Ryan and Leigh: A Story of Trust (Junior Year beginning)

"Welcome back!" He exclaimed with a smile on his face as he hugged her not too hard but just enough so she would know he was there. Leigh felt a rush of emotions that day. She missed Joey, they hadn't seen each other for two days and school was starting so their relationship would have to be put on the back burner between school, friends and their after school activities but  Ryan always brightened her day. Another year of school lunches together and breaks full of drama. She was ready. But Nothing too significant happened between the two of them until Halloween. Leigh spent every Friday night having movie nights with Joey and then her Saturdays were mostly devoted to Ryan just talking about nothing at all.1

So Leigh was surprised when Buzz, her best friend's acquaintance, had invited her to his Halloween party. She had never hung out with him before but  was excited about a party. When the night rolled around Joe and Leigh decided to go as a Vampire and her slayer. Leigh thought she looked pretty in the costume,with her short skirt, lots of make-up and of course, red blood.  2

But when they got there, the party was already hopping with drama. Two of their friends were fighting over their relationship, others were fighting over the food and Ryan...was getting crushed by Ana. Ana was a world class bitch, everyone knew it and most of their friends were trying to comfort him. Nothing seemed to work. After a few drinks and smooches with Joe, Leigh decided to try something on her own. She crawled onto the couch with Ryan and gave him a kiss on the cheek. In that moment, she felt something in her, that made her hold tight, and wrap her arms around him for a little longer than she probably should have but she didn't care.3

"It's gonna be okay.." she whispered into his tear stricken eyes, brushing the salt water away...trying to hide his sorrow filled face with her frown. Then She spoke again, this time with more power:  "It's gonna be okay Sweetheart, I promise. Just breathe, Just breathe." She didn't want to let go until she knew everything WAS okay and so she didn't. After the tears were in all the tissues she could find and he was talking to another one of her girl Friends, she went to find Joe.  Leigh asked if he was alright and He nodded but a week later, he asked her some pretty interrogating questions. 4

"How long have you known Ryan?" asked Joe5

"About a year, he's just one of my really good friends."6

Joe shifted on the couch, "Well I think you shouldn't comfort him like you did at Buzz's. You know, when a girl rejects him. He doesn't need the agony. He just wants a girlfriend sweetheart and you have a boyfriend so why push the issue?"7

"WHAT?" She asked defensively " I am NOT pushing the issue or myself ON him, he's just MY friend and if I want to comfort HIM, I'm going to...YOU don't KNOW what's going on."8

"I guess" Replyed joe. "but you see...I WAS him. Until,...until I found you." Joe whispered9

"And.... look how good that turned out!" She answered back with a kiss.10

Joe smiled but inside he was thinking over the events of the party, had Leigh really not meant anything by that kiss on Ryan's cheek? He had to find out somehow and he knew that she wasn't going to tell him so he reverted back to the known facts of their relationship...11

" I love you." He sneard and they went back to the movie.12

" I love you too...Leigh said, not once finching at the sound.13

She had thought that what she and Joe had would withstand any friendship she developed this year but in retrospect she was dead wrong.14