Definitely Not Love

Nine months.

This day, exactly nine months ago Blaine asked me out officially starting our 'relationship'.

Nine months ago I never would have thought that Blaine and I were even compatible as a couple.

I'm apart of the marching band and he's captain of the chess club: completely different sides of the social spectrum.

He may not be the hottie all the girls fawn over, but he does have type of "dorky" appeal girls like me find charming.

But with the pride of my fellow musicians on my shoulders, I never spared him a second glance.

It was a Thursday when he approached. Friday we agreed to a date.

I don't know what drew him to me. I'm not a stunning beauty or the brains of the school.

I was, and still am, your average band geek with average looks and average grades.

When he first asked me, I gave him a doubtful maybe. With much convincing from the peanut gallery (ahem, my friends) I agreed to accompany him.

The date wasn't anything spectacular, just a movie and dinner.

Something changed that day, though. The next Monday at school I waved to him in the hallway, noticing how his hair shone a bit more, how his body seemed less lean and more muscular, and how much his eyes lit up when he laughed.

Call it a cliché, but it was from that moment on that I became smitten with a certain Blaine Harvey.

In the line for the chicken patty's (the only edible food in the cafeteria), he asked me if wanted to go a poetry slam with him at a local club on Tuesday. I agreed and soon enough we had been deemed a 'couple'.

Nine months later and we're still going strong.

"Which dress, red or blue?" My best friend Jill asked from in front of my full-size mirror.

Currently, we were hanging around in my room getting Jill ready for her hot date with one of the drum majors she nicknamed Mr. Sexylicious-Bootyful-Hot-Stuff.

"The blue one, it brings out the color of your eyes," I say from my comfortable spot on the bed, marking up music for marching band.

Jill sighs, frowning in the mirror. "I just hope he's the one. You know?" She asks. "I just want something like you and Blaine have."

Sitting up I ask curiously, "What do you mean like Blaine and I have?"

Giving me an isn't-it-obvious look through the mirror she says, "You and Blaine are like the perfect couple." Before I could refute that statement she continues talking. "You're not overly affectionate, but people can tell you really care for each other. You guys can actually have real conversations that don't involve chess strategies or marching band routines. And the way you look at each other when you think the other doesn't notice is totally adorable."

With a dreamy look on her face she turns to me to confirm her thoughts.

Unfortunately for her, Blaine and I do not have a relationship like that at all. It's just a casual fling. I like Blaine, but it's nothing serious.

Uncomfortable with the sudden attention, I try to bring her focus on something other than my love life, "You should try the blue one on. It'll look really great on you."

"Stop avoiding the topic V. Anyway, have you told him you love him yet?"

"J.J. say what what?" I ask incredulously.

"God, you are so damn oblivious. It's obvious you are madly in love with the boy!" she says as if that's the most obvious answer in the world.

"Have you been smoking peyote or what? I do not love Blaine," I reply confidently. "And I'll have you know our relationship is not perfect," I add for good measure.

"Really," Jill asks with a doubtful tone. "What problems does the poor couple have?"

"Well, you know…we…fight?" I say trying to sound confident, but it came out more like a question.

"Right, whatever you say lover girl. My date's coming in two hours and we have a lot of preparing to do," Jill says with finality, rising from her seat on my bed and settling herself on my vanity. "We don't have time to waste women! Start on my hair!"

"So damn demanding," I reply with a slight shake of the head. "If you keep this up, you won't be looking very good for Mr. Sexylicious-Bootyful-Hot-Stuff."

"V, I don't want to look good. I want to look like Mrs. Sexylicious-Bootyful-Hot-Stuff."

The next Monday at school I took my customary seat outside under the huge maple tree. Soon enough Blaine had arrived, leaning down to give me a quick peck on the lips.

"Hello beautiful." Blaine says, smiling his perfect smile at me.

"Hello gorilla." I reply jokingly, reciprocating his smile. Leaning against him sighing, "Whoever invented Monday's needs a major ass-whooping. I'm tired as hell. All weekend I had to memorize that stupid marching band piece."

Putting his arm around my shoulders, he replies, "That's what you get for being the best. But if you want, I can always take you home."

Seriously considering his offer, "I knew there was reasons I kept you around." Smiling at him, "Thanks for the idea, but we have a test in Anatomy today and I can't miss that or I'll forget everything I studied."

"Whatever you want V. But if you need something, just find me. Okay?" he says, looking at me for confirmation.

Pinching his dimples, I smile. "Got it boss." Getting up from my spot, "C'mon, mister. The warning bell's going to ringing soon."

Grabbing his hand, we walk hand-in-hand to my first period class where we part ways.

"See you later V." He says.

"Bye B," I reply. With a peck on the lips, I turn around to stare into the up-to-no-good face of Jill.

"So, dear Vanessa. How was the boyfriend this morning?" Jill asks.

"I don't know, dear Jill. How was Mr. Sexylicious-Bootyful-Hot-Stuff on Saturday?" I ask knowing full well what her reaction was going to be.

Right on cue she scrunches up her nose in distaste. "Don't even mention his name. I don't want to talk about that sad excuse for a man any longer or I might just punch someone."

Snorting, I turned to go to my seat.

"But seriously. I saw you guys by that tree looking all lovey-dovey." Jill says matter-of-factly from her seat in front of me.

"Yeah, and?" I ask.

"Why can't you just admit that you love him already?" She sighs, clearly frustrated.

"Mother of peanuts, Jill. How many times do I have to tell you that I do not love Blaine?" I ask tiredly.

"Ugh, if you guys just admit it to one another then you'll both be much happier. Trust me." She says confidently. "I'm an expert in relationships."

"Ha! This coming from Mrs. Sexylicious-Bootyful-Hot-Stuff."

