In Like

She is Allison. He is Daniel. She's not quite sure she has a story for them anymore; truth is there was never much to tell to begin with. They never fell in love and she never wished they were. They never dated and she doesn’t like complicated. She has never kissed, yet he has. He’s pressuring, and she doesn’t want pressure. Not yet. No, they haven’t fallen in Love, but In Like, as we all know, can be a lot more appealing than Love. 1

How, you ask? Love equals hardship, yet Like equals temporary. Most secretly we all just want the Like, the Love is too painful. Allison is homeschooled, Daniel went to Afghanistan. Allison is a purple, but says she is green-blue. Daniel hates bugs. Allison does too. Daniel makes Allison uncomfortable, Allison is naïve. Daniel still gives Allison butterflies; even though Allison’s not sure she still means all that much to him. 2

If Like is so painful already, who would want love? Being young is the most damning thing of all. Allison says her heart feels like its pounding against a prison wall, damage: self-inflicted. Allison says a lot of things in her head only. Daniel is an enigma to her. They talk, and then they don’t, he facebooks relationship status changes again and again. Does he mean her? Or some other girl? Why has he stopped calling? Allison thinks all these things. But she never wants to seem desperate. Daniel calls her cute, says he wants to be the first to kiss her. Says it so much that she’s not sure it’s all that true. Daniel and Allison never talk face to face. Daniel and Allison are cowards. 3

Allison is not allowed to date. Daniel has since he was five. Allison hardly ever goes out, Daniel breaths the smog of the city. Allison thinks Daniel is cheating on her. Is it possible to cheat when you’re not dating? She doesn’t know. Daniel says no matter what happens, they’re still going to be friends. Allison doesn’t know how her heart can take it. Daniel has a best friend. Allison texts to a thousand people who never ask the right questions. Allison wants a relationship facebook status that says ‘its complicated’ but those thousand people will still ask the wrong questions. 4

Allison feels lonely. Daniel….she thinks Daniel does too. But than again, she’s a coward, so she wouldn’t know. Allison’s parents have been married for 22 years; Daniel has indirectly said he stays at his mom’s on weekends. Allison cut her hair, will he like it? Daniel, he doesn’t know if he should notice, doesn’t know if he cares. Allison hopes he doesn’t just Like her for her BODY, but than again, maybe that’s what she wants. Allison looks at him from across the parking lot, was he looking back? She tried to look extra cute today. Driving away, she wished she had the guts to try. But then again, she’s not allowed to. Daniel looks her way, is he this confused to? Or does he know exactly what he wants? 5