Friend Zone Massacre
Melanie Marks
language
(, May 15, 2018)
Dylan steps in front of me, blocking my way. âOkay, spill. Whatâs the deal with you and Football-Guy?âConfession: Dylan isnât only my best friend, heâs also (secretly) my heartâs desire. So, having him so closeâwith his eyes glued on me like they areâMmm, Iâm having a little trouble concentrating. And breathing. I tear my eyes away from his to scan the empty school hallwayâand, yano, breathe. Then in a low voice I explain âThe Arrangementâ I had to make with Mackay.Dylan frowns, âThatâs messed up.âHis unhappy expression derangedly makes my heart flicker with deranged happiness, so I lie a little. Maybe. I tell him, âBut Dylan, itâs not like you think. I think I might actually like himâmaybe. And weâve barely kissed, so itâs not as sleazy as it sounds, obviously. He just wantsâwell, no strings. He even said I can see other guys.âDylan scratches his chin, narrowing his eyes. âAnd youâre okay with that?âI shrug, though I have a demented plan forming in my demented brain. Poor Dylan, heâs so nice he might actually go along with it.Though Iâm overcome with guilt, I lie to him anyway (hey, a demented girl has got to do what a demented girlâs gotta do), âI was thinking maybe I could get Mackay to re-think the no-strings thing. I was thinking maybe I should get him jealous.â I peek at Dylan. âBy fake-dating another boy.âDylan says with a playful smile, âHey, Iâm a boy.â âNo,â I mock gasp, âReally?ââI am, I swear. Ask my many girlfriends.ââYouâve had like, two.ââBut many times.ââTrue.âI sigh. âBut it would be too weird,â I tell him, acting like I think it might be a bad idea. âI mean, I was thinking of trying to make it look real. So, youâd have to, uh ⌠kiss me and stuff.âDylan wiggles his eyebrows. âWhatâs the âand stuff?âââOkay, wellâno âand stuff.â But youâd have to kiss me and act in love with me.âDylan smirks. âTwist my arm.ââNo, I mean it.ââMe too. I can act in love with you. I love you, Emery.âAwww. Sprarky tingles wash through me.I clear my throat, trying to come back down to the real world. âBut I mean, you knowââinto meâ kind of love.âDylan grins. âWell, weâre gonna kiss, so.âHe says it so matter-of-factly. Yet just thinking about it has me about to burst into confetti and rainbows. But he sounds totally onboard to do it, so though I feel a little guilty tricking him; yeahâconfetti and rainbows are filling my heart.Dylan grins about my âinto meâ appearance dilemma, like Iâm a little kidâor slow, though heâs just playing around. âWhen I kiss you, it will most likely seem Iâm into you.â He looks me in the eye and tells me mock confidential-like, âEmery, thatâs why most people kiss.âHe says it total deadpan, like heâs bestowing pearls of grown-up wisdom to a small child.I do a groan, like Iâm torn by wanting Mackay so bad Iâll do anything, yet at the same time worried that it will be too weird with himâDylanâthe guy Iâve been in the âFriend Zoneâ with my entire life.But secretly Iâm hoping: Maybe this will finally get me out of the friend-zone. *Another excerpt from the book:Right before I put the note into Dylanâs locker, I freeze. What am I doing? He has a girlfriend. You donât write love-letters to other girlâs boyfriends. Even if the boy is your best friend that youâve known forever. Even if you love the boy with all your heart.Determined, I whirl away from Dylanâs locker without putting the note inside. But whoa! As I whip aroundâthereâs Dylan. Watching me.He juts his chin. âWhatâs with the note?âI stuff it in my pocket. âUh, nothing. Homework. Ready for lunch?â**Standalone teen romance novelNo swearingBy Melanie Marks, author of His Kiss; and The Boyfriend ContractMelanie Marks newest books:*Ew, I Like You*The Boyfriend Contract*Sheâs Not Mine ⌠But I Want Her*Blackmailed Kisses*Promises To PatrickThey are all standalone stories; each only a buck right now. (They are also available in unlimited if you have that.)