Ashley -11:45 pm, October 29th
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"What?" I ask, shivering and not quite sure what I just heard. "Did you just say that you… Love me?"

"Yes." He says, stepping through the snow to be closer to me. He touches my arm lightly and I shiver, but not from the cold this time.

"Chris, I..." I can't speak, but he looks like he wants an answer and I want to give him one. I want to tell him that I'm in love with him too and have been since freshman year of high school. I look down at my gloved hands and then at my front door, wondering if my roommate, Sam is in there, waiting for me. "I mean… Well I just…"

"Whoa Ash, slow down," He says, laughing and backing up from me with his hands up. "I mean like as a friend. I've never even thought of you like that." Chris laughs loudly, not noticing the hurt in my face as I watch him walk to his car. "See you later, okay?"

I smile and wave at him, laughing a bit, trying to hide my tears that are starting to well up. "You got me good. See you around." I watch as he drives away before walking into my house and running up the stairs to my room where I finally let myself cry. I lean against my closed door, crying as I slide down and hug my knees.

Chris
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I grip the steering wheel as I drive away from her, watching the rear view mirror as I see her walk into her house. I drive a few blocks before pulling over to the side of the road and resting my forehead on the steering wheel, hitting it hard with my hand. "God, you're so fucking stupid!" I yell at myself. "Why would you laugh?!" I love her, I do. I've loved her since I saw her in sophomore year, when she was new to the school and Josh introduced us. Now look at me, I finally confess and then I laugh. I say that I don't love her. I'm such an idiot. I shut my eyes tightly, trying to keep my cool before going home.

Finally, I sit back up and pull back out onto the road, imagining being with her and holding her close. I need to stop imagining things that will never happen.