Y/N had known Courtney Babcock for what felt like forever. They'd met in high school, when she was the cheerleader with boundless energy, and he was the guy who never quite fit in with any particular crowd. Somehow, they'd clicked. Courtney, despite her surface-level obsession with popularity and appearances, had a softer side that Y/N quickly came to appreciate. She was kind, thoughtful in ways that others might not see. And he? Well, he had always been there, a solid friend, the guy who listened to her rants about cheer practice or her clueless younger brother, Norman.
For the longest time, Y/N was content just being her friend. He liked their dynamic—Courtney would talk and talk, and he would listen. He'd always admired her spark, the way she lit up a room with her personality. But lately, something inside of him had shifted. It started with small things: the way her laugh made his heart race, the way he'd catch himself smiling whenever she texted him. It wasn't long before Y/N realized what he was feeling: he had fallen for Courtney. Hard.
The realization was terrifying. Courtney was out of his league—at least, that's what he told himself. She was bold and beautiful, and he? He was just Y/N, her friend. What if telling her ruined everything?
But tonight, something was different. He couldn't hold it in any longer.
__
It was a warm, late afternoon when Y/N found himself nervously waiting for Courtney. They'd made plans to hang out, as they often did, but this time felt different. He was on edge, his mind racing over what he was about to do. The park where they always met up seemed more vivid than usual—the leaves greener, the air fresher, as if the world knew how monumental this moment was for him.
Courtney arrived in her usual energetic fashion, her long blonde hair bouncing in a high ponytail, a bright smile on her face. She wore a light sundress, something casual yet effortlessly stunning, and Y/N felt his heart skip a beat.
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"Hey, Y/N!" she called out, jogging over to him. "What's up? You look kind of... distracted."
He swallowed hard, forcing a smile. "I'm good. Just... thinking."
She grinned, poking him playfully in the side. "You? Thinking? That's a first."
Y/N chuckled, but his nerves were bubbling up inside. They found a bench near the lake, where they usually sat and talked about anything and everything. But today, Y/N couldn't focus on their usual banter.
As they sat there, watching the ducks glide across the water, Y/N could feel the words threatening to spill out. His palms were sweaty, and his mind kept running through a million different ways to say what he'd been keeping inside.
Finally, he couldn't take it anymore.
"Courtney," he said, his voice suddenly serious.
She looked over at him, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
