Secret Crush
"Can you keep a secret?"
"That depends."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I want to tell Tyrone — he's my best friend — that I met this amazing girl online named Olivia. So if that's the secret I have to keep, then the answer is no," Justin held his breath.
"God, Justin, you are so sweet. No, that's not the secret you have to keep," Olivia spoke with a sigh and loving softness into the phone.
"Are you sure? Cuz not too long ago I was just a random stranger online."
"I'm sure," she promised. "Yeah, this is a different kind of secret."
"Okay, well, tell me."
"So, my living situation is um, kind of unusual," Olivia began. "I live with my mom in a big house with servants and staff, and mom is one of the chefs."
"Wow, that's cool."
"Yeah, well, it sorta is, but it's sorta not."
"Why's that?" Justin asked.
"Well, the man in charge, like the top guy, he's my father."
"I'd say that's cooler yet!" Justin blurted. "But wait, if your dad is the top guy, why is your mom a chef?"
"Yeah, well, the thing is, he's not married to my mom. He's married to someone else. And almost no one in this house knows that the big guy is my father. Pretty much just him, my mom and I know the truth, and we're sworn to secrecy."
"Like I am now too, right?"
"Yes, Justin, you are. You cannot breathe a word of this to Tyrone or anyone else."
"I promise."
There was a long awkward silence.
"I'm sorry Olivia," Justin finally spoke up, "it sounds like a really hard thing to deal with."
"It is," Olivia whispered. "I have a half-brother living under this same roof and even he doesn't know about who I am in relation to him."
"Oh wow, that's so shitty! He's your half-brother and doesn't even know it? So weird."
"That's not even the half of it. He apparently told my mom he was crushing on me..."
"Ewww..."
"I know, right?!? And so she gave him the idea I was gay so he'd stop, you know..."
"Crushing on you."
"Exactly."
"What a mess, Olivia!"
"Yeah, it's a mess."
Another awkward silence.
But, it's okay if I crush on you, right?"
Olivia giggled a "yes!"