i don't like izzy

It felt good to let those two words fly out of his mouth. The elation was almost as if he’d been freed from a curse, like the kiss of Snow White’s prince.  His face was moist from the tears he’d let leak down his cheeks, products of the wild ocean of emotions that rose and fell within him. He knew that the admission would change their relationship- probably for the worse, but it made him feel more confident. More in control of his own life and destiny, less shackled by timidity and disapproval. Who cares! Who cares what people would whisper behind his back! Gabriel was who he was. If people couldn’t respect that, they weren’t worth liking anyways.
Isabelle, though. Isabelle. She looked like she hadn’t even heard what he had said. Her eyes simply seemed to hollow out. She was devastated, broken by his rejection. And who could blame her? Gabriel had already noticed the minute quirks she had when she was with him. The twirling of the hair. The deep stare into his eyes, as if searching, looking into a soul and a heart. Those batted eyelashes, accentuated by smoky eye shadow and mascara. Her glossed, lusciously red lips. Her proclivity to bridge the distance between the pair gradually, scooting closer and closer to Gabriel until her head rested on his shoulder. He’d acted like a friend- interested only in a platonic manner, in a vain attempt to turn that attraction into camaraderie. She wasn’t a bad companion, either- she put up with his nonsense and seemed to honestly care about him, albeit in a way he would not have so. But he had gotten so caught up in the moment- the moment when he knew the friendly voice, the gentle caring of another kid- he had ignored her obvious advances. Gabriel’s stomach sunk when he realized that his rejection would break the heart which was so kind to him when none others were.

“E-excuse me, did you just…” she whimpered finally, moving the lips that had remained agape for quite some time.
“Isabelle, I’m not attracted to girls,” he affirmed. Almost immediately, upon seeing the sparkle of a tear in her eyes, he added reassuringly, “But I really do like you! You’re my best friend, Izzy!”
“F-friend…” she mouthed, though sounds did not reach Gabriel’s ears.
He frowned. “I know it’s not what you wanted… But I’ll be here for you when you find someone who you love and who can love you back, okay?” He smiled at her, a comforting grin, and extended his arms out to surround her with a hug.

She slapped his hands away. “Don’t touch me!” The scathing words bit.
His smile faded. They-they were friends, weren’t they? It shouldn’t have mattered if they weren’t lovers. They still had… a bond? All those jokes, all that laughter… it was what counted, right?
“You idiot! I loved you! I loved you since I met you, and you led me on- you bastard, bastard!” Isabelle bawled. Her slim fingers had curled up into tiny fists, which she pounded on her thighs. “You tricked me! You let me fall deeper, you dragged me down- just to break my heart! WHY? WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?”
He stood, aghast. He’d done no such thing, had he? All he worked for was a platonic friendship. Wasn’t such a thing possible between a boy and a girl? Did a single chromosome have to define your relationships with others- were you restricted by your birth to fraternizing with one gender and not the other? No- no. Everything was about love. Everything was about attraction, infatuation, lust. Boys just didn’t talk to girls. Boys just weren’t friends with girls. He’d been naïve. Stupid to assume that she’d accept him as just friends. Just friends. The phrase itself stung. Friends were just that. Unimportant. Friendship wasn’t as strong as romance, it seemed.
“I-I’m sorry,” Gabriel, stammered, looking down at his feet. “I didn’t mean to- I just- wanted to be-friends-“
A sharp pain slashed his face. Had she slapped him? He blinked, and looked up. His best friend had turned on him, and was running away. There was an aura of finality in the air, caustic.

It was over.