As of the moment, Wilbur is my only friend. Sad, I know. It's not even his choice. He's forced to interact with me since he's my pet. Otherwise, I would truly be a loner. Maybe I already am one.

The thing is, I haven't made a friend using my own social skills since fifth grade. Honestly, I'm not sure how I even got Evelyn and Olivia to be my friends. I guess a dork, who sat alone murdering grass by ripping them in half, really appealed to them. It wasn't really due to my social skills then either. They approached me first. I only met Vivian through them in the sixth grade. In ways, I took them for granted. All I did was sit, sleep, and eat around them. It was about time they got tired of me. Heck, I'd hate myself too if I had a friend like me.

I would've felt the effects of not having talked to my friends for a month sooner if it wasn't for Vincent. He was the only one who would talk to me. After yesterday, I was nervous for school. I didn't know how to face Vincent, what to say, or if I should even be talking to him. However, he wasn't even at school. I asked Mrs. Miller after class, and she told me Vincent wasn't feeling well.

That's how I ended up standing outside of Vincent's front door right now. I know I shouldn't be around him as much anymore. After all, I'm the one who suggested we should have boundaries. But, my feet dragged me here, and I can't explain why the had such a strong urge to.

The door swings open and its Veronica.

"Oh, it's you again!" Veronica squeals.

"Veronica, don't be rude. Her name is Wendy," Mrs. Miller yells from the back of the house.

"Come in." Veronica opens the door wider, so I can come inside.

"Hi, Wendy. What brings you here?" Mrs. Miller comes from the kitchen with her purse and a small, pink duffle bag.

"Oh, since Vincent is sick, I brought some soup." I hold up the plastic bag to show her.

"How sweet. He's upstairs right now. I have to take Veronica to her ballet practice, so would you mind checking on Vincent for me?"

"Sure. Have fun, Veronica."

"You should come to my recital! It's before Christmas," Veronica invites.

"Sorry, she's been talking about inviting you non-stop. If don't mind, would you like to come?" Mrs. Miller asks.

"Sure, I'd love to. Just tell when it is."

"Great, I'll tell Vincent to tell you once the date is set. I'll see you Monday. Have a good weekend." Mrs. Miller directs Veronica towards the garage door, who drops her toys onto the carpet and follows her.

"You too."

As they walk out the door, I start to go upstairs. Slightly creaking the door open, I check to see if Vincent is inside. His frame is outlined under his blankets. I gently slip inside, placing the bag, holding the container of soup inside, onto his desk. While standing on the side of his bed, I hover over to look at his face. It's sweaty and flushed with red. Using the back of my hand, I place my hand over his forehead. It's warmer than mine, so I go to grab a small hand towel and soak in it warm water. Making sure not to wake him up, I place it over his head.

I sit at his desk and start to write out summaries of the classes he missed. I grabbed extra handouts for Vincent, so I place them on his desk. To each assignment, I attach a sticky note explaining what he's supposed to do and when it's due. After I finish, I begin to do homework and study for my biology quiz. Slowly, my face sinks onto my textbook, and within seconds, I'm fast asleep.

My arm slips off the desk, shocking me from my nap. I jolt back, shaking the chair I'm sitting in. My eyes readjust, blinking multiple times to get rid of my crusted lids. Vincent's room was now dimmer, the sun close to being completely set. It's was getting closer to nighttime. I should be getting home.

The bag of soup was now gone. My textbook and papers neatly tucked back into my backpack, replaced instead with a pillow on the desk. I reach around my shoulders and pull on a blanket draped on me. Spinning around, I look for Vincent on the bed. He's gone.

Just then, the bathroom door clicks and Vincent appears from the bathroom. He has only shorts on and a small towel draped over his wet hair. He freezes when he sees me staring at him.

"Sorry!" My hands whips up to hide my face.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" Vincent continues to walk into the room after some reluctance.

"No, I woke up on my own."

"Thanks for the soup and the school assignments." I peek through the gaps between my fingers to see Vincent sitting on his bed, still without a shirt. He lazily ruffles his wet hair and tosses the towel aside.

"Jeez, you shouldn't keep your hair wet. You're already sick, so it's not going to help your cold." I grab the blanket draped on me and wrap it around Vincent. Picking up his tossed towel, I stand in front of him and dry his hair thoroughly. Vincent stops me by holding onto my wrists, my hands still resting on his head.

"You're not actually going to ignore me every time I break the touching rule, right? Because I'm planning to break it every day."

"Fine, have it your way," I cave in. I continue to dry his hair and Vincent's hands drops to his sides.

"Were you upset when Veronica told you I had a girlfriend?"

"You should know I hate cheaters. If you actually kissed me while you had a girlfriend, I wouldn't be drying your hair right now. I would've killed you in your sleep."

"So it's okay to kiss you if I don't have one?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because..."

"Because?"

"You're my friend. Nothing more and nothing less."

Vincent lightly chuckles. "Ouch. That stung more than I expected."

"Vincent, you should try dating other girls. There are a lot of then who are much more compatible with you."

"I knew you would say that."

"It's true. We're great as friends, but I'm a boring person. I don't do anything but study and eat, and sleep, and talk to my turtle."

"Yeah, but you're more than that."

"If I was more than that, I would have friends."

"What do you mean? What happened between you and your friends?"

"Nothing. I meant that I would have more friend." Vincent seems doubtful of my words, but doesn't push me for anymore comments on it.

"I don't want to be your friend."

"Vincent, I'm serious. I'm either your friend or a stranger."

"Do you really think of me only a friend?"

A lump forms in my throat and I have to force the words past it. "You're my best friend."

"Wow, the friend zone sucks."

"As a friend, can you do me a favor?"

"What is it?"

"If Vivian asks you to the Winter Formal, please go with her. Give her a chance. She's a really nice girl."

"I was hoping you would never bring up Vivian ever again."

"It doesn't have to be Vivian. You should be dating. Maybe then people would stop bothering me about hogging you to myself."

"You say I should be dating, but you refuse to," Vincent pouts.

"Maybe I should. You'd be the first person I introduce my boyfriend to," I tease. Vincent face drops and I quickly draw back my words. "I'm joking. I don't want to date anyone. I prefer to hang out with Wilbur."

"Wendy, why do you want me to date Vivian so bad? Just because she's your friend?"

"Well, I guess. She's been really nice to me since sixth grade. You guys are both my friends, so I would naturally want you guys to get together. I think you're both suited for each other."

"Will that make you happy? If I date Vivian?"

"Well, no. Not necessarily if you date her. I just want you to give her a chance. Maybe you might end up liking her. But I wouldn't want to force you to. I want you to be happy."

"So, if I dated a girl, you would be happy?" My fingers clutch tighter onto the towel.

"If you're happy I'm happy." I finish drying Vincent's hair and fold the towel to place onto his chair.

"Fine, if you really want me to treat you like a guy friend that bad, I will." Vincent clamps my head under his armpit. I squeal, reaching to push him off and unexpectedly placing my hands onto him bare stomach and back. Vincent lets me free, ruffling my hair and laughing at me. "I'm hungry. Let's order take-out." He walks downstairs ahead of me.

"At least out on a shirt first." I grab a blue one out of the closet and follow Vincent downstairs.

I'm sorry, but I have to be selfish. Can't I at least keep Vincent as a friend?