He's gay. He doesn't like her like that. She doesn't like him like that.

Thank fúck.

I know that doesn't mean I have a chance. Not even close. But it makes my heart hurt a little less.

I've accepted it now. I like Layla. I really like Layla. And there's nothing I can do about it. She's almost three thousand miles away from me. But even if she were here with me, I wouldn't act on my feelings. I can't. She'll never feel the same. She's too good. I'd rather stay friends and not tell her than risk losing her by admitting my feelings.

Besides, I'm sure these feelings will pass. Eventually.

"Hey, Gunner," I greet my coach as I walk into the gym, my bag slung over my shoulder. There are only a couple other guys here today. They're sparring together in the corner of the room.

"Carter, how are ya?" He walks over to me, standing with his arms crossed in front of him.

"Good," I nod, setting my bag down on the bench.

He narrows his eyes at me, "Something's up."

I raise a brow at him, "What?"

"It's Layla isn't it?"

My heart jumps in my chest just at the sound of her name. Fúck. "What about her?"

He stares a second longer, never breaking eye contact. I stand my ground. Suddenly, his face lights up with a grin, "Oh my God! You finally realized, didn't you?"

I furrow my eyebrows, "Realized what?"

"That you like her, dipshít!" he exclaims as if it's obvious.

"You- what? No I-" I stutter, trying to deny it.

"Don't try to deny it, mate. Have you seen the way you look at her? Anyone can see it."

"I- I don't... How did you-"

He scoffs, "Please, the second I said her name, your face lit up like a firework. It's about time you realized." He shakes his head, "So when are you gonna tell her?"

My face falls into a frown as I turn around and walk over to the punching bag, "Never."

"What?" Gunner asks, following me, "What do you mean 'never'?"

"It means I'm not going to tell her." I mutter, stopping in front of the punching bag and raising my fists.

"Your hands aren't even-" He stops abruptly when I start punching the bag repeatedly. I get in only a few hard punches before he pulls me away from the bag. "Don't be a fúcking díckhead. You'll ruin your knuckles doing that." He barks, smacking me upside the head.

I huff, storming back over to my bag and unzipping it to grab my wraps. Gunner follows, watching me as I begin to wrap my hands. "Why aren't you gonna tell her?"

"Just drop it, Gunner," I mutter, getting angry.

"I'm not going to fúcking drop it! Now tell me why you're acting like an asshole."

"Gunner, I said drop it."

"No, that girl is good for you. You can't just-"

"That's exactly the problem!" I cut him off abruptly, my voice rising, "She's too good for me! She'll never in a million years feel the same. So I'm not going to tell her." I walk back over to the punching bag and start punching it again.

It's quiet for a moment, the only sounds being my fists pummeling the bag and the two guys still sparring in the corner. Finally, Gunner speaks again, "I already know that you're wrong. Because she looks at you the same way that you look at her."

~

The sound of my phone ringing cuts off the radio that is playing quietly through my car as I drive home from the gym. I furrow my brows, looking at the caller ID. It's Layla. Isn't she supposed to be at the party? I answer the call anyway, waiting for her voice to fill the car.

"Hey, Reecey!" Her voice is happy and I can hear the sound of loud music in the background. Is she still at the party?

"Hey, Sunshine," I reply, glancing at the clock on my dashboard. It's nine o'clock so it will be midnight in New York. "How's the party?"

"Good!" She giggles, "I made some more friends and we played truth or dare! It was really fun," She's interrupted by a hiccup before she continues, "I was dared to do a cartwheel! But it was okay because I can do one!"

"That's great, Sunshine," I say. She's definitely drunk.

"Yeah! But I miss you. Remember Liam's Halloween party? That was fun! I think I liked that party better because you were there. And we got to dress up!"

"We did," My heart aches in my chest. She misses me. I miss her too. "How much have you had to drink, Sunshine?"

She giggles, "Don't worry, I'm not that drunk! I'm trying to find Ethan now, actually, because I want to go home."

"Why don't you call him, Sunshine?"

"Because then I wouldn't be able to talk to you, silly!" She laughs, the sound warming my heart. She's pretty adorable when she's drunk.

"Okay, well if you can't find him, you take a taxi home, alright?" I want to make sure she gets home safe.

"I think I might do that. I can't find him. But can I still stay on the phone with you?" She asks. The music has pretty much disappeared now, so I'm guessing she's walked outside.

"Of course, Sunshine," I reply, easily. I want to stay on the phone with her just as much as she does.

"Great! Okay, there's a taxi there!" She's quiet for a minute before I hear the sound of a car door opening and closing before she tells the driver her address.

"You're in a taxi now?" I ask, wanting to make sure.

