Limerence • Auli'i Cravalho (gxg)

how to go to confession

It was your birthday today and Auli'i had promised to go to Disneyland with you. Last month, you jokingly brought up that idea but she agreed to it almost immediately. You didn't want your best friend to get recognised and not be able to be enjoying the parks in peace. You knew that she also didn't exactly like Disneyland because of how crowded it tends to get. However, it seems that she couldn't care less about that possibility and planned out the whole itinerary for the two of you.

She'd spent the night at your house last night to save some time. Disneyland wasn't too far from your place, so it seemed like a wise decision to have a sleepover.

"Ugh, Y/N." Auli'i jokingly complains, "Are you gonna come out yet? You've been there for a hot minute."

"I don't know what to weaaaaar." You call out from inside the bathroom.

"Get out here and let me take a look at you." She chuckles, getting up from your bed and taking a glance at herself in the mirror. Finally, after what seemed like forever, you finally open the bathroom door to reveal your outfit to her. "Oh." She says and you immediately start to panic. "You're right, this is no good."

"What?" She steps up to right in front of you, "You look great."

"You're just saying that."

"Bitch, you look hot." She scoffs, "Come on. This is perfect. Besides, I love that top you've got on."

"This old thing?" You joke, "Why?"

"Excuse me?!" She gasps dramatically, "I got that for you. When you were absolutely obsessed with the movie."

"Uh, your movie." You added on.

She giggles, "Very fitting. You look great, Y/N."

"Thanks." You smile, worries washing away as you look at Auli'i mirroring your smile, "You don't look too shabby yourself."

She grabs a hair tie off of your vanity, her face visibly showing that she was thinking. Probably trying to decide on a hairstyle. "Do a messy bun." You suggested. "Yeah, okay." She agrees. "Could you help me with French braids?" You ask sheepishly. "Sure, one sec." She swiftly did her hair then got to helping you with tying your hair into a pair of French braids like you'd requested.

~~ • ~~

She drives, you take the passenger seat. As usual, she lets you pick the music. Because you know what she likes anyway. It was way too early for the both of you, but technically? You asked for this. "Hey." You hear her call you.

"Hm?" You ask sleepily.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, it's just way too early."

"Hmm. I could sing- would that help?"

"We'll see." You chuckle, grabbing your phone and going to the Spotify search bar.

Well, it did. Because...before you knew it, you were seeing the Disneyland signage right in front of your eyes. Then, the car enters 'the Disney bubble.' As if on cue, 'How Far I'll Go' starts playing. "Oh, very funny." Auli'i smirked trying not to laugh. "What?"

"You put it so that it'll play right after that last song."

"I did not." You say. She started to sing that song anyway, and you weren't complaining because she had a killer voice. It didn't take too long to reach the parks. You feel this excitement start to overcome you as you look over at Auli'i, squealing. She laughs, shaking her head, "Come on. Let's get in the queue." The excitement didn't take long to dissipate and turn into tiredness, however. You lean onto her while standing without much thought. She just gives you a glance then focusing back onto her phone. The line wasn't too crazy yet, so you were both glad that it won't take forever to get inside. "Hey."

"Yeah, babe?" She asks with no hesitation. It literally rolled right off her tongue and she's called you that a fair amount of times before, but this time, as with the past few months, it's been giving you crazy butterflies in your stomach.

"What's the deal with you and- never mind."

"Me and who?" She insisted, "You can ask me anything. You're literally my best friend."

You gnawed onto your lower lip, internally debating if you wanted to spit it out and just confess.

"It's nothing. Not important." You answer, "We'll talk about it after today."

"Okay, then. Whatever you want." She agreed, letting that situation go.

~~ • ~~

The day passes, you two were now back at your place after a fun-filled yet tiring day at Disneyland.

"God, I'm beat." Auli'i flops onto the couch lazily, you follow suit.

"Could I talk to you about something?"

Auli'i nods, holding back a yawn, "Yeah, sure. Anything." She takes the Minnie ears headband off her head and tosses it onto the couch. You clear your throat, preparing yourself to speak once again as your heart started to race expectedly. She smiles at you. Those butterflies in your stomach go crazy again, and you swear that you were going to throw up.

"I don't know how to tell you this, but- um, I just- you're my best friend, and then suddenly I found myself liking you as more than a friend and I don't want to ruin our friendship so I was terrified to tell you." You ramble.

"Oh." She replies softly, her gaze melting into yours as she inches closer to you. So much was going on in your head that you didn't even realise how close she's gotten to your face, how her hand was cupping your cheek, how her lips were actually on yours so you shut up and your body reacted. Eventually, pulls away from the kiss a little breathlessly, "Who says anything's ruined? I think it's going pretty damn well."

You snap back into reality, feeling your cheeks start to burn up as you attempt to look away from her. But, Auli'i tilts your chin up and goes, "Happy birthday, babe."

~~ • ~~

Unedited. Published: Sunday, 5 February 2023