JUST seeing the smile on Mia’s face over the smallest, simplest things I do for her makes me really happy.

I brought her groceries... she thanked me profusely.

I changed her clock battery… she was now looking at me like I am Superman.

I smiled at the thought.

Superman.

Super Jake.

And if I am being honest, I can most definitely say that Mia is my Kryptonite. My weakness.

No, really. If there was one person in this world that I constantly worry about, that would be Mia.

When it comes to her, I always overreact.

Take for example what happened earlier, when I stormed out of a very important meeting to call her just because she did not reply to my text message right away.

“Let’s just hang out by the TV,” Mia said. She took the pizza boxes and the bucket of fried chicken. “Get the beer. Don’t forget my glass.”

I smiled at the bossy tone. She always drank her beer on a tall glass. “Yes ma’am,” I said and did as I was told.

When I got to the living room, I saw Mia sitting on the carpeted floor, her legs crossed underneath her thighs, with her back to the couch. Her hand holding the remote control was suspended in mid-air. She was scanning movies on Netflix.

She must have felt my presence, she looked up. “What do you wanna watch, Jake?”

I gave her the glass and lifted the tab off her beer before giving it to her. “You choose,” I said.

“If I say Korean Drama, would you agree?”

I almost rolled my eyes. I sat on the couch. I knew she’d say that.

Mia is a sucker for Korean dramas. She can binge watch a whole series with sixteen episodes in just two days even on a weeknight. She once watched a drama with fifty-one episodes in one week. She gushes about her Korean idols every chance she gets. She claims that talking about Korean dramas with new acquaintances and even new clients is a good ice breaker. “Then Korean Drama it is,” I said.

She faced me, her eyes growing wide. “Who are you? What did you do to my friend! Where’s Jake!”

I laughed. I opened my can of beer and took a swig. “Whatever makes you happy,” I said. That was one thing I know I’m really good at. Making Mia happy. I’ve been doing exactly that for eight years now. And as they say, practice makes perfect.

“Seriously?” Her eyes grew wide. “Are you sure? You are really willing to watch Korean drama with me?”

I shrugged. “I watched one on Netflix a few weeks ago. It was okay. It was good, actually.”

“Really? Which one would that be?” She looked doubtful.

“The one with the zombies. Kingdom?”

Her eyes twinkled. “Oh, Ju Ji Hoon,” she said.

I can’t remember the names of the character. “The Crown Prince?”

“Yes, the Crown Prince,” she said. “I like him. No, I love him!”

I frowned. “He looked skinny. I didn’t know you’re into skinny men,” I said.

She glared at me. “He’s hot!”

I smirked. “Not as hot as I am,” I said, jokingly.

Mia rolled her eyes. “You wish,” she said.

It was my turn to glare at her. “You don’t find me hot? A lot of girls do.” I laughed again.

She looked at me. Intently. As if she could not believe I just said that. She shook her head. Slowly. “Sometimes you really are so full of yourself.” She laughed.

I can’t help but smile at her hearty laugh. One of her nicest qualities is her infectious laughter. “How about you claim that you’re as pretty as Korean actresses and I’ll let you get away with it?” I said.

Her eyes twinkled. “I can? You mean, I am? Really?”

Grinning, I nodded. “You are.”

Mia is really pretty. She has almond-shaped eyes that seemed to twinkle when she smiled. She had really deep dimples on both cheeks that made me want to stare at her everytime she talked. And her lips… oh, man...in the past eight years, I’ve dreamt of kissing those lips so many times I’ve lost count.

“Oh, I forgot the ice cubes,” she said.

Mia’s voice jerked me back to the present. Before I could say anything, she stood and made her way to the kitchen.

I let out a deep sigh.

Okay, okay, I’ll let you in on a secret. When I approached Mia eight years ago, I never really had the purest of intentions. I never intended to just befriend her. I was smitten. I was intent on dating her. I made up my mind to break-up with the girl I was currently dating back then so I can date Mia. Oh, yes, I was a first class jerk. Unfortunately, though (some might even say karma), one week into the semester, I learned that Mia and the girl I was dating were roommates. The best laid plan did not work out well. The girl and I eventually broke up. But Mia was no longer free and was already dating one of our classmates.

That cycle went on for years. Whenever she was single, I’m not. And when I am single, she is not. It was as if fate was telling me that the two of us are just meant to be friends. Forever.

We were always there for each other. She had seen me at my worst. She was there for me when Kylie left me. Mia assured me that nothing was wrong with me. That maybe Kylie and I are not really meant to be together. That it was not the end of the world because Kylie left me. That Kylie is not the world. I survived the biggest heartbreak of my life because of Mia.

When that jerk boyfriend of her cheated on her two years ago, I consoled her. I was the shoulder to cry on. I was there. The friend. I even contemplated on killing that bastard ex of her for hurting her.

I would have to admit, though, that I was so tempted to just kiss her tears away back then. To make her feel beautiful. To make her forget her insecurities. To make her feel loved.

But the last thing she needed was a friend who would take advantage of her sadness, loneliness and vulnerability. Yes, when it came to Mia, I am quite the gentleman. I can rein my carnal desires. I can be whatever she wanted me to be.

“You haven’t chosen a movie yet?”

I looked at her.

She did not seem to be waiting for my answer, though. She set the bowl of ice cubes on the coffee table. And, once again, sat on the carpeted floor and leaned on the couch. This time, she stretched her legs in front of her.

I swallowed hard. No matter how hard I tried, I could not keep my eyes off her long, shapely legs. Just like kissing her, there were also those times in the past that I have dreamt of those long, shapely legs tightly wrapped around my hip as I drove relentlessly into her softness…

I took a deep breath. I could feel myself responding to my sinful, dirty thoughts. I could feel the tightening on my crotch.

I am now beginning to think that it was a mistake to come here tonight. I will forever be under her spell. Never will I ever become immune to her charms.

I took a swig from my beer.

I reminded myself that Mia is my friend. That I should refrain from having dark, sinful thoughts about her. That I do not have any right to think of her that way. That she feels comfortable around me because she thinks I am her friend who would not hurt her or take advantage of her in any way.

How I wish, though, that I had the strength to cross the line. That I am brave enough to just kiss Mia and make her mine.

But when it came to Mia, I am nothing but a coward. I am so afraid that I might scare her away. That I might lose her if I let her know how I truly feel. Might as well pretend to be just a true, loyal, friend, forever than totally lose her.

I took another swig. And then another.

“Are you trying to get drunk?”

I frowned. I shook my can. It was empty.

Just like my heart. Empty. And only Mia's presence can fill it completely.

***to be continued***