More Than Friends

Chapter 8: The Confession

Nicole sat in silence after Devin finished speakin', the weight of his words hangin' heavy in the air. She felt her heart poundin' in her chest, her thoughts racing faster than she could keep up with. Devin, her best friend—the person who had always been there for her—was in love with her, had been for years.

She wasn't ready for this, but it was happenin' right now, and there was no avoidin' it.

"Devin..." she started, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't even know what to say. I never knew you felt like this."

He looked up at her, his face a mix of vulnerability and frustration. "I didn't expect you to know, Nic. I hid it, 'cause I didn't wanna mess things up. But now...now I'm tired of hidin'."

Nicole's mind spun. Everything between them was shiftin', and she felt like she was standin' on shaky ground. "But why didn't you tell me sooner? Why wait until now?"

Devin stood up suddenly, his frustration boilin' over. "Because, Nic! Because I was scared! Scared that you'd look at me different, scared that you'd tell me I was crazy, that you didn't feel the same! You were out there livin' your life, and I was just the friend, the guy you called when things went wrong, the one watchin' from the sidelines while you danced with other dudes."

Nicole was stunned by the force of his words, the raw emotion behind them. She had never seen Devin like this—never seen him so open, so hurt.

"Do you know how hard that is? To see you with other people, to act like it don't matter when every time you laugh or smile, it makes me want you even more?" Devin's voice was low but intense, his fists clenchin' by his sides.

Nicole stood up too, her own emotions rushin' to the surface. "I didn't know, Devin! How was I supposed to know if you never said anything?"

"I thought I was protectin' what we had," he said, his voice softer now, filled with regret. "But now I see that I was just protectin' myself. I couldn't stand the thought of losin' you, so I said nothin'. But then last night, when I saw you with him..." His voice trailed off, and he shook his head. "I couldn't take it anymore."

Nicole took a step closer to him, feelin' her heart ache for him, but also feelin' torn. "This is a lot, Devin. I care about you so much, but I don't know how to feel right now. Everything's changin' so fast."

Devin looked at her, his eyes filled with a mix of hope and fear. "I get it, Nic. I get that it's a lot. But I need you to know that I'm in this. I ain't just your friend anymore. I can't be. I love you, and I need you to know that. But if you don't feel the same...if you don't see me like that, then I'll walk away."

The silence between them was thick, the air heavy with unsaid words. Nicole felt like her whole world was tiltin' on its axis, and she didn't know which way to go. She could see the pain in Devin's eyes, the way his heart was on the line. But she wasn't sure if she could just flip a switch and change how she saw him.

"I don't wanna lose you either," she said, her voice small but honest. "But this is all so new to me. I need time to figure out how I really feel."

Devin nodded slowly, steppin' back to give her space. "Take your time, Nic. I ain't goin' nowhere. But I couldn't keep holdin' this in."

Nicole watched him, her emotions swirlin'. This was the moment that would change everything between them, no matter what happened next.