Summary: Libby Connolly is smart, pretty, and Joel Farabee’s best friend. Navigating college is hard enough, but even harder when you sweep your feelings for your best friend under a very heavy rug. When Joel’s hockey playing starts gaining some traction Libby realizes she might not have as much time with him as she thought. Can she admit her feelings before she loses Joel?
Pairing : Joel Farabee x Libby Connolly(Original Character)
Warnings: Swearing, mentions of parties and sex, and Joel being Joel.
Enjoy! This has been fun to write. I hope you like it! Also enjoy this Gif of Joel because damn is he sexy here.
Libby Connolly’s alarm blared into the darkness promptly at 5:00 AM. She bounced out of bed and hurried to the shower before any of her roommates could beat her there.
Living in an apartment with 5 other girls was fun, and just like everything she dreamed it would be but it was also crowded and hard to get anywhere on time. Heather was the worst, and if you didn’t get in the bathroom before her you’d be left waiting for hours.
She showered and was back to her room by the time the others had began to drag themselves out of bed. She dressed, dried her hair and packed up her books before she walked to the kitchen finding Heather eating toast.
“What?!” She exclaimed mouth full of toast as Libby poured her coffee. “This was the third time I went out with him. You gotta test drive the car before you buy it.”
Heather was the definition of carefree. She was fun, wild and sometimes had the penchant to let her mouth get her in trouble. She had met Heather at the bus stop in 8th grade and they became friends right away. From day one boys on campus drooled over Heather, constantly competing for her attention. Heather was one of her closest friends, the only one closer than her being Joel.
She and Joel had also been friends since 8th grade. She had moved next door to him the summer before and after a few mornings of waiting for the bus together Joel and Heather had been able to chip away at her shy exterior and they gradually became friends. Joel was the third part to her and Heather’s friendship, and you never really saw any of them apart. It had been his idea that they both apply to Boston after he committed to play there. Now 1 month into the school year, here they were.
“Speaking of test drives .” Jenna said sliding into the kitchen on her socks “I saw your other half last night talking to Kelly Jenner.”
“Oh yeah?” Libby shrugged and moved to put milk in her coffee and screw the lid on.
“Gross. You better tell him to wrap it up because that’s a high traffic area to be tearing through.”
“I’m not his mom. Joel can do whatever and whoever he wants.”
Jenna and Heather exchanged a glance before another person joined them.
“Joel’s doing who?” Ashley asked opening the fridge.
“Kelly Jenner.”
“Oh ew gross. I always thought it would be Libby hitting that.”
“Hitting who?” Sarah mused as she came in towel wrapped around her head.
“Joel.”
“Oh you guys finally sealed the deal? Niiiiiiiice.”
She rolled her eyes and shook her head.
“Okay gossip girls I have to get to class.”
“Tell Joel we said hi!” They chorused, giggling as she closed the door.
The walk to campus was quick, less than 5 minutes. It was still pleasantly warm outside, a cool breeze drifting through the trees as she walked. There was already a few people in the room by the time she got there. She sat in her usual chair, pulling out her phone to answer a text from her mom when she heard footsteps coming towards her seat.
“Good Morning sunshine.” Joel said throwing himself down next to her, bumping her shoulder as he did. She pushed her glasses up her nose and frowned.
“ What’s wrong with you?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean yesterday I said good morning and you told me to fuck off, and today I’m sunshine? What gives?”
“I’m in a good mood. Don’t ruin it Lib.”
She shrugged and flipped open her notebook as other members of their class filtered in all looking different stages of hungover. Joel was absently humming to himself as he watched her unpack her things. She leaned forward to reach down to her bag and her curtain of hair fell forward brushing against Joel’s thigh. Libby had beautiful hair. It was long, down to her lower back and the color of peeled banana. Everywhere she went people stared at it. Her friends gushed over it, boys at school catcalled her and even respectable men stared a little too long. Libby never had time for boys, which he was thankful for. It bugged him when his teammates made comments about her, and boy did they make comments. Jake had asked her out once and Joel nearly strangled him. Libby decided on her own that it wasn’t meant to be, but Joel had influenced her decision heavily by his dislike for the situation. Libby kept her distance from his teammates going forward, but it still didn’t stop them from teasing Joel constantly. Libby had always been a constant presence in his life, but he had never thought about her that way. Or at least he’s never admit that he did.
“So you and Kelly Jenner huh?” She said casually opening her notebook and writing the date at the top.
He frowned “ What?”
“Rumor mill says you and Kelly Jenner were chatting it up last night.”
