Having feelings for your best friend sucked.

"You're like my sister, you know?" JC asked as the walked through the crowded mall. "Well, a less annoying version of my sister. I know I've told you a million times before, but I really feel like I can talk to you about anything."

Having feelings for your best friend especially sucked when they were griping to you about their girl problems.

"I feel like she doesn't even know I exist. I want to scream, ‘Hello, Jessica I'm right here!' Do you know what I mean?"

Are you frickin' kidding me? "No, Josh. I don't know what you mean."

JC sighed, placing a hand on your shoulder. "Sweet, sweet Lee. That's because you've never been in love." He said condescending-yet-oh-so-cluelessly.

"Hey, I'm gonna get coffee? Do you want a coffee?" Leah asked, not so subtly changing the subject.

"You already had coffee." JC blinked, cocking his head to the side.

"Thank you Captain Obvious." Leah snarked, crossing her arms over her chest, a paper bag from Spencer's and her purse hanging from her left forearm. "I need a recharge."

JC's face twisted. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine." Leah assured him. "You know me, I'm not myself unless I have my sixty-four ounces of caffeine."

"You know drinking too much coffee can damage your heart. I read it in an article once."

Geeze, you're so smart but you can't figure out that I love you! "I'll keep that in mind," Leah said dismissively as she ambled toward the food court.

"Hey, I'm in the mood for a smoothie, why don't we meet back at the fountain?" JC suggested.

"Cool." Leah agreed, walking toward The Happy Bean kiosk.

Watching JC disappear into the crowd, Leah let out a loaded and heavy sigh. The more time they spent together, the stronger her feelings grew, and the harder it became to hide them. She hated that she started to feel resentment toward hi for not reciprocating the feelings he wasn't even aware she had. She was spiraling. Maybe college would be good for her after all. She needed space and someone new to get her mind off JC. Perhaps she could join a sorority and meet a hot fraternity to guy to help her get over her feelings.

As Leah made her way toward The Happy Bean, she made a mental pro-con list about having feelings for your best guy friend.

Pros:

• You already know everything about them, and vice versa.
• There's no awkward meeting the family stage.
• You're already comfortable with that person.
• They know your favorite foods so they already know which restaurants to take you to.
• You didn't have to feel embarrassed about getting your period.
• You could fart in front of them without being judged.
• They know you poop.

Cons:

• You have to watch them date and fall in love with other people.
• You could potentially ruin the friendship forever if you confess your feelings, and they don't feel the same.

Ding, ding, ding! That was it right there. It was painfully obvious that JC was not in love with her, which is why she could never tell him her true feelings. Like every teen drama to ever exist in the history pop culture, she'd have to bury her feelings for him forever because she'd rather have him in her life as just a friend, then to not have him in her life at all. She was a walking, talking trope. Just when she thought she was done with her pro-con list, she found another item to add to the con column.

• When you're in love with your best friend, your head is perpetually stuck in the crowd contemplating hypothetical scenarios, that you don't realize you're walking right into a human being.

"Oh my God!" Leah yelped, as she collided right into a man's chest. "I am so sorry." Feeling arms around her to brace her from falling, she looked up into the eyes of none other than- "Michael!" She exclaimed. It was Michael Landes.

"Leah? Hey!" Michael smiled, his gorgeous brown eyes sparkling down on her.

Standing up straight, Leah self-consciously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looked down at her pink Chuck Taylors. "What are you doing here? In Orlando, I mean."

"We're shooting an episode of Lois and Clark out here, so I'll be here for the next six days." He explained.

"Nice!" Leah smiled, not sure of what else to say. Fiddling her fingers, she dared herself to make eye contact. Ugh! It had been two years since she'd guest starred on The Torkelsons with him and he still had that effect on her. All he had to do was flash the beautiful smile, and she turned to a pile of goo.

"So, where ya headin'?" He asked.

"To The Happy Bean." Leah replied, pointing the kiosk a few feet ahead.

"Hey, so was I! Why don't I buy your coffee?" He offered.

Was he flirting with her? "Oh you don't have to that." Leah decline, waving a hand. Wait, if he is flirting maybe I should let him buy me coffee! Leah mentally cursed her sister Jill for never teaching her the art of interacting with hot guys. What the hell else was a big sister good for?

"No, I insist!"

"Well, since you insist, I like caramel lattes!" Am I flirting? Oh my God, am I doing this right.

"Coming right up." Michael winked.

Leah's heart went into freefall. He winked at me! He winked at me!  As they walked toward the kiosk, she nearly fainted when Michael casually slung his arm around her shoulder. Like they were friends! She could just die! After placing their order, they stood off to the side of the kiosk to wait for their drinks.

"So, what have you been up to?" Michael asked, leaning against the counter.

"Well, as you know we got cancelled."

Michael nodded. "Yeah, bummer. I'm sorry about that."

Leah shook her head and waved. "Don't be. It was time."

"So what's your next move?"

"School starts next month. Belmont University."

"That's in Nashville, right?"

Leah nodded. "Yup."

"That's pretty cool! Isn't that the place where Amy Grant went?"

"She actually went to Vanderbilt, it's right next to Belmont though."

"Close enough. Besides, you love Amy Grant, right?"

"Yeah, I do. You remember that?"

