Betty was happy when James started to call her every single day.

They'd talk about everything, from his life at his farm to the beach, and even Adam. Suddenly, James wasn't annoyed when she mentioned her bestfriend. She loved telling him about their picnics and when they'd gone to the closest arcade a few miles away.

And he described how he'd sneak out to meet 'the guys'. Even though they were miles away, things had never been better. Betty stopped feeling bitter about herself. 

Contrary to James, her mother hadn't called even once. She knew who prioritized her and who didn't. And in that lack of interest from her parent, Betty was on her way to finding her feet in the world.

"I'm thinking of pursuing art," Betty said firmly when James called her on the first day of August.

"Seriously?" James said disbelievingly. 

"Yeah!" she defended. "It's cool."

"And what are you going to do in that broad field?"

"That's yet to be decided," she admitted. "But with the shit I've gone through, I feel like that could be a good outlet for my emotions." 

Betty didn't tell James about the canvas she had tried painting in the past few weeks. It was a picture of a house on the beach, not a modern one like Adam's, but something older and more nostalgic.

"But that's still great news!" James said. "You'll do good."

"And I was thinking that I should go back home," Betty said. "Maybe give mom sometime to readjust to the fact that she has a daughter. It'll mostly be to sort through my stuff and -"

"Betty!" James interrupted, his voice higher pitched with panic. "Don't come home."

"What?" Betty was shocked. James hadn't wanted her to go, and now...

"You're doing so well!" James said. "Spend the whole summer there. You can come back home later, it's not going anyway." James laughed nervously at his last remark.

"Are you sure?" Betty asked. "I really miss you, James."

"And I miss you," James whispered in a way which raised the hair on Betty's arms. The words resonated in Betty's heart. "But I think it's best that you stay somewhere you don't stress out."

"That's there," Betty agreed. "Anyway, I better get downstairs. Adam has something to show me."

"I hope its good!" James said enthusiastically. Betty grinned at that. He was finally seeing that Adam was her best friend as any girl could have been. Maybe it was all going to be alright after all. 
"Bye," Betty said.

"Love you, bye!" James said before ending the call. 

*****

Adam was waiting for Betty in his bedroom. His blue shirt was rumpled and he wore denim shorts. He looked rather nervous as he tentatively waved at her to take a seat beside him on the carpeted floor.

"So, what do you want me to see?"

"Okay, don't be mad," he started. "I kind of had a crush on this girl, and I wrote her a poem. I want to know whether she'd like it."

"Adam!"

"Yeah, I know I should have told you about her earlier, but it's like whatever," he blushed and said. "Please just tell me if it's okay."

Betty simply nodded. She was a little shocked that Adam had kept this from her given that they'd shred everything since childhood. But she also understood why he'd done it. It was after all his feelings, and even though they were best friends, she couldn't force him to tell her everything because that just wasn't right. 

Adam took a shaky breath, took out a folded sheet of paper from the back pocket of his shorts and started reciting:

Time stands still when you look at me

You don't know how I feel, but believe me

When I tell you that my days are incomplete

Without the thought of you, all my life

I want to be bound to you, my heart

Belongs to you, and I will follow you.

But I'm afraid I won't be enough for you
So, I'll just try my best to 
And if you don't want me

And if your heart belongs to another

I'll understand.

But I'd be lying if I said

That I don't get hurt every time you do

That I wouldn't do anything to make it right.

And I'd love you through it all,

The good, the bad, the ugly

Your bad days are mine 

I would be the happiest boy,

Just say yes.

"So..." Adam looked at Betty.

"It sounds like wedding vows, definitely too strong," Betty said. 

"Oh," Adam said and scratched his neck. "Crap, I can't use this." He started crumpling the page.

"Wait," Betty interrupted. "Don't do that. It's beautifully written. Maybe someday you can actually use it."

Adam tilted his head and gave a nervous laugh. "You sure?" Betty nodded vigorously as Adam smoothened out the paper and refolded it. 

"But, the main question is, who is the lucky girl?" Betty raised her eyebrows.

"Uh... I can't tell you yet," Adam said. His eyes couldn't quite meet hers. "I'll tell you if she says yes to dating me."

"She'd be crazy not to," Betty said and rolled her eyes. "Like look at you man, you're freaking perfect."

Adam laughed nervously. "Apparently she doesn't think that." Betty was about to protest against the idea, when Adam said, "Let's go have something to eat. I'm starving."

And so they did. But throughout the day Betty couldn't help but wonder who Adam was enamored of.