SAM’s POV

For some reason, the breeze of the night suddenly became cold. For the past few days, it has been unbearably hot, even when the sun has set; perhaps, tonight is a bit different.

I started my car as I just received a text from my bestfriend. He said he needed a hand for his project. I have been asking him about why he needed a hand, when he almost always wanted his way in things.

Maybe that’s what I love about him. He knows his way around things, he does not need anyone to tell him what to do. He is independent, and dependable.

I quickly drove to his place, still not knowing what the project is all about since he refused to tell me. He, too, loves surprises.

As I arrived, I watched how only the window to his room is open. I almost felt bad with the thought of him staying up late that he already needed someone else for help.

“You’re late,” it’s his playful smirk that I want to erase from his face that welcomed me at the front door. “The food’s cold.” He turned his broad back on me, inviting me inside.

He doesn’t seem stressed at all. He is all comfy in his pajamas. He is ready for sleep!

Eating with him with comfortable silence, I glanced at my food and back at him multiple times, searching for what I am called for.

“Sam,” he called. I hummed in response. “You can go ahead upstairs, I’ll put away the dishes.” He calmly said.

For the record, this is not the first time he does this. He usually invites me to his home to eat, and talk our lives away. But tonight, it feels different. I noticed that he cooked tonight’s meal, evident in the pans he used and the ingredients that were messily placed around the counter.

“Wait, you cooked?” I asked in disbelief, also teasingly.

“Couldn’t believe?”

“Well, I thought it was delivery food.” I smiled, trying to catch his facial expression, which I caught him smiling.

Damn.

Did he just cook?

“Figured we eat too much delivery food. Might as well use my cooking skills, no?”

I watched how he deftly washed the dishes, arranged them in the dryer, and cleaned everything up.

Isn’t he just…amazing? A man who cooks, a man who does the dishes, a man who treats me just right, the way I want.

As soon as we met in his room upstairs, he brought chips in his arms.

“Okay, sammie. I lied. We are not working on any project tonight.”

I furrowed my eyebrows at that, scanning his outfit and his overall vibe. Right, there is no sense of urgency at all.

“I know you were stressed last week due to your finals. Now, we’re gonna have a movie night to chill!”

He fondly smiled at me. Oh, how I love his smile. I watched how he puffed up the pillow in his bed, signalling me to sit. How he set up the projector and the movie we were watching.

“Ace, are you serious?” I watched him in disbelief. This is the second time tonight. My heart was pounding hard in my chest.

He pouted his lips, nodding. He looks like he is focused on the movie selection. Look, he doesn’t even dare to ask me what I want to watch. He has everything under control. He plans things well.

Once the movie started, he sat beside me, smiling. I secretly watched how the light from the screen hit his face, his perfect honey skin.

Shit.

I felt my heart pounding again.

No.

He is my best friend for years now, and… why is he suddenly…?

Wait, no. He has been like this. Did I just fail to notice all along?

I had to leave early that night. I couldn’t look at his face, realizing why I am suddenly feeling such a thing. I can’t look at him, knowing how badly I wanted to kiss him that very moment.

I remember how he darted me with a worried look as I left right after the movie ended.

It has been weeks that this incident happened, and I never felt so lonely. There is this void that no ither friends can fill in. I have rejected his calls, and have shut doors when he would come to my home.

I am such a loser.

I can’t afford to lose this friendship, especially when I know he couldn’t look at me the same way. If I was a little stronger, if only I was a little blind that night, feelings would not be this hard to control.

I realized now why that night was colder, why the wind shifted differently.