked at her. She is amazingly gorgeous. At prom she had a nice strapless dress that compliments her flawless skin. Her hair was tucked nicely behind her left eat to reveal a long vertical earing and at its top shaped like a bow. I remembered when she was asked to take a picture for our senior, the way she looked at the camera could make any guy swoon.

"Maybe I am just a bit anxious and overthinking as usual," I didn't actually lie about that cause other than thinking about Nancy, I was also thinking about college. But maybe mostly her, and that would be crazy if I had answered that.

"Cmon man," Leo, our nick name for Lionel, puts his arm over my shoulder, "You need to lighten up, don't overthink too much like last semester."

"You couldn't sleep for 3 days straight cause of that project," Leah, my twin sister, ruffled my hair as she says so. For the record, I was just 5 minutes late after her.

"And we had to watch your *** for nearly a whole week after the project finished cause you got sick," Leo added as he playfully punched my stomach.

"This is a new year Dave," Nancy came in front of me and squished my cheeks together, "New Resolution and new attitude, got it?"

"Yes, ma'am," I chuckled as she does so and put my arm over Leo's shoulder, "I'm grateful I got y'all my friends through out all these years ever since we were five."

"Ewww.. You're being too corny," Leah made a grossed out face but joined in as I also put my other arm around her shoulder.

"Oh stop, he's just being honest about himself," Nancy chuckled as she joined the incomplete hug.

"I love you guys," I said so as we group hugged.

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15 years ago

"Dave.. Leah.. why don't you both come down," I remembered mom called me and Leah down from our room, "We have company."

"Yes mommy!!" the two of us answered from our room and Leah took my hand in hers then we both went down the stairs. We were both 7 at the time.

As we both went down I noticed Uncle Ronald and Aunt Susan right away with Lionel following close behind. But this time new faces also appeared after. A man and woman I never met before. And there she was, clutching onto her mom's coat was Nancy with her pink coat on. She was the prettiest girl I have ever seen and I was pretty sure that I became glued to the floor.

"Gary.. Mia?!" Dad's voice boomed from across the living room. I saw Dad walked from the living room and bearhugged the man while Mom hugged the lady.

Leah and me proceeded down the stairs. Leo came over immediately and came over to talk with Leah, but my eyes were fixed on Nancy until mom chimed.

"Dave Leah this is Uncle Gary and Aunt Mia, they are our oldest friends," Mom bends down to my eye level, "Come say Hi."

"Hi.. I'm Dave, nice to meet you," I shyly smiled at both the adults in which I earned a hair ruffled.

"Oh big man huh, Dave," Uncle Gary smiled and Aunt Mia smiled at me as she tapped my nose, "A good and polite big man."

"Hi hi, I am Leah," Leah smiled the biggest as usual when meeting new people which also earned her praises until finally the moment came.

"Dave and Leah, this is our daughter," Uncle Gary and Aunt Mia brought Nancy from behind her, "This is Nancy."

"Hi, I'm Nancy," she was so shy at first but Leah took the first step hugged Nancy which earned some AWWs from the parents. And it was later into the night that I found Nancy and Leo are cousins. Who knew from that meeting, we would become so close until now.

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Now

I smiled like an idiot when remisniscing that moment. From that time till this New Year we been through hell and back. It's honestly crazy. These three people were there when I broke my hand after a motorcycle accident, they took turns and watching over me at night. This continued till I made full recovery. However, anytime I'm about to ride my motorcycle, the most vocal person to always warn me is Nancy.

She would say, "Don't forget your helmet," "Don't forget your jacket," "Watch the traffic light," "Don't drive too fast," and it goes on. I really appreciate her for that.

I consider myself a lucky guy as I look at them after our group hug. I can consider myself a lucky guy to be surrounded by such company of people who I can trus and rely on many times.

"There you go again smiling for no reason," Leah observed my face yet again, "Are you sure you okay?"

"Jeeezz sis can't a guy smile for once," I laughed as I squished her cheeks.

