Six Years Ago

It's official.

In two days I'll be halfway across the country in a school where I don't know anybody. I'm terrified to be so far out of my comfort zone, but Oliver keeps convincing me it'll be a good change.

He promises he'll visit me once a month.

I let myself in the front door of his house, not bothering to knock. I find him in the kitchen making a sandwich. My heart flutters when I hear him humming quietly to himself.

"We're literally about to go out, you really can't wait to eat until we get there?" I scold him jokingly.

"You know bar food is shit, I'm just covering my bases," he responds with a mouthful of food.

Typically I'd come back with some witty response, but he slides a sandwich towards me and I melt. "Softy" is not a term many people would use to describe Oliver. In fact, most people would say he's intimidating and a little frightening. Fortunately for me, he's always had a soft spot for me.

Our dads have been business partners and best friends since before we were even born, so we've spend almost every day together. Naturally, we became best friends, too.

I don't know how I'm going to adjust to not having him around, but for tonight, I don't want to dwell on it. I finish my sandwich, watching Oliver as he cleans up our messes before he walks over to me, holding his hand out.

"Ready to celebrate, my little college student?" he smirks.

I take his hand eagerly.

We Uber to the next town over, intending to meet up with some more friends from school. It was in a sketchy area- Oliver was probably right to not want the food they served out of a tiny kitchen in the back, but we chose it purely because they didn't I.d.

Marley and Mila, her girlfriend, had already started drinking. They were grinding drunkenly on the dance floor, but upon my arrival, Marley sprints towards me, squealing excitedly.

She places a sloppy kiss on my cheek and yells, "I'm so proud of you, Cammie-bear! I always knew you'd go on to do great things!" in my ear.

I notice she starts getting a little teary eyed. I just laugh and wipe away the stray mascara from under her eyes.

"You know I haven't actually done anything yet, right?"

"Oh, you're right! It's time to do shots!"

She grabs my hand and starts pulling me towards the bar. I just shake my head at Oliver, laughing at Marley's inebriated state, and grab his hand with my free one. If I have to be subjected to drunk Marley, so does he.

She orders a round of drinks for all of us, starting a round of cheers and congratulations for my "new life and smart college brain."

Oliver and I decide to stay at the bar while Marley gets distracted once again by drunken dancing. We decide to go shot for shot, even though we'd never really gotten drunk before. It seemed like a really good idea at the time and a good way to enjoy my last full night with my favorite person.

After about five shots, we realize we're just not cut out for this. The room wasn't spinning yet, but things were definitely starting to feel hazy. I was way too warm, but I still sat close enough to Oliver that I could feel the heat radiating off of him.

Our legs were touching as we sat facing each other. We were yelling into each other's ears- whether it was because it was so loud in there or because we were drunk, I wasn't sure.

"Ollie, I'm too hot," I grab his neck to pull his ear closer to my mouth so he could hear me.

His hands wrap around my waist. I chalk it up to the drinks, despite the tingly feeling the contact gives me. I know that's definitely not just the alcohol.

"Are you ready to leave?" He slurs against my ear.

Even though I know he was yelling, too, he sounded so close and intimate.

I just nod up at him. He guides me through the crowds of people, his hand never leaving my back as we weave in and out.

"Wait!"

I come to a halt right before we exit, causing several people to bump into us and give us dirty looks.

"We have to tell Marley we're leaving!"

"I'll text her. She's too busy with Mila anyways," he nods to the table they're sitting at with a few other friends, and by the looks of it, they were in the beginning stages of something far more x-rated.

I let out a drunken giggle and let Oliver continue to pull me outside. The cool chill of the night is like a slap to the face. At first it feels good against my overheated skin, but I find myself shivering by the time we slide into the back of the Uber.

I don't bother with my seatbelt, instead sliding close to Oliver so that our sides are pressed together. My eyelids flutter shut as I lay my head against his shoulder.

I feel content and relaxed, the melancholy of leaving pushed to the back of my mind. Oliver's hand finds its way to my thighs, his fingers resting in between them. My stomach tightens at the touch, yet I'm excited by it.

Admittedly, I've had feelings for my best friends for as long as I could remember- I've just been too terrified to say it to him. The idea of losing him to unreciprocated feelings was far worse than hiding how I really feel about him.

It's hard not to think about when we're this close and he's touching me so casually, yet so intimately, and everything is already hazy and out of focus.

He starts tracing mindless patterns on my thigh, seemingly mesmerized by the trail of raised flesh his fingers leave behind. I snuggle in closer and let out a deep sigh, emboldened by the fact that he seems to be welcoming the closeness.

I look up at him to find him already looking down at me. The look in his eyes scares me a little, but honestly it turns me on a hell of a lot more. We finally pull up to his house after what feels like an eternity and not enough time all together.

Even though I've been to his house countless times, this time feels different. I'm nervous, thrilled, and curious about how this night is about to unfold.