He Who Finds A Girlfriend

Chapter 23: Wild Confession

Michael P.O.V

Robert was seething with anger, his eyes burning with pain and fury. The tension in the air was deafening. "We need to talk right now," he growled through clenched teeth.

His voice was low and threatening, each word dripping with barely contained rage. I could feel the weight of his disappointment pressing down on me, and I knew this conversation would be anything but easy.

Cary, who stood between us, opened her mouth to speak, but I quickly squeezed her hand, a silent gesture to reassure her that I was okay and could handle this. She looked at me, her eyes wide with concern, and after a moment's hesitation, she turned and walked away, leaving us alone in the suffocating silence of the room. The moment the door clicked shut behind her, I braced myself, knowing my best friend all too well. I was ready for what was coming.

Robert swung and punched me square in the face, a brutal punch that sent shockwaves through my skull. I stumbled back, pain exploding across my cheekbone, but I quickly regained my footing. "I can't believe you," Robert yelled, his expression twisted in disbelief and hurt. 

"My little sister, seriously, Michael? You're supposed to be our best friend. You know the rules—Cary is off-limits." 

Otto, who was stunned, came out of his stupor and stood before me, getting my undivided attention, and locked eyes with me. You could tell he was upset, but he managed to stay calm. 

"You need to get your sh*t together. I am not joking with you. If this is just a casual fling to you, you should stop it now. I know Cary, and when she loves, she loves hard. For the sake of our friendship and your well-being, you need to end this, or I assure you, the consequences will not be favorable for you." He said it through gritted teeth.

Sighing, I said. "I know we have this unspoken rule, this code that we live by, but I can't pretend anymore. I care about her—more than I ever thought possible. And I just had to let you know." It has held me back from expressing what had been gnawing at me for years. I let out a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "The truth is, I have always had a crush on Cary, but I was too scared to say anything to you.  I was so scared of messing up our friendship and making things weird that I kept my mouth shut." 

"Michael, be honest with us. No bullshitting.' Robert finally said. "Is this a fling for you, or do you genuinely care for our sister?"

"Yes," I shouted, my voice echoing in the small room, filled with the weight of unspoken truths. The air was thick with tension, and I could feel my heart race within my chest. I've never felt this way about anyone before. It was as if a dam had burst, and all the emotions I had bottled up for so long were finally spilling out. 

"Do you know how many times I wanted to tell you guys? but I didn't want to break our bro code. The unspoken rules that had governed our friendship felt like chains, holding me back from expressing what had been gnawing at me for years." I let out a deep breath, trying to steady myself. 

"The truth was, I had always had a crush on Cary, but I was too scared to say anything to you all. The thought of ruining our friendship, of making things awkward, had kept me silent. I had watched from the sidelines, my heart aching every time I saw her smile at someone else or heard her laugh."

"I've always noticed you looking at her," Otto admitted, his eyes narrowing as he studied my face. It was as if he could see right through me. 

"I promise you, this isn't just a whim for me. I've thought about this for a long time. Cary means everything to me." My voice trembled slightly, the raw honesty of my feelings spilling out. "I would never do anything to hurt her. I want to be there for her, love her the way she deserves."

Robert looked me dead in the eyes, trying to find any hint of dishonesty in my expression. "You might feel that way now, but what will you do when the excitement fades? Or when the truth of being in a relationship hits you? Do you believe you can manage that?" Considering your history, you've never been with the same girl more than once. We've known you all our lives, and you've never committed to any woman."

I looked away, unable to meet their gaze and the fact that what they were saying was true.

Otto said, crossing his arms. "You realize what this could mean if it goes south, right?" I let out a deep breath. "Yeah."

Robert's jaw clenched, the internal battle evident on his face. Michael, you know she's been through enough already." His voice softened slightly, revealing the vulnerability beneath his anger. "I can't stand the thought of you, our best friend, breaking her heart."

"I get it; I do. I promise you, this isn't just a whim for me. I've thought about this for a long time.  I took a step closer, my gaze steady. "I know I have to earn your trust, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes. Just give me that chance." Robert's expression remained guarded.

Just then we heard a knock on the door. Jay popped in, smiling, "Hey, what's up guys? We all stared at him with serious faces; the weight of the conversation came to a halt. Jay's smile faltered slightly as he took in our expressions.

"What's wrong?" His voice was laced with concern. For a moment, no one spoke. I could feel the silence stretching; we remained silent until Robert spoke again, getting my undivided attention. "How long have you had feelings for Cary? I want the truth."

"Oh," Jay said wide-eyed, as he took a seat, getting comfortable, as if he were getting a front-row seat to a Knicks game or something. "This should be interesting." He mumbled. 

I glanced at him.

I hesitated a little. "Since tenth grade," I finally replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

I could see Robert's eyes widen slightly, urging me to continue.

I remember Cary was wearing a pink top and black jeans. Sarah, the school bully, taunted Cary because she thought Cary liked Jake; he was the high school football captain. But Jake had a crush on Cary; everyone knew but Cary."

"And me, Otto said." 

"And me," Robert said.

During one of our lunch breaks, Sarah said something about Cary, and everyone there laughed. Cary was embarrassed. But then something shifted. Cary, usually so reserved, had stood up for herself, her voice steady and unwavering as she confronted Sarah. It was a moment of bravery that surprised everyone, including me."

She had faced down her bully, and in that instant, I saw her strength and resilience. But the victory came at a cost; she got detention for fighting back. I remembered she had walked away, head held high, as tears glistened in her eyes. It was then that I realized my feelings for her had transformed from a simple crush into something deeper—something that had grown quietly in the background of my life.

"I admired her so much that day," I continued, my voice gaining strength. "It was like I saw her for who she was, not just the girl everyone else saw. I knew then that I wanted to be there for her, be someone she could count on." I glanced at Robert, searching for understanding in his expression. Robert nodded slowly, his serious demeanor softening as he processed my words.

"I figured I was young, too young for her, too young for those feelings, so I thought they would fade away, like a phase or something. But when I came back and saw her, all of those feelings I thought had died came rushing back. Her laughter, the way she carried herself, the way she would lean in closer when she was excited about something, was intoxicating. I can't explain it; it was an undeniable truth I could no longer ignore. I wanted to be more than just friends." I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks as I spoke—the vulnerability of my confession.

"This is so gross, my baby sister and best friend," Robert said. "I swear to you, if you're just playing with Cary's feelings, your money won't help you. You can't hide from me. I will find you and make you pay. Do you understand me?"

"As your friend, I understand, but as your boss, I will kick your a**, he said jokingly.

"So are we all good?" 

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Word count: 1471

-Shine