"Sure do. How could I forget you belting out Baby, Baby with Olivia?"

Leah cringed at the memory. Had it only been two years? She felt like such a kid back then. "That's not exactly on my Leah James highlight reel."

"It was cute!" Michael countered.

Cute. Where had she heard that before? Oh yeah, JC. "Cute?" Leah grimaced.

"What, you have come sort of weird aversion to the word cute?" Michael teased.

"The word and I don't exactly have the best history." Leah admitted.

"Too bad." Michael shrugged. "I really like cute girls."

Suddenly, Leah began to choke. "Huh?" Smooth Lee, real smooth.

"Here are your drinks!" The barista announced, interrupting their moment.

"Thank you!" Michael said politely taking both drinks in his hand and handing the caramel latte to Leah. "Maybe I'm being a little too forward here, but I was wondering if you maybe wanted to hang out with me while I'm down here?"

Too forward? He was not being too forward! Always having been notoriously oblivious to when an exceptionally good-looking human from the male species flirted with her, she needed forward. No, she needed more than forward. She needed a big, flashing sign with neon lights and an arrow! "Hang out? Like as in a date?"

Michael nodded and smiled. "Yes, as in a date!"

Play it cool Lee, play it cool! "Yes, I would love for you to take me out on a date."

"Great. What are you doing tonight?"

"Well, I did have plans for a Harlequin romance and a pint of Ben & Jerry's but Fabio can wait."

Michael exaggeratively pursed his lips together. "Oooh Fabio, that's some stiff competition. glad I made the cut!"

Leah let out a coquettish giggle. Since when did she giggle? "So, what do you have in mind?"

"Well, I hope you don't have an aversion to Cuban food, because there's this really cool spot I wanna check out."

"¡Me encanta la buena comida cubana!"

The corner of Michael's lips spread into a smile. "Huh! She's cute and speaks Spanish!"

"Un poco," Leah flirted, affecting a Spanish accent.

"You really know how to drive a guy wild, don't you?"

Michael's comment, sent a shockwave through her body, sending her confidence shooting through the roof. "Am I driving you wild or are you just deprived of attention form the opposite sex?" She didn't know what came over her, but it's like words kept leaving her mouth before she could fully think them through. She was in rare form! Geeze, who said I couldn't flirt?

Michael leaned down, his lips just centimeters from her ear. "Could be both, but I'm inclined to believe it's the former," he whispered, sending a chill down her spin.

"I think you're flattering me, but I won't stop you."

"So, is eight o'clock okay?" Michael asked, standing up straight.

"Perfect." Leah replied. "Hold this." She handed Michael her latte while she rifled through her purse for an ink pen. After she found one at the very bottom, she took Michael's cup and scribbled her number on the side of the cup. "I have a private line." She informed him. "I'm here with a friend, so I've gotta go, but I'll see you tonight."

"Eight o'clock sharp!" Michael replied.

"See ya later. And thanks for the coffee," Leah waved before turning to walk away.

"Hey Leah!" Michael called after her.

Leah stopped in her tracks and turned her head. "Yeah?"

"Wear your dancing shoes!" Michael said with a nod.

"I love a man with rhythm!" She teased seductively, gave her hair a Cindy Crawford flip and walked away. Who was she? Who was this sexy flirtatious beast overtaking her body? Oh my God! She mouthed as she walked toward the fountain. "Hi!" She squeaked, sitting next to JC on the bench in front of the fountain.

"Whoa! You really did need to recharge huh?" JC snickered. "What happened to you?" He asked, taking a sip of his smoothie.

"I'm going on date!" She announced excitedly, the words pouring from her mouth.

"What?!" JC asked, his eyes growing wide. "With whom?" He demanded, straining his neck to look around the crowd.

"Michael. Michael Landes." Leah answered.

JC's eyebrows knit in confusion. His eyes rolled to the ceiling, racking his brain, trying to put a face to the name. "You mean that actor guy?"

Leah nodded. "Yeah, the one I met when I guest starred on The Torkelsons."

"Him?!" JC screeched.

"Yeah. Why? What's wrong?"

"He's too old for you!" JC warned, his face conveying an expression of disdain.

"Chill Dad!" Leah said sarcastically. "He's only twenty-three. Besides, I'm eighteen so it doesn't matter. I can do what I want."

"Not if I tell your dad." JC threatened.

"You're not telling my dad shit!" Leah challenged.

"How do you know what I'll do?" JC asked.

"Because if you tell my dad a damn thing, then I'm telling Miss Karen that you had sex with Ilana under her roof while your parents were in Miami."

JC narrowed his eyes at her. "You wouldn't."

"I would."

"Fine." JC conceded. "My lips our sealed."

"That's what I thought." Leah said smiling. She extended her hand. "Shake on it." When JC didn't take her hand, she closed her palm into a fist and punched him in the shoulder.

"Ow!" JC winced grabbing his shoulder. "That fucking hurt!"

"Good. It was supposed to! I said shake on it!" Leah knew with absolute confidence that if they didn't seal the deal with a handshake that JC would go running his mouth.

Reluctantly, JC set his smoothie down and shook Leah's hand. "You know I care about you, right?"

"I know." Leah replied. Not in the way that I want, but whatevs... "That's what friends are for."