Strangers

She knows

Joe had stopped by Taylor's apartment to discuss some upcoming plans for their project. They had a habit of working together closely, but today, something was different. As they sat on the comfortable couch, surrounded by charts and notes, Joe found himself distracted by thoughts he couldn't shake.

Taylor noticed his restlessness and the faraway look in his eyes. "Is everything alright? You seem a little bit off" she asked, concerned.

He shifted in his seat and cleared his throat, trying to push the thoughts to the back of his mind. "Yeah, yeah, everything's fine, Taylor. I was just thinking..."

"About what?" Taylor leaned in a little, her curiosity piqued.

Joe hesitated, a hint of a nervous smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "I was thinking about Christmas, and theatre, and out last dates... I enjoyed them so much, more than anything else."

Taylor's eyes softened with understanding. "I know what you mean,I feel the same way."

He sighed with relief, grateful for her comprehension. "It's more than that, Taylor. I've been thinking a lot about us, about what we have."

Her gaze remained on him, attentive and warm. "What do you mean?"

He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, the words lingering on the tip of his tongue. "I know that we don't discuss our feelings here and all that, but... hasn't this gone so far that we should start? I don't mind what we have now, but at the same time I want more. And I'm tired of us keeping things secret. I'd be honored to hold your hand in public and at family gatherings and I started with a different topic, but what I'm trying to say is that I...»

Taylor leaned in closer, her expression expectant. "You...?"

Joe's voice was barely a whisper as he accidentally let the words slip from his mouth, "I love you."

The room seemed to stand still, as if time had frozen in that moment. Taylor's eyes widened in surprise, her lips slightly parted. The weight of what he'd said hung heavily in the air, and Joe kind of  wished he could take it back.

Taylor blinked, processing his confession. A range of emotions played on her face, and then she smiled softly. "I...love you too, I just didn't know how to say it. I do have some problems with showing emotion and communication in relationships"

His heart soared at her words, relief and joy washing over him. Sometimes, the most important things are said when we least expect them, and the accidental confession had brought their feelings to the surface, strengthening their bond in a way words never could.

"It's okay, I believe we will fix it."Joe felt a mixture of relief and happiness wash over him. He hadn't meant to blurt out his feelings, but now that he had, it felt like a weight had been lifted. "I'm glad you feel the same way," he said with a smile, reaching out to take Taylor's hand in his.

Taylor's smile deepened, and she squeezed his hand gently. "You know, I never thought I'd hear those words again. It's been a long time since someone said that to me."

"Well, you deserve to hear them," Joe replied, his gaze filled with warmth. "You're an amazing person, Taylor."

She chuckled, a hint of self-deprecation in her tone. "I might not always show it, but I do care a lot about you. I just struggle with expressing myself."

Joe leaned in and placed a tender kiss on her lips. "I understand, and I'm willing to be patient. We can work on our communication together."

Taylor took a deep breath, realizing that if she was going to be in a serious relationship with Joe, she needed to be completely honest with him about her past. Her gaze was fixed on the table as she began, her voice quiet but determined.