'Holy shit you...you love her, don't you?'
'Of course I fucking do! I just spent ten minutes trying to tell you!' I shot up out of my seat in Ricky's lounge room and began pacing back and forth, running my tattooed fingers through my oily hair. 'I- fuck how do I tell her? Do I even tell her? Her shitty fucking boyfriend will throw me off a fucking bridge!'
'You mean Kyle?'
'Whatever his fucking name is, I don't care! I just can't keep this in, man! She just...she just does something to me...' I began to calm down at the thought of (Y/n) and her gentle smile, the kind a cancer patient would give only moments before death. She was always so cold, so weak and yet she took animalistic beatings from her boyfriend like he was worth it. 'I just...ah fuck man, I fuckin' love her...'
'I know that (Y/n) loves reading. Maybe you should take her to the library or something.' Ricky suggested, obviously trying his best to think of a solution for me.
'But her shitty boyfriend wouldn't let her...I don't want to be a home-wrecker. I just want to tell her what's on my mind and everything else is her choice...'
'Well I don't know how to talk to girls. Ask Chris for advice, he's good with that kinda stuff.'
'What'd you need me for again?' Chris asked after wandering back into his lounge room with an ice cream in his hand.
'Ricky said you're good at talking to girls.'
'That I am.'
'So...how do you tell a girl that you love her...even though she has an abusive boyfriend?' I asked sheepishly, twiddling my thumbs and shifting in my spot on his couch. I could practically hear Chris smirk at me from his side of the room before plopping down in the spot beside me and speaking.
'Well first you need to assert yourself. Y'gotta beat up (Y/n)'s boyfriend.' I hated how easily Chris could read my mind. He was manipulative, cunning, funny and gorgeous, exactly what girls liked. Everyone he was with preferred being controlled rather than controlling or even equal but I guess he had his tastes.
'How did you know it was (Y/n)?'
'Your cheeks always go red when she's involved. Anyhow, your best shot would be to kill her boyfriend and I mean really slice that fucker.'
'You're no help either...' I replied, sighing in defeat. 'I wanna be romantic...like, Tim Burton romantic.'
'If you want romance then go ask Devin.'
I didn't even bother with Devin considering last time I tried to ask him for advice I found a decapitated corpse on his bedroom floor with red candles and a salt pentagram so instead I went to Ryan's house. I felt like an idiot for going through all the trouble but I didn't know what to do. (Y/n) was just constantly invading my thoughts and it was wearing me out. '...I'm assuming you haven't told her how you feel?' Ryan asked, sitting opposite of me at his coffee table.
'No and it's driving me bloody insane!' I let my head bang against the surface of the table, representing my struggle.
'Valentine's Day is coming up, right? Why don't you go to her place on Valentine's Day and just chat with her? No fancy stuff, just standing in the doorway and explaining yourself.' Ryan suggested, a kind and genuine smile spread across his lips. I lifted my head off the table just to watch as he proudly smiled to himself.
'Do you think it'll work?'
'You have to be brave, Balz. Bravery isn't about being fearless, it's about challenging your fears. Wether it works or not, you were brave enough to tell her.' I couldn't help but smile at his comment.
'You're right...thanks, Ryan. You're the best.'
Okay, you can do this. You can do this Josh. Just do whatever feels right. No wrong answers.
I took a deep breath, taking a long look at (Y/n)'s thick, red front door before raising my fist and knocking my knuckles against the hard wood. 'Get the fucking door!'
My heart suddenly sunk.
(Y/n) quickly answered the door, her limbs trembling violently. 'J-Josh? W-What're you doing here? I-It's Valentine's Day...' (Y/n)'s cheeks grew red at the sight of me and I quickly found myself blurting my heart out for her.
'(Y-Y/n) I know you're dating someone and I feel like the biggest dickhead for feeling this way but fucking hell I can't sleep anymore because you're just always invading my thoughts and it kills me to see you in this much pain. (Y-Y/n), I...I'm sorry for feeling this was but...fuck I can't help myself. You're so perfect to me and I just want to help you...even if you don't like me back, that's okay. I just can't stand to see you with him.' I took a large gasp of breath before shutting my eyes, expecting a slap or insult. I felt nothing. I heard nothing, only gentle whimpers emanating from where she stood. Before I could open my eyes, I felt something gently press against my torso and quiver against me. I let my eyes flutter open, revealing (Y/n)'s head buried in my chest and tears seeping through my shirt. She had her hands pressed against her own chest as she let shaken words escape her pale lips.
'I-I...thank you...s-so much, I...I-I want to l-leave but I-I...I-I can't I...' She shook like a lost dog yet calmed the moment I raised my arms and wrapped them around her. 'I-I just want to leave...' Instead of replying, I took her hand and quickly dragged her away from the nightmare she was forced into.
'Don't worry, you won't have to deal with him ever again.'
I took her all the way back to my house so that her shitty boyfriend couldn't harm her. She was shaking uncontrollably, trauma lingering in her shaky breaths. She curled up in a ball on my couch, hugging herself like she was awaiting death. 'Are you sure you don't want to go to the police? They could-'
'N-No I-I...I just want to be done with him...' She snuggled up to me, pressing her head against my arm as I shifted in the spot beside her. 'Did you really mean all that stuff you said? A-About...liking me?'
'Loving you, yes. I didn't want to have to hide it anymore, it was getting painful. I just...I just needed to tell you but seeing you so afraid I just...I just needed to take you away. Is that stupid?' I replied, my heart eagerly banging around in my chest. (Y/n) shook her head and shut her eyes, finally beginning to relax.
'No it's...its perfect. Every Valentine's Day I'm forced to slave away while only wishing I could lay down with somebody. I always dreamed of having someone save me...I'm too weak to defend myself anymore...so much time has passed that I feel like an old lady, slowly withering away...it's not like I minded being with him, I just...I wanted somebody else.'
'Someone specific?' I asked, a slight concern lingering in my tone.
'You already know, Josh.'
'Is it Chris?' (Y/n) just rolled her eyes before shifting to her knees and placing a warm kiss on my cheek.
'It's you, Josh...I've always loved you...'