"Yup, don't worry, Reecey. And I'm not even that far from home! It took Ethan and I only five minutes to walk to the party. But I don't want to walk home by myself."

"Good. It's safer to take a taxi. I don't want you getting hurt."

"Aww, Reece. You're so cute," She giggles again.

I sigh, turning my car into my driveway. "No, I'm not, Sunshine."

"Stop trying to deny it, Reecey. Ooh, I'm outside my apartment building now! Thank you! Here you go... You too!" I hear the sound of a car door opening and closing again and I knew Layla has gotten out of the taxi. She lets out a quiet sigh, "Okay, I'm going up to my apartment now."

"Okay, I've just gotten home as well," I tell her, taking the key out of the ignition and grabbing my gym bag before hopping out of the car.

"Ooh, were you at the gym?" She asks, her voice bubbly.

"I was," I walk up my front porch steps and open the front door of my house, stepping inside.

"Was Ariella there? Or Arlo?" She questions, referring to Gunner's kids.

"Nah, not tonight. It was a little too late for them."

"Aww, well next time you see them, tell them I say hi, alright?"

"Of course, Sunshine," I agree, walking through to my living room. Both my parents are sitting on the couch, sharing a bowl of popcorn while they watch a movie. I quickly steal a couple pieces and throw them in my mouth, dodging the light punch my dad throws at me. I grin and lean down, kissing my mom on the cheek and murmuring my greeting, "Hey, mom."

Layla gasps quietly over the phone, "Is your mom there?"

"And my dad," I confirm, standing up straight again.

"Tell them I say hi!" She giggles happily and my grin widens. She's adorable.

"Layla says hi," I tell them, starting to walk out of the room.

"Tell her we miss her," My mom replies and I nod, ducking out of the room and starting towards my bedroom.

"They say they miss you," I reiterate to Layla, walking into my room and dumping my gym bag on the ground.

"Aww, I miss them too. If your mom were here right now I would give her the biggest hug."

"Okay, rude."

She laughs, "That's only if your mom was here. If you were both here, I would give you a hug first, then her."

"And if we were all there?" I continue, leaning my forehead against my wall and closing my eyes, just letting her voice completely take over me.

She sighs quietly, "Well, it would be you first then Amanda and Anna. Then my dad probably then the twins. Then it would be Liam, then Mark. Then Cody and then your parents. I'd probably have to leave Max for last because he'd be too busy hugging my sister."

I feel a soft ache in my stomach, almost as though something is flying around in there, trying to escape. "I'd still be first?"

She laughs softly, "Of course, silly. You're like my favorite person in the entire world."

I let out a slow breath, bracing my arm against the wall, "That's a pretty big statement, Sunshine."

"But it's true," Is her only reply. Does she not know how easily she can make my heart stop? "Ooh, I'm on my floor now!"

I let out another shaky breath, "Alright, Sunshine. Well, I need to have a shower quickly, but I'll call you back after?"

I can almost hear the pout in her voice as she replies, "No, don't go, Reecey! I want to keep talking to you."

Chuckling, I reply, "I'll only be a few minutes, Sunshine. I'll call you back right after."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

She sighs, "Fine. But you have to call me the second you get out of the shower. Okay?"

"Sure thing, Sunshine."

"Bye, Reecey."

"Bye," I hang up the phone and immediately hurry down the hall to the bathroom. Because, honestly... I don't want to stop talking to her either.

I have what is possibly the fastest shower of my life and step out, grabbing my towel. I secure it around my waist and go back to my bedroom, grabbing my phone. I see that I already have seven unread messages from her.

Are you out of the shower yet?

What about now?

Reeeecceeeyyy!!!!!

You're taking toooooo longggg

Facetime me when you get out

Pleaseeee

You've only been gone three minutes and I already miss youuu

I chuckle to myself, FaceTiming her. I set my phone down on my dresser as I search through my drawers for some sweats.

"You're back Reecey!" I hear her voice come through my phone once the call has connected and I look down to see Layla's beautiful face. She's still wearing the same outfit she'd been wearing earlier. I can tell she's in her bathroom as she has her phone set up leaning against the wall on the sink in front of her so that I can see her.

"I am," I chuckle, stepping away from my phone which still has the camera facing towards the roof so that I can slip my boxers and sweats on. Once I'm done, I hang my towel around my neck and use the end to start drying off my hair. I use my free hand to pick up my phone again and hold it out so Layla can see me. Now that I'm looking more closely, she has her hair up in a messy bun on top of her head and she's now taking her makeup off.

"When do you get off school for Christmas break, Reecey?" She asks, looking at the wall in front of her which I know is a mirror.

"Our last day is the eighteenth," I tell her, finishing drying off my hair and leaving it damp. I throw my towel over my desk chair before collapsing onto my bed. "What about you?"

