Y/N and Sutton had been inseparable since they were kids. They grew up on the same street, went to the same schools, and shared countless inside jokes. Sutton was always there for Y/N, through every up and down, but there was a line between them that Y/N dared not cross—Sutton was her best friend, and she valued their friendship too much to risk it.
Yet, as they grew older, Y/N couldn't deny the occasional pang of longing when she looked at Sutton. He was handsome, funny, and understood her better than anyone else. Sometimes, in quiet moments, she wondered what it would be like if they were more than friends. But those thoughts were fleeting, pushed aside by the fear of losing Sutton altogether.
Then, one summer evening, everything changed. Y/N met someone new, someone who made her heart race in a way it hadn't before. He was charming, with a smile that could light up a room. For the first time, Y/N found herself caught up in the excitement of romantic possibility, and she couldn't wait to share the news with Sutton.
But as she started spending more time with her new crush, Y/N noticed a shift in Sutton's behavior. He seemed distant, less available than usual. Their hangouts became sporadic, and when they did meet, there was an unspoken tension lingering between them. Y/N couldn't understand why Sutton was pulling away when she needed her best friend the most.
One evening, after yet another canceled plan, frustration boiled over into an argument. It started over something trivial—a missed call, a forgotten promise—but quickly escalated into a heated exchange of words. Y/N's heart ached as she realized how much their friendship had frayed.
In the midst of their argument, Sutton suddenly fell silent. His eyes, usually warm and comforting, now held a mixture of pain and uncertainty. Without warning, he closed the distance between them and kissed her—a gentle, tentative kiss that spoke volumes of unspoken feelings.
Caught off guard, Y/N's initial shock gave way to a rush of emotions she had buried deep for so long. In that fleeting moment, everything became clear. Sutton wasn't just her best friend; he was the one who had always been there, the one who knew her inside and out.
As they pulled apart, both breathless and wide-eyed, Y/N searched Sutton's face for answers. His expression softened into a small, rueful smile.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I've been a fool."
Y/N shook her head, her own voice thick with emotion. "No, I should've realized..."
They stood there, on the brink of a new chapter neither had anticipated. The revelation of their feelings for each other hung in the air, tender and fragile.
"I've always loved you," Sutton confessed quietly, his gaze unwavering.
Tears welled up in Y/N's eyes as she reached out to touch his cheek, her fingers trembling. "I love you too," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper.
In that moment, years of unspoken words and missed opportunities melted away. They had found their way to each other, not through grand gestures or elaborate plans, but through the raw honesty of their hearts.
