More Than Friends

Chapter 10: New Feelings, Old Friendship

Nicole woke up the next morning with a heaviness in her chest. Sleep had come in waves, her mind too restless to fully relax. Devin's confession was still playing in her head like a broken record, and no matter how much she tried to push it to the back of her mind, it kept coming back.

She sat up in bed, her fingers idly twisting one of her braids as she stared at her phone. There were no new messages from Devin, no missed calls. He was giving her space, just like he said he would, but it felt strange not hearing from him. Normally, they'd be texting or talking about some random thing by now.

Her thoughts drifted back to their conversation. The way Devin looked at her, the way his voice cracked when he admitted how long he'd been holding onto his feelings. Nicole had always seen Devin as a constant in her life, her rock, her best friend. But now? Now everything felt off balance, and she didn't know how to handle it.

With a sigh, she grabbed her phone and scrolled through her contacts until she found Tasha's name. She hit the call button, hoping her best friend could help her figure out what to do next.

"Girl, what's up?" Tasha answered, her voice bright and upbeat.

Nicole wasted no time. "I'm losin' my mind, Tasha. I don't know what to do about Devin."

There was a pause on the other end before Tasha responded, her tone softening. "I figured you'd call me about that. You still trippin' over what he said?"

"Yeah," Nicole admitted. "I mean, it's just... a lot. I never thought about Devin like that, you know? And now it's like, every time I think about him, I don't even know how to feel."

Tasha let out a small laugh. "Girl, that's 'cause you didn't realize what was right in front of you. You and Devin have always had somethin' special, whether you wanna admit it or not."

Nicole's heart raced a little at Tasha's words. "But what if I don't feel the same way? What if we try this and it ruins everything?"

Tasha sighed on the other end. "You're overthinkin' it. I'm not sayin' you gotta make a decision right this second. But you owe it to yourself—and to him—to at least figure out how you really feel. If you don't, you'll always be wonderin' what could've been."

Nicole stayed silent, her mind racing. Tasha was right. She couldn't keep dodging this forever. Eventually, she'd have to face it.

Later That Day

Nicole decided to take a walk around her neighborhood, hoping that getting some fresh air would help clear her head. She walked down the familiar streets, her mind wandering as she tried to make sense of her feelings.

Could she see Devin as more than just her friend? She wasn't sure. But she knew one thing—she didn't want to lose him. The thought of them drifting apart because of this terrified her.

Just as she was about to turn the corner, her phone buzzed in her pocket. It was Devin. Her heart skipped a beat as she hesitated for a moment before answering.

"Hey," she said softly.

"Hey," Devin replied, his voice steady but cautious. "I was wonderin' if you wanted to meet up. I know I said I'd give you space, but... I just wanna talk. No pressure."

Nicole bit her lip, her thoughts swirling. "Yeah, we can meet. Where?"

"How about the park? I'll be there in 20."

"Okay," she agreed, her voice barely a whisper.

As she hung up the phone, Nicole felt a wave of nerves wash over her. This was it. She and Devin were going to talk again, and she wasn't sure what would happen next. But she knew one thing for sure—things between them were about to change, one way or another.