Creased Confessions

Chapter 9

*Elliot's POV*

Saturday morning rolls around, bringing with it that chill, lazy vibe that only weekends at college can. It's the perfect time to tackle something that's been nagging at me: the stack of letters from my maybe-more-than-a-friend. They're hidden away in my desk, each adorned with those distinctive watercolor hearts. But before I even crack open that drawer again, I need to sort out my thoughts, and I know just the person to help.

Sitting cross-legged on my bed, back against the wall, I pause my music and take off my headphones. Looking down at my hands, playing with the sleeves of my sweater, I decide to confide in Chris, who is buried in his latest binge-watch series.

After a minute of watching him laugh silently at whatever's playing on his screen, I just go for it. "Hey Chris, can we talk?"

He looks up at me, seeing the nerves seeping out of me. He pauses his show and sits up right on his bed, facing me. "Yeah, is everything okay?"

I nod, trying to gather my thoughts. "It's about last night... at the De-stress Fest with Jamie," I start, feeling my cheeks warm just mentioning it.

Chris's expression shifts to one of keen interest. "Oh? How did it go?"

"It was good, really good, actually," I admit, letting out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. "We played a game, just the two of us, and it felt... different, you know? He ended up holding my hand which threw me off at first, but it was nice. But i didn't realize that he was, ya know... into guys."

Chris raises his eyebrows, his smile spreading. "Dude, that sounds promising."

I gasp, coving my mouth with my hands. "What if it's cause he's not out? That's why we only held hands when no one was there." I furrow my brows, still thinking out loud. "If he isn't out, then that means i just outed him to you. Oh god, now I feel so bad." i ramble on. 

Saturday morning rolls around with that chill, lazy vibe only a weekend at college can bring. It's perfect for diving into something that's been weighing on me: the stack of letters from my maybe-more-than-a-friend. Tucked away in my desk, each one is decorated with those distinctive watercolor hearts. But before I even think about reopening that drawer, I need to sort out my thoughts. And for that, I need Chris.

Sitting cross-legged on my bed, back against the wall, I pull off my headphones and pause my music. I watch Chris for a moment, lost in his latest binge-watch, laughing at something on his screen. Taking a deep breath, I decide it's now or never.

"Hey Chris, can we talk?" I finally blurt out.

He looks up, instantly pausing his show as he catches the serious tone in my voice. Sitting up, he turns to face me fully. "Yeah, man. Everything okay?"

I nod, more out of habit than certainty, and start twisting the hem of my sweater. "It's about last night... at the De-stress Fest with Jamie," I begin, my cheeks warming at just the mention of his name.

Chris's expression shifts to intrigue. "Oh? How did it go?"

"It was good, really good actually," I admit, letting out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. "We played a game, just the two of us, and it felt... different, you know? He ended up holding my hand which threw me off at first but it was nice. But I didn't realize that he was, you know... into guys."

Chris's eyebrows shoot up, his smile widening. "Dude, that sounds promising."

A sudden realization hits me, and I gasp, covering my mouth with my hands. "What if it's because he's not out? That's why we only held hands when no one was there." My mind races as anxiety creeps in. "If he isn't out, then that means I just outed him to you. Oh god, now I feel so bad," I ramble, the worry evident in my voice.