"Yeah, leave him...." Nancy was about to finish her sentence when she stopped midway and looked behind me. Then she waved with one of the biggest and sweetest smile I could have ever seen. I looked behind me to find her boyfriend, Nathan Riley.

Nathan and Nancy have been dating for about two years now. He is one of the smartest people in College and knows how to present himself, but what I envy about him is that beneath all that he is a very gentle and genuine fellow. He is very friendly and kind as well, makes me hate myself whenever I would feel jealous about him having Nancy as his girl. And cause of Nancy, he has become quite close with our circle. I can honestly say he is a nice person. As much as I hate to admit, Nancy couldn't deserve a better person. But I still do feel jealous cause he got Nancy as his girl.

Funny how I realized what I felt about her a day after Nathan asked her out. That moment I felt jealous for the first time because he actually made her smile in a way I rarely see. With Nathan is the only time I can see her smile that big.

------------------------------------------------------2 Years Ago

"Pass me the sauce," Leo called out as he was mixing the ingredients for our dinner tonight. Nancy who was in charge of chopping some onions handed him the sauce while Leah was making pastry. And I was video taping them. We are having a once a month home cooked meal, the place could be different depending on who's turn it was to host the place. This time it was my turn and Leah, the both of us rented an apartment.

"So Mr. Park, what are you making?" I zoomed in onto Leo's face as he mixes the ingredients.

"I am making Le Special Leo's irresistable Bolognaise," making his expression as he kisses his finger.

"Assuming it doesn't taste like last time," Nancy whispered to the camera.

"Hey come on I got some practice," he replied back confidently, "You will be asking for seconds."

"Aight bro," I patted his back with a chuckle, "You better back that up." With that last statement, I moved on to Nancy.

"Well Miss Nancy Drew," its a nickname I teased her with all the time since she is obsessed with Nancy Drew series, "What are you making?"

"I am making some chilli," she winked at me, "It's your favorite."

"Heyyy I heard that, how come you never make special food for me," Leo lashed out.

"Or me," Leah out of nowhere appeared right near my head.

"Ahhhh!" I almost dropped my camera due to her sneaky action, "Don't do that... How many times do I have to tell you that?"

She rolled her tongue at me and turned to Nancy, "I'm beginning to think, Nancy is playing favorites."

"Heyyy come on I love you three equally and in my defence, you're both gonna enjoy what I cook anyway, right?" She flipped her back in such sassy confidence that I can't help but laugh. It's true, out of three of us she is the best cook. No food she made ever tasted 'not-good'.

The three of us looked at each other and nodded at the same time, "Yeah." In which all four us laughed in the end.

Soon after that moment, Nancy's phone buzzed. Leah who was closest to the phone, widened her eyes and covered her mouth. She said, "No friggin way!!" She picked up Nancy's phone, "He's callingggg!!"

I looked at her phone to see the caller ID. It said Nathan Riley. And Nancy who saw that gasps, "Oh my gawd!"

Quick as a flash, she took the phone from Leah's hand and sped off to the living room. Nancy took a deep breath before answering the phone, "Hello."

My eyes were wide open by that moment as well. I didn't know she had his number. I do know she has a crush on him though, well three of us do. But to know her getting a call from him just blows our mind. We've been encouraging her to talk to him because she had his number since the last two weeks.

Leo, Leah and I peeked from behind the kitchen wall to at least eavesdrop on her conversation. From what we observed, she is pretty smitten. Her cheeks are turning a tinge of red, she's playing with her hair, biting her lip and a big smile plastered across her face as she talks on the phone. "Yes!!" her voice went high pitched for a moment there before she re-responded, "Yes, I'll see you at 7 then. Bye."

Nancy slumped to the sofa and grins widely as she stares at her phone. "So? What happened?" Leah almost made me jump when she asked from right behind us. She approached Nancy and sat right next to her.

