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by M LeMont

She was just a friend

*

I sat down with John at the local coffee shop, sipping a warm mug of coffee as he began to tell me a story. He thought it would be a good idea to share it with everyone, so he took a deep breath and began.

I could tell from the excitement in his voice that it was going to be a good one.

"Man, you won't believe what happened to me, " he said, leaning in closer. "I met this girl at the bar and I thought things were going great.

I raised my eyebrows, intrigued. "What happened?"

John had been eyeing Rachel for weeks. Every time he saw her at the coffee shop, he couldn't help but stare. She was beautiful, funny, and smart - everything he wanted in a girl. But every time he tried to talk to her, he would get tongue-tied and end up making a fool of himself. It seemed like he would never get a chance with her.

One day, John was sitting in Starbucks when he heard "Hey Lover" by LL Cool J playing on the radio. He started to tap his foot along with the beat, and before he knew it, he was rapping along with the lyrics. As he sang, he noticed that Rachel was sitting at a nearby table, listening to him.

"Have you ever met a girl that you tried to date?" he rapped, looking directly at her. Rachel's eyes widened, and she couldn't help but smile.

John continued to rap along to the song, putting his own spin on the lyrics. "This is more than a crush, I wanna take you out to a club, and buy you a couple of drinks," he rapped, gesturing to Rachel. "I would try to get you tipsy, but you're too clever to be tricked, girl."

Rachel giggled and shook her head, but John could see the twinkle in her eye. He took a deep breath and decided to make his move. He walked over to Rachel's table and sat down across from her.

"Hey, Rachel," he said, trying to sound cool and confident. "I hope you don't mind me rapping at you like that. I just couldn't resist."

Rachel smiled and shook her head. "No, it was cute," she said. "You really know the lyrics to that song."

John grinned. "Yeah, I've been practicing," he said. "But I have to admit, there's something I left out of the lyrics."

"What's that?" Rachel asked.

John took a deep breath. "I've been wanting you for so long," he said. "And I just can't let you pass me by. I hope you give me a chance and give me a try. I'll be there for you, to care for you, and I'll share with you. And you know that I'll always be there for you."

Rachel's eyes widened, and John could see the surprise and delight in her face. He had finally found the courage to tell her how he felt, and he was relieved that she seemed to feel the same way.

The two of them spent the rest of the day together, walking around the city, laughing and joking. John had never felt so happy in his life. It seemed like he had finally found someone who understood him, someone he could be himself around.

As the day turned into evening, John and Rachel found themselves in a cozy bar, sipping on cocktails and sharing stories. John had never felt so comfortable with anyone before, and he knew that Rachel was the one for him.

Suddenly, the DJ started playing "Just A Friend" by Biz Markie, and John couldn't help but smile. He looked at Rachel and started to rap along with the lyrics.

"Have you ever met a girl that you tried to date?" he rapped, smiling at Rachel. "But a year to make love she wanted you to wait."

Rachel laughed and shook her head. "I don't think I'll be making you wait a year," she said. "I like you too much."

John grinned and leaned in for a kiss. As they kissed, he knew that he had found something special - a funny, romantic love story that was just beginning.

As the weeks passed, John began to observe peculiarities about his new romantic partner. She kept her sunglasses on indoors as if trying to conceal something and remained unwilling to divulge any information about her past.

Despite his growing unease, John couldn't help but be drawn to her quirky sense of humor and infectious laugh. It wasn't until he caught her in a lie about her job that he realized he may have gotten himself into more than he bargained for.

He decided to do some investigating and discovered that his new love interest had a reputation for being a con artist, scamming people out of their money on Facebook.

Feeling foolish and heartbroken, John asked her about it, and she said, "Oh, that's my twin sister. People often mistake me for her. She's actually in jail."

"Oh wow, I'm glad to hear it's not you."

"So, what do I need to know about you, Rachel?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"Well, yeah. I want to spend my whole life with you."

"Okay then, this is a wig that I'm wearing."

John laughed. "But it's so long and beautiful."

"And," John said, "that's okay. That's not my Mercedes outside. It’s a rental car. I had a Hyundai before it got wrecked. I'm trying to buy another one, but my credit is bad. And I have bill collectors calling me."

Rachel smiled, "And these are not my boobs."

"Oh, shit. They're not your boobs. No problem. I don't like big boobs anyway. I'm a small boobs guy."

And one last thing.

John held his breath…

"I'm a man, John."

Oh, Snap! John's jaw dropped in shock. "What?! You're a man?!"

"Holy shit. But I thought you had a twin."

"I do. She's a woman."

And Rachel said, "This is me, John. This is who I am.

"Wait, what?! You're not a woman?!" exclaimed John in utter surprise.

"No, John. I'm not."

As he walked out of the apartment, he couldn't help but shake his head in disbelief. He recited “Just a friend” lyrics when the girl tricked “Biz Markie and said you're just a fool, you're just a fool." He thought, "You know what? You're right. I'm just a fool. A fool in love with you, baby." John admitted to himself, "You know, I really was a fool.”

After finishing the last sip of my coffee, I stood up and patted John on the back. "Damn, what a story!" I exclaimed, struggling to find the right words to say. "I'll do my best to share your story."

Over to you now.

If you enjoy reading short stories check out my book These Eyes Have Seen. Order a Free Sample for PC Kindle or any mobile device or Buy on Amazon