“Tell Jenna to mind her own would you? She was asking me for the homework....and then asked what I was doing later.”
“Did you tell her?”
“Yeah I told her I had to take a shower after talking to her. She’s dirty I heard.”
Libby let out a breath she had been holding, feeling relieved, and was suddenly unsure of why she felt that way. Joel was her friend but the idea of him with someone like Kelly Jenner was less than appealing. The more she thought about it the idea of Joel with anyone out a bad taste in her mouth. But she would never tell him that.
Joel paid zero attention during class, knowing Libby was taking notes and he didn’t need to.
When it was over her waited for her to pack up her stuff and follow him from the the room.
“What are you doing?”
She shrugged “I don’t have any classes till later today.”
“Let’s go eat I’m fucking starved.”
She turned to follow him when he stopped walking abruptly and she bumped into him.
“Pretend your talking to me.” He hissed.
“I am talking to you.”
“No I mean. Quick hold my hand.”
“Joel what’re you-?”
He grabbed her hand just as Kelly Jenner appeared in front of him with a wide smile. She didn’t seem to notice Libby at first, but her smile faded as her eyes zeroed in on their intertwined fingers.
“Joel. Is this your girlfriend?”
“Uh yeah. This is Libby. My uh-my girlfriend. We’re dating.”
“I see.” Kelly gave Libby a nasty smile and brushed past them down the hall. Joel let out and audible noise of disgust and a sigh and continued down the hall.
“Uh. Joel?”
“Hmm?”
“My hand?” He glanced down between them and saw that he was still holding her hand and quickly let go.
“Oh sorry. Thanks by the way.”
Libby tried to ignore the way her hand felt suddenly empty and cleared her throat, willing the blush creeping up her neck to fade. Joel looked awkwardly around before they resumed their walk to the cafeteria in silence.
They found several of their friends there, eating breakfast together at a back table. It was packed tight, and Libby was almost on Joel’s lap when they finally sat down. She suddenly felt awkward around him but another feeling was mixed in. A feeling she couldn’t quite identify.
“Hello?” She was jarred from her thoughts by Heather waving a hand in front of her face.
“I sorry-what?”
“I said, there’s a frat party this weekend, we should go.”
Libby immediately shook her head and Heather frowned “ No Heather I don’t -“
“Come onnnnnnnn” she whined “ Don’t be lame.”
“Yeah don’t be lame.” Jake, one of Joel’s teammates echoed, blowing a straw wrapper at her. Just as it was about to hit her, Joel smacked it out of mid air and sent it flying across the table.
Heather was still giving her a pouty look, eyebrows furrowed.
Libby sighed knowing that Heather was just going to keep asking and went back to eating while everyone else discussed weekend plans. She stayed mostly silent, listening when she felt a voice in her ear.
“Are you okay?” She turned and found Joel’s face very close to her own. She sputtered, cheeks getting red again.
“I’m fine.” She laughed nervously “ Why do you ask?”
“Your being weirder than normal. Is this cuz of the hand holding thing?”
“What hand holding thing?”
They turned to find the rest of the table watching them.
“Nothing I -I have to go.” Libby stood grabbing her backpack and exiting the room, walking as fast as she could without looking suspicious. Joel was frowning as he watched her leave, noticing how empty the space next to him suddenly seemed.
Why had he asked to hold her hand? If he was being honest with himself it was really because of Kelly, but he also didn’t mind the way her hand felt in his. It felt right, like it belonged there all the time.
What? Pull yourself together Farabee, what are you saying?
Joel argued with himself internally, one half of him insisted she was just his friend while the other half argued that friends don’t hold eachothers hands and enjoy it that much. As the group broke apart, only Heather and Joel were left. As they walked to class she bumped his shoulder.
“What’s going on in there Beezer?”
He bit his lip and sighed “ I don’t know. Things are weird with Libby and I think it’s my fault because I held her hand today and I-“
“ I’m sorry what? You guys held hands?”
“ Yeah, I mean-no. Kinda because Kelly Jenner was there and I wanted to get rid of her but- Ikindofenjoyeditandnowiwannadoitagain.” Joel rushed out the last part, blood rushing to his cheeks. Heather looked dumbfounded and blinked several times a small smile stretching across her face.
“I don’t know what to say besides I saw this coming ages ago.”
“You what?”
“Oh please, your really going to stand there and tell me you two have always been ‘just friends’. Trust me from the outside that’s not the case and if I can see it so can everyone else.” Heather stopped walking as she reached her classroom.
“ I’m sure everything with be fine. Don’t worry about it too much.” And with that she turned and left him standing in the hallway wondering one thing.
