Nicholas Chavez had been your best friend for as long as you could remember. You'd met years ago during a hike with your friends. You both shared a mutual friend that introduced the two of you together.
From that day on, you were inseparable. Movie nights, late-night phone calls, hiking trips—it was always the two of you against the world. You were his go-to person, and he was yours.
Of course, there was one small complication: you were absolutely, hopelessly in love with him.
It wasn't intentional. In fact, you'd tried your hardest not to feel that way. But somewhere between the midnight talks and the way he always remembered your coffee order, your feelings shifted.
You'd never told him, though. Why risk ruining the best friendship you'd ever had?
____________________________________
One Friday evening, Nicholas showed up at your door with pizza and a bag of snacks, his usual grin plastered across his face.
"Movie night?" he asked, holding up the pizza box like a peace offering.
"You're lucky I like you," you teased, stepping aside to let him in.
As the two of you settled on the couch, you couldn't help but notice how effortlessly comfortable he looked in your space. His legs stretched out on the coffee table, his arm draped over the back of the couch, so close that you could feel the warmth radiating off him.
You tried to focus on the movie, but your thoughts kept drifting. Did he even realize how easy it was for him to make your heart race?
Halfway through the film, he turned to you, his expression unusually serious.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course," you said, sitting up a little straighter.
"Why aren't you dating anyone?" he asked, his eyes scanning your face.
The question caught you off guard, and you stammered, "Uh, I don't know... I guess I just haven't found the right person."
He frowned, as if considering your answer. "You're amazing, you know? I can't figure out why anyone wouldn't want to be with you."
Your heart fluttered, but you forced yourself to laugh it off. "Maybe I'm just too picky."
Nicholas didn't laugh. Instead, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "What if... the right person has been here all along?"
Your breath caught in your throat. "What are you saying, Nicholas?"
He ran a hand through his hair, his nerves suddenly obvious. "I'm saying... I think I'm in love with you. And I have been for a while."
You stared at him, unsure if you'd heard him correctly. "You're joking."
"I'm not," he said, his voice steady. "You're my best friend, but somewhere along the way, it became more than that. I just didn't know how to tell you without risking... this." He gestured between the two of you.
You felt the weight of his words as they sank in. "You're serious?"
"Completely," he said, reaching for your hand. His fingers were warm against yours, grounding you in the moment. "But if you don't feel the same, I get it. I just couldn't keep it to myself anymore."
A smile broke across your face as you squeezed his hand. "You idiot. Of course, I feel the same."
Relief washed over his features, and before you could overthink it, he leaned in, his lips brushing against yours in a kiss that felt both exhilarating and inevitable.
When you finally pulled away, he grinned at you, his forehead resting against yours. "So... movie night just got a whole lot better."
You laughed, your heart full for the first time in ages. "Yeah, it did."
And just like that, your best friend became so much more.
