Slowly (Sydney Novak x reader)

Come here

After we hung out some more at the bowling alley with Stan, I walked her to her car. "Thanks for coming." I smiled at her. "I had a good time. Stan is really funny." "Ha, yeah...umm, well I'll see you." She gave me a hug. It was brief but her warmth surrounded me and I felt that feeling in my chest again. When she pulled back she gave me a smile and headed off. I don't know what it is but every time she leaves I feel so lonely. I always have but since she's come into my life, I feel like I finally have someone to talk to who could one day understand me.

I sighed and went into the bowling alley. Stan was standing there with a stupid smile on his face. "What."
"Nothing, just you two are real cute."
"Shut up, Stan. She'd never like me like that."
"Oh, so you admit you like her? I called it."
"I like her as a friend. That's all. I'm just saying, she'd never see me like that. I don't even think she's gay, not even a little bit."
"Well, you should. Because she is, a lot bit." I gave him a weird look. "She had a little thing with a girl last year, someone from her school. I saw them around town holding hands and shit. I don't know what happened but a week later I never saw them together again."
I felt a little tinge of jealousy. 'I wonder if I would've remembered us meeting, or well, if we would've kept hanging out after we met, could we have dated?'
I sat down and Stan looked at me. "You gotta at least try to start something up with her. You seem to like her. I could be wrong, Syd, but I never am."
I rolled my eyes at him.
I left a few minutes later and walked home. It was dark out since it was late already. Kinda creepy but I'll be fine. Once I got home, I went to my room and flopped down on the bed. 'Maybe Stan is right. Oh, god, what kinda world are we living in now where Stan is right?'

The next morning I stayed home most of the day taking care of Liam. My mom came home late in the afternoon. "Sydney, I need you to go to the store and pick up stuff for dinner."
"Didn't I just pick up the groceries a few days ago?"
"Yes, you did. And you forgot stuff. Now, I need you to go get it."
I sighed and went out after I took the money from her. I walked over to the store. I didn't think y/n was here. I grabbed everything I needed and went to the register and nobody was there. I looked around and couldn't see anyone. I was a little annoyed but I waited until I heard laughing. I walked over quietly and saw the employee break room. I looked inside through the window in the door and saw y/n and some guy laughing together. I frowned. I kept looking at the guy and I started clenching my fist. I knew I needed to calm down but I didn't like the way he was looking at her.
'He keeps looking at her chest and her lips. Looking at her like he wants her. Who the fuck does he think he is? Why the fuck does he think he has a chance with her? Why won't he stop fucking looking at her? I swear to fuckin-'

All of a sudden the chair he was in flips over and he falls down onto the floor. Y/n stood up and rushed over to him asking if he's okay. He gets up and laughs. "Yeah, I'm fine. That was weird." He brushes himself off and put his hand on her should to reassure her. It felt like my blood was boiling. The lights started to flicker and y/n turned to look in my direction. I quickly moved away from the door back to the register before either of them came out. I took a couple of deep breaths and calmed down. The lights stopped flickering and y/n came out of the break room. "Syd? How long have you been waiting? You could've called out for someone." I shrugged. "It's fine." She rang everything up and I handed her the cash. I didn't look her in the eyes, I just stared at the counter. "Sydney? Is something wrong?" I shook my head, I still hadn't looked at her.

She sighed and handed me the change and I put it away. As I was going to get the bags she grabbed my hand. My heart skipped a beat. "Hey, look at me."
I looked up at her. She looked upset. 'Fuck, please don't look at me like that. I feel like I'm gonna freak out.'
"Syd, you haven't looked at me once. Not even when I came out of the back. Are you mad at me?"
"No."
"Okay...so then why can't you look at me?"
I had looked down at my shoes right after I looked up at her. I couldn't keep eye contact with her or else my face was gonna get all red. "I did look at you. Now, I'm looking at the floor."
She walked around the register and stood in front of me. I stared at her shoes. "Syd..."
She took both my hands in hers. 'I'm gonna pass out.'
"Please, look at me. Did I do something to upset you?" I took a deep breath and picked my head up and looked into her eyes. "No, sorry, just tired." I could tell she didn't believe me but I knew she wouldn't pry. "Do you need any help getting home? I can go with you." I nodded. "Yeah, if you can." She grabbed a bag and I grabbed the other two and we left the store.

As we walked, I could tell she was getting a little sad. I needed to say something. "Hey, so, I had fun last night. At the bowling alley."
"Me too. Thanks for inviting me."
"Yeah, I like hanging out with you. Stan really like you, too."
"He's great. Umm, Syd, listen. There's something I wanted to tell you. Stan knows something about me. I don't really tell anyone because it's not something I like to broadcast but I feel like it's something you should know. It tends to make people uncomfortable and stuff and I think it shows me who's really a good person after I tell them."
I nodded. We had stopped walking when she brought this up. We were a block away from my house.
"Stan might've told you because he saw it. Just, don't think I'm weird. Umm...so, basically, I like girls. I had a brief little thing with a girl a year ago. It didn't go well. But I know Stan and a couple of other people saw us together and I know those other people who saw were very judgy and homophobic. I just wanted you to know so you can kinda make a decision about whether you wanna be seen with me because of it."
She was looking down at the ground. I could tell that it was taking her a lot to tell me this. "I don't care about that kinda stuff. I actually like girls, too...I had feelings for Dina a while back." "Really? Do you still like her?"
"Not anymore. I don't think I have feelings for anyone right now. Well, I might. I think. I don't know." I turned away from her so she wouldn't see how nervous I had gotten.
'I definitely feel something for her, but I don't know what.'
She smiled at me. "Thanks for not thinking I'm a freak."

We got to my house and I left all the groceries in the kitchen. She said hi to my mom and Liam and I walked back out with her. I offered to walk her back to the store. As we walked it was quiet. We got to the store and she turned to me. She took my hand and started walking. "Come here with me for a sec." She led me to the back of the store and hugged me. "You're such a good friend, Syd. You really are." I hugged her. 'Friend...never thought being called that word could hurt.'

She pulled away but kept her hands on my shoulder. We looked into each other eyes. I could feel myself turning red and my hands started to sweat. 'What is happening.'
She started getting closer to me and she looked at my lips for a second. My heart was racing and I could feel myself shake a little. She was right next to my face, I could feel her breath by my ear. "I'll see you later, Syd." She whispered in my ear. She pulled away and gave me a sweet smile and walked into the store. I stood there, in shock.

'Holy fuck.'