“Hey, let’s hang out. It seems like we never do that.” Mark was a really nice guy.

“Well, that’s because you always ditch me for someone better.” Nuria had wanted to say that since it had become a trend for Mark to make plans and then cancel at the last second or simply forget about them.
“I know. I’m sorry, but let me make it up to you :)” He had a way of sounding so charming over Facebook chat.

“Okay, fine. What do you want to do?” Nuria was excited; she was always excited. She liked him and it was obvious to everyone. It’s not that she was trying to hide it, but something about being that transparent made her feel like a stupid, little freshman girl. He didn’t like her. Nuria and Mark had already addressed that topic. Well, not to a full extent, but it was clear to her that he cared for her in a strictly ‘just friends’ way.

“Meet me at Little Flower and we’ll take a walk. Maybe I’ll even get some sweet pyks.” He took his photography way too seriously.
“All right, I’ll meet you in 15.” She jumped out of her chair and ran to her room. Even though she knew Mark didn’t care about what she wore or how her hair looked, she always wanted to look perfectly cool. Like the kind of girl that doesn’t dress up to meet up some guy she likes. She wasn’t that type of girl, but she liked to make other people think that. So they met, Mark and the girl that had fallen for him.
“Hi.” Nuria smiled and waved.
“Hey, how’s it going?” He was wearing the blue sweatshirt he always wore. It didn’t matter if it was freezing. He was Russian so he didn’t get cold. At least, that’s what he always said.
“It’s going good, a lot better now though. I hate being in my house.” She did.
“Well I’m always here for you when you want to get out of the house.” That was a lie.
“That’s a lie. Every time I ask you to hang out, you respond with ‘Sure, if I don’t have any plans.’ And don’t tell me it’s not true. I mean seriously, am I that terrible to spend time with? It’s like I’m always your back up plan.”
“Uh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I was doing that.” He probably didn’t.
“Ugh, whatever. It’s not like I’m your girlfriend or anything. You don’t have to hang out with me.” Nuria sighed. “You don’t even like me. And I get it, why would you want to spend time with a girl that likes you so much, yet you have none of these feelings for her? And I guess even though you act like you might, or maybe you don’t. Oh, I don’t know! I’m making myself look like a complete idiot.” She looked at Mark hoping he would say something before she did. He looked at her sighed and bit his lip. Nuria loved when he did this.
“Look, Nuria, I didn’t ever mean to lead you on or make you think I liked you. You’re a friend nothing more.”
He was serious. Nuria had never seen him this serious without being cranky or grumpy or whatever. They had met on Facebook after Nuria decided to be spontaneous and friend someone she didn’t know. It wasn’t weird and it wasn’t sketchy. To Nuria it was fate. To Mark it wasn’t. They ended up being great friends and Nuria had dumped her boyfriend for Mark. Even though, it didn’t work out with her and Mark, she never regretted it.
“Right. Yeah. Duh.” She didn’t really know what to say, so she stammered. “But, I mean is that it? I mean, I know we’re friends or whatever but, is that it?”
“What do you mean ‘Is that it’?” said Mark.
“Could it ever be more? You’re probably one of those guys that doesn’t go out with younger girls or whatever, but it’s not even like I’m that much younger than you. Just like a year or so. But what I’m trying to say is could you ever get to the point where you like me enough to be in a relationship with me or maybe not a relationship maybe just a thing.” She was barely making any sense. “I just need to know if we are maybe like friends…” Nuria paused and sighed, trying not to sound like a blabbering idiot. “… with potential? Meaning maybe, perhaps, there’s a possibility of something happening in the near future or the far away future?”
“Well, I don’t know what might happen in the future but, right now I can only tell you that you’re my friend. A really good one.” Mark was talking with a tone of voice that said “I hate talking about this.”
“Well, I guess I’m going to have to deal with that.” She had dealt with it before and she could sure as hell deal with it again.
“But if it helps at all, I did like you. Back when I first met you. As soon as I found out that Paris was actually your boyfriend, I got over it.”Mark said as he sat on a wooden bench. The walking part of their walk was over.
“Was that meant to make me feel better?” she said.
“I don’t know. Did it?” he said.
Nuria shook her head, smiling. They both started laughing. Even having an honest, open talk about her feelings came to such ease to her. But only with him.
“Nuria, listen to me.” Said Mark. Nuria looked up. “I really care about you. I care about you more than 99.9% of the people I know. Honestly, dude. You’re so important to me.”
“And I feel exactly the same way.” Said Nuria.
“Then why do you bring this up again and again? You know I don’t like talking about it and you can’t possibly like talking about it either. Can we just put it past us and never bring it up ever again?” Mark was serious. Nuria nodded.
“Nuria, listen to me. I need you to listen to me.”
Nuria looked up. “Yeah.”
“I need you to concentrate on what I am about to tell you.”
“Yes?” said Nuria.
“Are you listening?” said Mark.
“Yes!”
“We’re okay. Okay?” And because Mark had said they were okay,
“Yes, we’re okay.” Nuria believed it.
“I’m being completely serious.”
“Me too.” Mark hugged her.
“We’re okay.” He said.
“We’re okay.” She said.
“So, we’re past this right?”
“Yes, we’re okay.”
“Okay, now give me another hug.” Mark hugged her again.
Ever since they had started being friends, Nuria had noticed flaws in other people that she didn’t see before. He was pretty much everything she didn’t know she wanted. Everything she’d been afraid to look for. From the moment they met in person, she had felt completely different. But, who knew if Mark did?