friend-zone.

"you know i don't believe in love right?" Kyle said to her nonchalantly. 

"yes i do Kyle. you've told me repeatedly but i still don't get why you don't believe in it, not even a little." Liana said with a frown on her face. sometimes she wondered why she and Kyle were friends. they were complete opposites and their opinions about life's philosophies were vastly different too. 

"well, experience Lin, experience." Kyle replied while smoking his cigarette.

"what experience Kyle? you haven't been in any relationship to KNOW what or how love is like." Liana told him.

"and one has to be in a relationship with someone to know what love is?" Kyle replied with a smug on his face.

"well, not really..." Liana said.

"i rest my case." Kyle said and he put out his cigarette in the ashtray and leaned back on the sofa and watched as Liana walked towards him.

"but you haven't experienced it." she replied and plopped on the cushion next to him.

"why would i want to experience something that i don't believe in?" Kyle questioned her.

"so you'd be a believer." Liana responded with almost a defeated tone in her voice. she wanted to make him a believer so badly but knowing Kyle, she knew that'd be a challenge. "so you'd know how love feels like."

"not one of my life's goals. i don't wanna waste my time chasing after something that's invisible-a force that would end in messy, messy breakups and even messier emotional aftermaths. i've seen you after your last breakup. i definitely do not want to experience it." Kyle said, smiling.

"so your reason, of not believing in love, is because of fear?" Liana asked him.

"well, that, and in it's on hyper-hyped, overuse in all forms of reasons and excuses in human society nowadays, i don't ever think that such force exists. i just believe it's just overwhelming human emotions. emotions. there, just use that word to describe every tingling of feelings towards someone. why must there be this word love anyways? purely unnecessary." Kyle responded to her question with no hint of any emotions in his own voice.

"Kyle, love is not a force that was created by human beings..." Liana said again.

"but definitely originated from us, right?" Kyle questioned her this time around.

"even animals are capable of love, and family. family's love." Liana said, trying to convince him.

"family relationships are different. we're talking about feelings shared between two individuals who aren't tied together because they're family right? plus, animals don't love, they just copulate and have children." Kyle said.

"some birds mate for life." Liana replied, trying her best to make up reply to Kyle's endless banter.

"some humans mate for life but still that doesn't explain love, or what love exactly is. these people who've been together for a long time are probably together for the convenience of it all you know; the convenience of having someone to be with all the time. i, in the meantime, do not need such convenience. i like being alone. you know looking at the divorce rates, and the amount of effort people put into their relationships nowadays, almost makes me sick, especially couples. you know one day they're inseparable, and then wouldn't you know they're complete strangers the next! what a waste of effort all these while of being in 'love' sending texts, sharing thoughts, fears and dreams. if love is a form, or another word to replace overwhelming obsession towards someone, then God forbid me from going through that." Kyle explained to her.

"so what is love to you?" Liana was defeated and all she could muster from her mind was this question.

"non-existent. what is love to you then?" Kyle asked her.

Liana almost said love to me is you. she'd been hiding her feelings towards this non-believer of love for years, convinced that she's in love with him but too afraid to admit because of the priceless friendship that they've built over the last few years or so. she didn't want to jeopardize the only emotional link, the only reason she had to be connected to Kyle. so, instead she said,

"i don't know. i don't really know what it is," when it was really the other way around.

"exactly my point." Kyle smiled and pulled her close to him and allowed her to rest her head on his shoulder. 

Liana went quiet and all she could do was looked at Kyle in the eyes and regretted that she has missed out on another chance; another chance to build something great, or destroy something wonderful. 

"hey Kyle?" Liana said, not looking at him.

"yes Lin?" Kyle replied and looked at her.

"you know what, never mind, never mind." 

"oh alright. hey, your favorite show's on now. lemme turn on the tv."

as long as i'm happy, and as long as he's here with me, i'll be alright, i'll be alright, Liana thought to herself and cuddled closer to Kyle. i love you Kyle, and you don't have to know. you don't have to know, yet and she smiled and Kyle pulled her closer to him and they watched t.v together until both of them fell asleep, wrapped in each other's arms.

p.s: hopes and dreams.