Image courtesy of Al Forbes
‘We’ll be best friends forever won’t we?’ She asks, piercing the daisy stem with her thumbnail and threading another flower through. ‘Finished.’ She loops the chain around my neck and as she draws back and studies me, the scent of her lemon shampoo lingers. ‘You look beautiful,’ she says.
She races across the field, honey-hair shimmering in the sun, tanned arms pumping by her sides. My January-pale stumpy legs struggle to keep up.
I want to tell her she’s the one that’s beautiful but I’m just her best friend, and my heart aches as I know that’s all I’ll ever be.
Written for Friday Fictioneers. A 100 word story challenge inspired by a photo prompt (my story this week inspired by the BF on the numberplate).
To read the other entries hop over to host Rochelle’s blog here.
fabricating fiction 
Dear Louise,
I could see and feel this story. Vivid descriptions external and internal. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks Rochelle!
Such a beautiful story, bubbling with emotion.
Thank you – feeling quite emotional today.
The classic John Hughes situation!
Blast from the past!
you are a story teller, Louise!
Ah, thank you Neil.
Flash fiction but lasting emotions! So powerful, once again 🙂
Nothing quiet like some unrequited love 💕
Ouch, stuck in the best friend role, a difficult place to be. Excellent as always.
Thanks Iain.
You took me back to my childhood, lovely except for the stumpy legs😉
😃
Oh, that was lovely and heartbreaking!
Thanks Dale!
What a beautiful account of an unequal friendship. So many are like this, with one friend outshining the other, though both children gain and lose from the pairing. Such beautiful, tiny observations – heartrending. I was always the one running behind with the stumpy legs!
It’s easy to be the one in the shade – or to think we are.
I was always part happy to be in the shade, part resentful. Some of us are more comfortable a step behind 🙂
I’ve always been several steps behind 🙃
I like it that way – it’s a good vantage point from which to watch people. And I do love watching people 🙂
Me too 😃
🙂
Comparisons always run us into the ground. Nice story, Louise!
They do – thank you.
I loved the daisy chain… how that took me back. I hope your character can be satisfied with what she has, both personally and in her friendship.
Me too – thanks Sandra.
Felt for the narrator. Think they need to say something or move away. Tough to be close to someone in that way without knowing IF it could be more.
Thanks Paul.
I could actually smell sun-warmed skin. Beautiful images in this.
Thank you Alicia.
Good job setting a scene & including the narrator’s feelings. I picture these as two children still learning about life and love; someday perhaps she will see him as even more than “just a best friend.” Or he’ll be able to distinguish puppy love.
Oh, my apologies. Two girls. I should have looked twice at the title initials.
Either interpretation works 😀
First love is tough!
I was thinking later about this. Really, whether you be M or F, spouse or friend, there’s no better position in this world than “best friend.”
A best friend is for life 😃
Superb job holding the reader close enough to use all of our senses.
Thank you Honie
I read this as two girls, which is a different but no less painful kind of unrequited love. You took us to the meadow and it was sweet indeed.
Well picked up on – that was the way it was intended but equally painful either way.
The details were clearly feminine but our minds like to “normalize” our reading even if it’s done subconsciously. I wrote about a ghost but no one saw it. That is no reflection on our FF readers, just an observation about psychology. I bought The Gift and it’s on the reading list.
I think we always jump to the obvious, and perhaps for some, more comfortable conclusion. Do hope you enjoy The Gift, Tracey.
You packed so much imagery and emotions into this story. I could see these two little girls. My heart broke at the end.
Thank you!
this story is very relatable. been there, done that. 🙂
think a lot of us have!
Unrequited love…
Great descriptions!
Thank you!
My heart aches after reading your story. So much emotion in so few words. Beautiful!
Thanks very much Sarah.
Delightfully sad
Thank you!
Don’t know what else to say except, it’s still as good as the first time, when if you remember we both wrote about unrequited love.
I do – thanks.
What a poignant picture you’ve painted with your word. Delightful.
Click to read my story!
Thanks Keith.
BF!! Nicely told but so sad. Maybe later, much later… (I need a tissue.)
Thanks Patrick *passes a tissue*
This portrayed one-sided bittersweet love so well, Louise. So clever of you to use the BF on the number plate as your prompt. I can’t say I even took that detail in when I looked at the picture.
Thanks Sarah 😃
My heart was touched by this. I ahd a visual develop as I read each word. The could almost smell the flowers. Sweet and bitter all at once. LOVED this sooo much.
Isadora 😎
Lovely of you to say Isadora 😃
We’ve all been stuck in the friend zone before, and can relate to the longing that accompanies it. Well told Louise.
Thank you very much.
Reminds me someone from my past. Well written.
Thanks Tamal.
Lovely story but I will bet there are more lovely stories with these two. I like these characters.
Me too. Perhaps they deserve a novel.
Lovely in-depth description of emotions, Louise. Great writing. 🙂 — Suzanne
Thank you Suzanne 😃
Love this. It’s the story of many unobtainable lovers.
Thanks so much Melissa.
Beautifully written!
Thanks so much!
https://coffeeandcupcakesforthesoul.wordpress.com Here’s my first post. Do give it a read and share. Thanks