"I'm never going live that one down, am I." Jill asks with a defeated look on her face.

"Nope, never."

Soon the bell rang and Jill and I had to wrap up our conversation.

Instead of paying attention like I normally do, I found myself day-dreaming about Blaine.

I think about him a lot. He is my boyfriend and all. But never in class have I done this.

Suddenly, I had an epiphany. And what I realized made my stomach turn.

I, Vanessa Grove, am in love with my boyfriend of nine months, Blaine Harvey.

During lunch, I expressed my sudden realization to Jill.

"Finally! She gets it!" Jill says loudly. She's always been one for dramatizing things.

"Jill!" I hiss. "Sit down! People are looking." I say, making wild gestures towards all the weird faces.

After Jill sits, I ask for her advice.

"Well, I've never been in this kind of situation before, so I don't really have any first-hand knowledge. But, from what I've read, I think you should just tell him." She says casually.

At this, I burst out laughing. Jill just looks at me with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm being serious, V."

Sobered up, I say, "Well what if he doesn't love me back? That would make for one helluva awkward situation."

"Trust me, I'm one hundred percent positive he feels the same way."

"You really think I should?" I ask, really pondering whether or not to do this.

With a serious expression, I knew Jill was being serious. "Tell him, V. He loves you just as much as you love him; possibly even more."

Nodding in agreement, a way for her to know that I'm going to tell him, I take a bit of my chicken patty while Jill goes into detail about the backside of a trumpet player in the band below us.

"Good Lord, Jill. You need to keep those hormones under check and for god's sake, stop looking at that teachers ass!" I say while shaking my head. "Pervert," I whisper.

One week after I agreed to tell Blaine, I finally arrive at the local park where his chess team discusses strategies and such.

Trying to seem as calm and collected as I possibly can is really hard when there are frogs in your stomach.

"Hey V." Blaine says looking up at me from his spot near the fountain.

Instantly, the entire chess club turns silent, watching our interaction.

"Hey Blaine, can I talk to you for a sec?" cringing at how much I sound like a prepubescent 13 year old kid right now.

With a worried look on his face, he follows me away from the rest of the chess club and towards the big oak in the middle of the park.

"What's up?" he asks a bit nervously.

Shakily, I take a deep breath. "What I wanted to-"

"I want to break up." Blaine says quickly with little conviction.

Snapping my head up to met his confused face, "What?"

"What?" He asks looking at my shocked tone.

"Why are you breaking up with me?" I ask quickly.

Well shit. This is embarrassing. Here I was, about to tell him that I love him and the idiot wants to break up with me. Great timing Vanessa.

"Because I thought you were going to break up with me!" He says frantically.

"Where the hell did you get that? I wasn't going to break up with you…"

"You weren't?" Shaking my head, a look of relief fills his face. "Oh. Well I take that back then." He says with a big smile. "So what is it you wanted to say to me?"

I froze.

Shit, now?

"Well…uh…er, I…ehem…"

"Nessa, what is it? You know you can tell me anything right?" He says with a concerned face.

Smiling, I clear my throat. Ready to say it. "Look Blaine. I…" Unfortunately for me, a bunch of rowdy teenagers our age decide to ruin my moment.

"Sorry, what was that? These idiots were to loud for me to hear." He says genuinely.

"Okay," I say again clearing my throat again. "I…" It seems Lady Luck has decided to take her lunch break, because a man walking six barking dogs decides to walk by.

"Sorry Ness. Couldn't hear that time either," Blaine says pointing to the passing canines with a sheepish smile on his face.

With an un-lady like grunt, I say "…" At this very moment, a certain lawn-mowing person decides this is the perfect opportunity to use a leaf-blower.

Fed-up with the nonsense, I start screaming. "…FUCKING LOVE YOU!"

Shit. Did the leaf-blower just turn off while I was in the middle of my confession?

Judging by Blaine's wide-eyes and gaping mouth, I take that as a yes.

Looking around, I see most of the people in the park staring at me as if I have three heads.

Coughing awkwardly, I shrug embarrassingly, "I wasn't supposed to say it that way."

"…"

I take his lack of response as rejection and start to ramble. "I understand if you don't feel the same way. I mean I've only known you for nine months. But a lot can happen in nine month, you know? I mean, you can have a baby in nine months and that's a pretty drastic change. So I guess…"

I was cut-off mid sentence by Blaine's lips.

Once we pull apart, I ask, "Wait, what does that mean?"

"Honestly V. It's just sad that it's taken you nine months to tell me you love me." He says with a mischievous glint in his eyes and a small smile.

Confused, I ask, "What? What the hell are you talking about?"

With a sigh he replies, "Vanessa Rover, I think you're the only person on the face of this planet that doesn't realize how madly in love I am with you."

"You're in love with me?" I ask incredulously, eyebrows up to my hairline.

"For quite some time actually. Since the first grade, actually," he says nonchalantly.

"What the hell?!" I screech. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner?! I've been freaking out about this for the past couple of days!" Hitting his arm.

"I didn't want to unload something that big on you until I was positive that you felt the same way." He says, cheeks tinged pink.

Oh. That makes sense. "I love you, you love me…" I sing.

"We're a happy family…" Blaine continues.

Instead of saying the rest of the verse, I choose this opportunity to bring our bodies closer together.

"You know, I'm pretty sure family doesn't get this close," he says with a cute smile.

"I know, but we're not family." I pause for a moment. "We're lovers." I say dramatically before capturing his lips with mine.

This is just a short one-shot that has been in my head for a while, so I decided to write it down.

Hopefully you guys like it! and please, do leave a review if you have time!

PS: I don't own the Barney song (even though I kinda wish I did)

PPS: Sorry about grammar/spelling errors. It's 2 o'clock in the morning!