12 o'clock Nightmare

Chapter 11: A Silent Confession

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ＣＨＡＰＴＥＲ ＥＬＥＶＥＮ:
ᴀ sɪʟᴇɴᴛ ᴄᴏɴғᴇssɪᴏɴ
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(Christine P.O.V)

The doorbell rang, and I immediately opened it—Ford was standing there.

Since Nathan was still here, I felt a little nervous. What if they argued again? But then again, maybe they wouldn’t. After all, this was the first time they’d seen each other in a long while. They wouldn’t fight, right?

“Good afternoon,” Ford greeted us politely.

“Long time no see,” I replied with a smile.

“Long time no see, Nathan,” he said as well, but Nathan only looked at him briefly without responding.

“I’ll just grab some juice. Give me a sec,” I said before heading to the kitchen.

(Ford P.O.V)

A lump formed in my throat as I gathered the courage to speak. The weight of my past mistakes pressed against my chest, but I couldn’t let them define me anymore.

“I’m sorry, Nathan, for blaming you for what happened to Mickey,” I admitted.

“I shouldn’t have done that. No one was truly at fault. At that time, I wasn’t thinking clearly… I let my emotions take over,” I continued, my voice laced with regret.

“It’s alright. Let’s just move on from that,” Nathan replied, offering me a small smile.

That was the first time I had ever seen him smile, even if it was just a faint one.

“Can we be friends?” I asked hesitantly. The last time we talked, he had made it clear that we weren’t.

“We’ve always been best friends… I just refused to admit it,” he said, and this time, he smiled a little wider. I couldn’t help but smile back.

(Christine P.O.V)

When I returned, I saw them both smiling.

“Wow… You two are actually smiling? Must be a good conversation. Mind if I join?” I teased.

“Just pour me a drink instead,” Nathan said, reaching for a glass.

Coincidentally, I was about to hand him the same glass, and for a brief moment, our hands touched.

“You can take it,” he murmured after a short pause.

I let go of the glass and grabbed another one for him. Then, I poured myself a drink as well.

Not wanting Mallow to feel left out, I gave him his milk too.

---

Midnight arrived, and Ford had already gone home.

I headed to the terrace—the only place I knew Nathan would be.

As I stepped outside, I found him standing there, staring into the distance.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“Am I not allowed to be here?” he countered.

“No, I was just curious,” I replied, chuckling softly.

“I wanted to tell you something,” he said.

Curious, I walked closer and stood beside him. “What is it?”

“I should just call my father and tell him I’ll go with him,” he said, his voice void of emotion.

“But… I thought you didn’t want to go? And didn’t you say if you went with him… you’d die?” I asked hesitantly.

“I have no reason to live. My mother passed away years ago. I’m alone.”

“You’re not alone. Ford and I are here—we’re your friends. We’ll always be here for you,” I said firmly.

He turned to face me, his eyes searching mine before he gently held my hand.

“Thank you… for being kind to me, even when I was cold towards you. Even when I was the reason Mickey died,” he murmured.

“No, Nathan,” I whispered. “You’re not to blame. No one saw it coming. No one could have stopped it.”

“You’re the only one who’s ever treated me this way. You’re incredibly kind… I know this isn’t right, I know I shouldn’t feel this way, but I can’t help it. I like you, Christine. I have for a long time" he confessed, lowering his head.

Before I could respond, Mallow suddenly barked from the doorway.

I turned and saw him standing there.

“You followed me?” I asked, picking him up.

“You two look alike,” Nathan said, smiling.

“Are you saying I look like a dog?” I pouted.

“I meant you’re both cute,” he clarified, his smile widening.

“Yeah, right,” I scoffed, still pouting.

“I mean it,” he laughed.

“Then why are you laughing?” I shot back, but he just chuckled again.

I eventually set Mallow down and took a deep breath.

“If you ever need anything, I’m here. Ford is here. I know it’s not easy to forget the things that haunt you, but we’ll figure it out together,” I promised.

“Thank you,” he whispered, offering me another small smile.

---

As time passed, Nathan slowly began to heal. Ford frequently visited, and Nathan did too.

Though we were only three, I could still feel Mickey’s presence—as if he was still with us, watching over us. There was nothing to be afraid of, because he was our Mickey. Our friend.

(Nathan P.O.V)

I started liking Christine the moment she saved me from my father. She asked if I was okay, and I saw genuine concern in her eyes. She told me to be careful. She always cared about me.

At that time, I didn’t realize my feelings. But when she got mad at me, I couldn’t stop thinking about her—that’s when I knew.

Every time she smiled, it felt like sunlight breaking through my storm. But I wasn’t the only one reaching for that light.

Still, I had to confess, because it was the right thing to do. I already knew she only saw me as a friend, but I needed to say it.

(Ford P.O.V)

This was the right time. I walked up to her, looking straight into her eyes.

“I like you,” I confessed.

She looked at me with kind eyes. “Thank you… but I think it’s better if we stay friends. You know, all three of us can just be friends. You mean a lot to me, Ford. That’s why I want us to stay friends—because I never want to lose you.”

I smiled, fully respecting her decision.
I smiled at her, but deep inside, I couldn’t help but wonder… if things had been different, would I have had a chance?

I knew… I knew what she said was for the best.

I also had a feeling that Nathan liked her too.

Maybe… this was for the better.