Nancy abruptly turned away from her phone to look at Leah. "Nathan just asked me to dinner tonight!" Then all heck breaks lose as the two ladies squealed and jumps around in the living room. Nancy's smiles was bright and she was genuinely happy.

"Oh Gawddddd!!" Leo throws a sofa pillow them both, "This place is small enough already girls, you're killin us."

"Thanks bro for the notice about the apartment," I said nonchalantly as I headlocked his head.

"You're welcome man! Brothers watch each others, back!" he laughs on until Nancy and Leah stands in front us with two sofa pillows.

"So we're killing you guys huh?" Leah stated as she pats the pillow in her hands.

"We should make sure you're dead then," then Nancy added.

"Wait wait no this isn't fair," Leo tries to break free off my grip but I wasn't having it. Hence the ladies were able to hit him with the very pillows they're holding.

All in all every one of us was enjoying a good time in each others' company. We had a good pillow fight before continuing our cooking the next. But beneath all that fun and bonding time we had, something was bothering me inside. The very idea of Nancy meeting Nathan tonight made feel upset. And at that time I have no idea why I felt that way.

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Now

The same smile I see that day, two years ago, is still the same smile I see today. Nancy runs over to greet Nathan with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. And again that feeling of being upset boiled up inside. But one thing I do know is that I cannot let it show to her, Leo, Leah or even Nathan.

"Hi, guys," Nathan comes over with Nancy clinging her arms around his waist, "Happy New Year!"

Leo and Leah give him both hi-5s. I honestly was so reluctant to give him any response due to the immense feeling of jealousy coursing through my mind. And yet for Nancy, I'll do anything. I gave him a hi-5 too with a smile.

"Happy New Year man," I said so as I sometimes would look at Nancy's arms around his waist.

"Hey uh Nancy, you're gonna kill him if you squeeze him too hard," Leah stated jokingly which made Nancy blush and immediately tracting her arms off. 'Thank you Leah,' I smiled a bit but it turned into wonder when I see Nancy blush. It is a very rare sight, the only time I ever saw her blush like this was when she took pictures with her favorite singer, Leroy Sanchez at a fan meeting sometime ago last year.

"Haha its fine Leah," Nathan says as he laced his hand with Nancy's, "And would guys like to join us to eat, I know a killer 24 hour Sushi Restaurant nearby."

"Sure! Been so long since I had some Sushi," Leah chimed in immediately, food is her forté, "You in Leo?"

"Heck yeah I'm in, Sushi is to die for," Leo immediately answered, these two are made for each other when it comes to food.

"I'll take a rain check guys," I have no idea why I said that immediately out of nowhere, "I just remembered I needed to do something."

"Awww come on Dave," Nancy pleads, "It'll be fun, please?" When she pleads, that's always a killer move.

"I know Nance," my other nickname for her, "I'm sorry I can't go, and Nate sorry bro but thanks for the offer."

"You sure you can't come?" Nathan is a nice guy for rereal, "They serve the best Salmon sushi."

Shoot. Nancy must have told him about that. But this time, for some reason I still refuse, "Maybe next time, thanks man. You guys go on ahead, I'll be fine."

"You sure?" this time Leah approached me and looked at me straight in the eyes, giving her back to the other 3.

"Yes I am sis, you can go," I try to be as normal as possible.

"Alright," then she lowered her voice, "You better tell me what's going on when I'm home." And I can't escape. She just knows what's up even when I try to lie. "Don't wait up bro," she winked at me. "Let's go, guys." With that she led the other three away almost immediately before they can say anything.

Nancy waved at me and I waved back with a smile. If only she knew why I refused to go this time. It's friggin sushi and I just blatantly refused. I watched them disappear from the crowd of people still celebrating the New Year. I let out a sigh in the cold evening at Town Square New York. It sucks that starting this year, I had to see someone I grew to love with someone else.

'What a way to start the Year,' I said to myself as I walk away from the Square to find my car. To escape the cold night and maybe enjoy some alone time.

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