He was my best friend. We went to the same primary school, then JHS, and later high school. No, we didn’t go to the same university, but we lived in the same neighborhood, so I can confidently say there was never a time in my life that he wasn’t there. Marvin knew me better than I knew myself, and I knew him just as well. Then I started dating Kwame, and slowly, Marvin and I drifted apart.

Whenever I did see Marvin, I couldn’t stop talking about Kwame. I told him about all the nice things Kwame did for me, and Marvin would listen attentively, teasing me like the good friend he was. When Kwame and I fought, Marvin was the one who told me what to do, even scolding me if it was my fault. He was always that steady presence, the one I could rely on.

One day, I posted a picture of a friend on my status, and Marvin commented, “My spec! Can I have her number?” I called Raina immediately, singing Marvin’s praises. “He’s a good listener, patient, kind,” I gushed. “If he’s all that, why aren’t you dating him?” she asked. I laughed, brushing off the question. “Oh, come on. How can I date my brother?” That’s how I saw him—more than a friend, like family. He called me his sister too, so the feeling was mutual.

Raina agreed to meet him, and their relationship blossomed. They fell in love so deeply that Marvin disappeared from my life and into Raina’s. I had Kwame, and I wasn’t supposed to miss Marvin, but I did. When I fought with Kwame, I had no one to vent to. When I had big news, there was no Marvin to share it with. Kwame was there, but something was missing. He wasn’t like Marvin.

One evening, Kwame called me, his voice filled with hesitation. “Mavis, I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you this earlier. I wasn’t sure…”

“What is it, Kwame?” I asked, anxiety creeping in.

“I’m leaving the country,” he said, and my heart sank. “I didn’t tell you because I wasn’t sure yet.”

“And you waited until now to tell me?” I yelled, frustration boiling over. “You might as well have just left without saying a word!”

Instead of apologizing, Kwame accused me of disrespecting him, and just like that, our three-year relationship ended. I cried the entire night, and the next morning, I rushed to his place, only to find out he had already left. I was devastated, but I didn’t call Marvin.

Three months passed, and I still wasn’t healing. I joined a socializing group to distract myself and hit it off with a guy named Pey. We texted late into the night, teasing each other and laughing. I liked his vibe. He called me May because that was the name I used in the group. The group planned a pizza hangout at the beach, and although many members canceled at the last minute, Pey was still coming, so I decided to go.

When I arrived at the beach, I called Pey, and he told me he was by the seashore. I ran to meet him, expecting to see some prince charming. But to my surprise, it was Marvin standing there, equally shocked.

"Are you Pey?" I asked, laughing.

"I should’ve known you were May!" he exclaimed, and we both burst into laughter.

We got pizza and sat under a beach umbrella, chatting like old times. He didn’t ask why I was in a socializing group, nor did I ask him about Raina. I wasn’t sure if they were still together, but it didn’t seem important at the moment.

After we finished eating, Marvin stood up, grinning. “Let’s burn some calories. Chase me!” He took off running along the shore. I ran after him, laughing so hard that I nearly tripped. At one point, I even attempted to swim, forgetting that I couldn’t. Marvin had to pull me out of the water, wrapping me in the extra sheet I had brought.

“We’re just here to have fun. Why are you trying to kill yourself and leave me?” he scolded playfully.

I looked at him and laughed. “Aww, are you scared of losing me?” I teased.

“Stop laughing. It’s not funny,” he said, trying to sound serious.

“Would you cry if I died one day?” I asked, my tone suddenly shifting.

His face softened. “We’re all going to die one day, but I pray I go before you do.”

“Why?” I asked, genuinely curious.

"Because after I lose you, there would be no reason to keep living," Marvin said quietly. His words took me by surprise, and for a moment, we just stared into each other’s eyes, as if we were seeing one another for the first time. Marvin had never said anything like this to me before.

"Am I really that important to you?" I asked softly.

He smiled, a gentle but knowing smile, and then it happened. He kissed me. Marvin initiated it, and I didn’t pull away. He kissed me, and I kissed him back.

"Will your boyfriend be mad?" he whispered against my lips.

I shook my head. "No. I’m single, so there’s no one to be mad. What about Raina? Will she be mad?"

"We didn’t make it past a month," he replied, his tone calm but firm.

"Why?" I asked, genuinely surprised.

"She wasn’t you."

Hearing that, I hugged him tightly, burying my face in his chest. "Why didn’t we just date each other?" I murmured.

"It’s not too late," he replied, his arms wrapping around me, holding me close.

We kissed again, but this time, it was different. This time, we weren’t kissing as friends. We were kissing as lovers. With that kiss, our long-standing friendship ended, and from that moment on, every kiss between us would be as something more.