More Than Friends

Chapter 9: Torn Between Two Worlds

Nicole sat on the edge of her bed, staring blankly at the wall. It had been a day since Devin's confession, and the weight of his words was still sinking in. She hadn't been able to focus on anything else, her mind replaying their conversation over and over again.

Devin, the person she thought she knew better than anyone, had dropped a bombshell that flipped everything upside down. She kept asking herself the same question—how had she missed it? How had she not seen the way he felt? Maybe she had been blind, or maybe she just didn't want to see it.

Now, she didn't know how to feel. Her phone buzzed beside her, pulling her out of her thoughts. It was a text from Tasha: Girl, you good? Heard from Devin?

Nicole sighed. She hadn't talked to Devin since that night. She hadn't even known what to say after the way he opened up to her. She stared at the message for a moment before replying: No, I'm still trying to figure it out.

Her thoughts drifted back to Devin—how he looked at her when he finally told her the truth. He had been so raw, so vulnerable. She knew it took everything in him to admit how he felt, and she respected that. But was she ready to give him what he wanted?

She stood up, pacing her room. Her feelings were all over the place, and she couldn't untangle them. She loved Devin—of course, she did. But was it the kind of love he wanted from her? Could she look at him differently now that she knew? And if she didn't feel the same, how could they go back to being just friends?

Her phone buzzed again. Another text. This time, it was from Devin: Can we talk?

Nicole's heart raced. She knew they needed to have this conversation, but part of her was still scared—scared of what she might say, scared of what she might feel. But she couldn't avoid him forever.

Yeah, we need to talk. Come over, she texted back before she could change her mind.

Later That Night

Devin showed up at Nicole's door, the tension between them still heavy. He didn't look nervous this time, though—more like he was ready to finally get this all out in the open. Nicole let him in, her stomach twisting with nerves.

They sat down on the couch, the silence between them thick.

"I've been thinkin' about what you said," Nicole started, her voice soft but steady. "I just... I didn't know you felt that way, Dev. I never saw it."

Devin nodded, his expression serious. "I know. That's on me. I kept it to myself for too long. But now that you know, I can't go back to actin' like it don't matter."

Nicole bit her lip, her emotions swirling. "I care about you so much. You're my best friend, and I don't wanna lose that. But I don't know if I'm ready for things to change between us."

Devin sighed, his shoulders tense. "I get that, Nic. I ain't tryna push you into anything. I just needed to be honest with you—for once."

Nicole looked at him, seeing the conflict in his eyes. This wasn't easy for either of them, and she knew whatever decision she made was going to change everything.

"I'm scared," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Scared of what this might do to us. What if we try this and it doesn't work? What if we lose everything?"

Devin leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "I'm scared too. But I'd rather take the risk than live with regret. I can't keep watchin' you from the sidelines, wonderin' what could've been."

Nicole's heart ached. She didn't know if she was ready to cross that line, but the thought of losin' Devin—really losin' him—was almost too much to bear.

"I just need time," she whispered. "I need to figure this out."

Devin nodded, his expression softer now. "Take all the time you need. I'm not goin' anywhere."

Nicole looked into his eyes and saw the same Devin she had always known, but something deeper was there now—something she couldn't ignore.