Page 61 of Some Things Never Change

“Andy, you know they love you and Anthony the most, right? Their love for Jonathan and me is hardly anything compared to the love they have for you both.”

He chuckled. “I’ve come to terms that my parents unofficially adopted you two.”

“Are you trying to imply that you only see me as a sister?” My voice was teasing, but I was more curious than not. I wanted to know the truth.

“No, you’re my best friend. Jonathan’s the one that’s more of a sibling than a friend. Maybe it’s because he’s the youngest of us four, so we were always the most protective of him and teased him nonstop.”

I hummed in agreement. “It’s alright. He was an annoying, bratty kid and deserved it.”

“Who’d have thought that he’d grow up to be the pinnacle of an Asian parent’s dream, though?”

Not only was Jonathan super bratty, but he was also a major crybaby as a kid, too. He was the most spoiled out of all of us because he was the youngest and smartest. I wasn’t a bit surprised when he told me he wanted to be a pharmacist after he graduated from his undergrad studies, which made my mom incredibly happy and proud.

“As stupid as he can behave, he’s smart. At least he took the bullet for us so our Asian moms wouldn’t have to bemoan about the lawyers and doctors we could’ve been.”

Andy laughed. “True, true.”

I figured now was the chance for me to tell Andy something I should have told him a long time ago as well. I once foolishly thought I could go to the grave and never tell Andy I love him, but I could never.

Chapter

Twenty-Five

Taking a deep breath, I turned to face Andy. His eyes were glued on the quickly darkening road. I waited for a car to zoom its way past us to leave us alone together in the last sun rays of a brisk winter sunset.

"There's something I need to tell you, too," I said, my voice coming out as a mere whisper.

Taking a quick pause, I projected my voice so he could clearly hear me. I was nervous, but I wasn’t going to be shy about my true feelings for him.

"I don't know how to say this properly either, but… I’ve been in love with you since we were teenagers."

Suddenly, the car swerved a little, scaring the living daylights out of me and causing me to let out a yelp. I think Andy muttered an apology, but I hardly remembered it. By the time my mind started registering what was going on, Andy had already pulled off the freeway at the first exit he saw. We were now on an isolated road by an almond tree orchard. We were the only car on this quaint and quiet country road in the middle of acres upon acres of almond trees.

“Sorry about that,” said Andy, panting hard over the low hum of the car.

He was probably in disbelief. The hushed music we were listening to while chatting earlier had long been turned off, so I could hear his heavy breathing clear and crisp. I swallowed down the emotions balling up in my throat as my hands began to shake.

It was all becoming too much, and the walls of the car were closing in on me. I muttered a quick sorry and something about fresh air, then leapt out. Since it was already late winter, outside wasn’t too cold, but it was still chilly enough to make me shiver.

I didn’t have my jacket on, but that didn’t matter. I needed a breather for a moment. As I quickly walked alongside the still-hibernating, dormant almond tree grove, I could hear Andy turn off the car and then come out after me. His brisk footsteps were quickly catching up to me.

“Julie!” he called out after me.

It was then when I took courage and turned back to look at him. I wasn’t going to be sorry about how I felt. I’d hidden these emotions for far too long. I loved him, and that was that.

“I've been in love with you since I was thirteen, Andy," I said, my voice rising and echoing through the air. "For years, I've watched as girls flitted around you like butterflies, but inside it was burning me up. All that time, I wanted you to be mine. Now, after all these years of suppressing and denying this ache in my chest for you, I can't take it anymore."

My eyes welled up and a flood of tears blazed down my cheeks. Suddenly, warmth washed over me from just an arm's reach away—Andy's hot thumbs were brushing away my tears. His jacket draped over my shoulders and the scent of fresh laundry enveloped me like a cocoon.

"Julie.”

"I know you're head-over-heels for someone else, and I wish more than anything that it could be me. But I'm done hiding what I feel about you. I don't expect anything in return, but I want you to know this: I love you and living with you with this secret is getting harder every?—”

“Julie, I?—”

“You’re my best friend, Andy. You’ll always be, but I’m in love with you. If you need me to move out, then I’m sure I’ll be able to find a place by the end of the month?—”

“Julie, shut up.”

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