Teenaged. Clinomaniac. Caffeine Addicted. Fangirl. Bibliomaniac. Introverted.
"Among the books on programming and electronics I glimpsed a complete set of Monty Python DVDs, a Yoda-shaped coffee mug, and a stuffed bison with six legs that caused Milo to break into a grin."
There's no such thing as just a friend, Milo. Friendship is one of the most important things there is....I hate it when people talk like friendship is less than other kinds of-as though it's some sort of runner-up prize for people who can't have sex. I had a boyfriend once, but I never liked being with him the way I like being with you." I held his gaze, refusing to falter or look away." You're one of the best friends I've ever had, Milo. And that is everything to me."
Milo was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "You mean that, don't you. You're not just trying to make me feel better."
"I'm not," I said. "I'm, really, really not."
His eyes lowered, and his expression turned pensive. Then he looked up again and said, "Okay."
"Okay?"
"I mean, that's good by me." He gave a slight, tentative smile. "I'm not going anywhere."
I let my breath out in relief. Finding out Milo legitimately cared about me and wanted to be around me, even if there was no chance of us hooking up, was enormous. I wanted to show him how glad I was for his friendship, how warm and bubbly it made me feel to have him by my side. I wanted to take his hand, lean my head on his shoulder, maybe even hug him."
"I don't know how to be anything but pretend," I replied, and it ached in me how true that really was. "But if I could be real, I'd be real for you."
He leaped the curb, dropped the bike onto the lawn, and started towards me, and I leaped up and ran to him, and if he'd been Brendan, he would have tried to kiss me and ruined everything, but he wasn't, and he didn't. He just stood there and held me until I stopped shaking and could breathe again.