She pouts, looking down at the camera. She really shouldn't do that. Now I can't stop looking at her lips. "We have to go to school on the twenty-first as well. That's our last day. Which is so dumb because it's a Monday so that's the only day we have to go back. It would make more sense to finish on Friday the eighteenth like you, but they're dumb."

I chuckle, just watching her clean off her makeup. She uses one of those cotton pad things with something on it to get everything off. The faces she makes while she's doing it are kind of adorable.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" She asks after she's finished washing her face. She's now makeup free and she still looks as beautiful as always.

"Like what, Sunshine?" I ask, letting my eyes trail across her features slowly as she leans closer towards the camera. Even without mascara on, her eyelashes are still so long.

"Like... I don't know! Like... like that!" She huffs, shaking her head at me and grabbing some cream and rubbing it all over her face. I don't know what half the stuff she uses is. She uses like three different lotions.

I laugh, "I'm not doing anything, Sunshine."

"You are!" She exclaims, her lips quirking up into a smile as she rubs the cream over her cheeks, leaning closer to the mirror as she does so. Lastly, she puts on some lip balm and- look, I'm sorry! I stare at her lips. Again, I know! But I can't help it! They're a little red from the scrubbing and stuff and then they go all shiny after she puts the lip balm on- I can't stop myself, alright?

"Sorry, I won't look at you then," I grin, sliding further down my bed and placing a pillow over my face so I can't see anything.

"No! Reecey! Come back! I'm sorry, you can stare at me as much as you want!" She giggles and man, do I love that sound.

My grin widens as I remove the pillow from over my face and look back at my phone. She has the warmest smile resting on her lips as she looks at me and it makes my heart sigh. "Thank you, I will."

Her lips form a small pout as she picks up her phone and starts walking out of her bathroom. "Your dimples are so adorable."

I raise an eyebrow at her, "My dimples?"

She nods, now setting her phone back down on her dresser and stepping back. "Yes. I love your dimples."

I hum, moving one arm to rest behind my head, "Not as much as I love your smile."

Her eyes narrow at me, "That's not possible. I definitely love your dimples more. And your eyes too. And your smile. You're just pretty adorable in general."

I chuckle, my heart practically beating out of my chest. I feel so light right now. Weightless. Like I'm on cloud nine. "You're pretty cute yourself," I tell her.

I catch a glimpse of her biting back a grin before she disappears from my view. "I need to change. I'll be back in two seconds."

I wait patiently for her to return and when she does... If I thought my heart was going crazy before, then it's going completely insane now. She's wearing my hoodie. God, she looks so fúcking beautiful.

"You're wearing my hoodie," I blurt out, unable to stop myself from looking her up and down. It's way too big on her. The sleeves hang over her hands and it only comes down to her mid-thigh. She's wearing some leggings underneath as well.

"Yeah, it's comfy," She murmurs, clutching the sleeves into her fists and wrapping her arms around herself as she looks down at the hoodie. Fúck, she's gorgeous.

"I like it," I tell her honestly.

She frowns slightly, "Why'd you give it to me if you like it?"

I chuckle, "Sunshine, I mean I like it on you. It looks much better on you than it ever did on me."

Her cheeks darken with a blush and a burst of pride flourishes in my chest. I did that. I like that I can do that. "Thank you," She murmurs, quickly picking her phone back up and walking for a second before she crawls into her bed. "So have you decided if you're gonna get a new tattoo?"

I nod, adjusting my arm behind my head, "Yeah, I want to get a bird on the left side of my ribs,"

"Cool," Her eyes light up, "Is Anna gonna draw it up for you?"

I nod, getting up and going over to my desk, "She already did. I'll show you," I grab the piece of paper with the design Anna drew on it and flip the camera around so Layla can see it.

"Woah! That's gonna look so awesome!" Her eyes are wide and she has a huge smile on her face.

"Yeah, I'm going to get it next Friday with Liam. He's gonna get something done as well."

"That's so cool," She grins before her lips drop into a pout, "I wish I could go with you to get it."

I frown as well. No matter how cute that pout is, it means she's sad. And I hate seeing her sad. "I know, Sunshine. Me too."

We sit in silence for a couple seconds before she lifts a hand to her mouth, covering a yawn. I smile slightly, "You should get some rest, Sunshine."

"But I want to keep talking to you, Reecey," She murmurs, but I can see she's getting under her covers.

"I know, Sunshine, but it's late over there. You need some sleep," I reason with her.

She sighs, knowing I'm right, "Okay," She lifts her hand up to her lips and kisses her palm, blowing me the kiss, "Goodnight, Reecey."

I lift my own hand up in the air and pretend to catch it as I smile, "Goodnight, Sunshine."