Fall Dream (Featuring Sturniolo triplets)

Part 5 Chris WHAT?

As we arrived back at the house, the rain had stopped, leaving behind a damp, cool evening. Everyone seemed tired from the day's adventures, and as we entered the house, there was a collective sigh of relief.

"I'm so ready to crash," Nick said, stretching his arms above his head.

"Yeah, me too," I agreed, feeling the weight of the day settling on my shoulders.

We all dispersed to our respective rooms to freshen up and unwind. I went back to Chris's room to grab my book and noticed that he was already there, sitting on the bed, lost in thought.

"Hey," I said softly, not wanting to startle him.

He looked up, and a small smile played on his lips. "Hey, Mya. How was your day?"

"It was good," I replied, moving closer to him. "Thanks for being my partner at the aquarium."

His smile widened, but there was something in his eyes that made me pause. "Anytime," he said, his voice tinged with a hint of sadness.

"Are you okay?" I asked, sitting down next to him on the bed. "You seem... off."

Chris sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know, Mya. I've just been thinking a lot lately."

"About what?" I pressed gently, feeling a knot of worry form in my stomach.

He hesitated for a moment before speaking. "About us... about everything."

I frowned, not sure what he meant. "What do you mean?"

Chris took a deep breath, his gaze meeting mine. "I mean... I've been thinking about how things could have been different between us."

I felt my heart skip a beat, my mind racing to process his words. "Different how?"

He looked away, his jaw clenched. "I've liked you for a long time, Mya. But I never had the courage to say anything. And now... it feels like it's too late."

I sat there in stunned silence, unable to believe what I was hearing. Chris liked me? All this time?

"I had no idea," I whispered. "I know," he said softly, reaching out to take my hand in his. "I should have said something sooner. But I was scared of ruining our friendship." "You could never ruin our friendship, Chris. And... I feel the same way."

His eyes widened in surprise. "You do?"

I nodded, a smile spreading across my face. "Yeah. I do." As I sat there staring at his sweet smirk my feeling for Matt had faded although the still were lingering in the back of my heart. I still thought somehow I would be able to get Matt to fall in love with me but for not Chris was enough. He squeezed my hand as I went to sit on the bed.