Aim to Engage Short Stories

WattpadAfterDark prompt - I've got a crush on you...

I took a deep breath, trying to keep myself together. 

For the longest time, I thought I'd never tell him how I felt, but now, with summer nearing, I felt like I had to. I wanted to come clean... 

Okay, maybe that's not entirely what happened. I lost a bet with my best friend and there I was. About to tell Brandon how I feel about him. 

My heart started pounding in my chest as I thought about him, a smile dancing on my face. 

I stepped into the library, trying to hide how nervous I was. 

My palms were clammy, my heart was racing, but I kept a smile on my face, which only widened when I saw him sitting in the library, reading Einstein's autobiography. He hardly noticed me when I sat down next to him, folding my hands in my lap. 

He looked up at me, a smile appearing on his face.

'Hey!' I smiled at his enthusiasm, which was just as present as always.

'Hi,' my voice was soft, almost hesitant. He frowned.

'Everything alright?' I bit my lip, questioning again if I really should tell him and coming out with the same answer I had the thousand times I had asked that question before.

'Yeah... I just... Do you mind if we... like, go for a walk?' A smile appeared on his face and he nodded.

'Of course!' He stuffed his book in his bag and I slung my bag over my shoulder. 

I tried to stay calm as we walked outside, but I couldn't stop my heart from hammering in my chest. I stuffed my clammy hands in the pockets of my jeans, avoiding Brandon's gaze. 

He happily talked away about everything and nothing as we walked down over campus. I just smiled, listening without really paying attention. 

My mind kept wandering to... her. I knew she liked him. I also didn't know what she would do if he didn't like her. She had attempted suicide almost a year before they had met him and she kept saying she didn't know she would have tried again if it weren't for us... Her friends. She hadn't really brought it up for a while, but it kept eating away at me. 

Yet, everyone, I had told about my situation, not that I told a lot of people, had agreed that I should go for it. That I deserved a chance. 

She didn't know I liked him. I hadn't had the guts to tell her, especially not after she told me she liked him. 

It felt like I was doing the wrong thing, but deep inside, I knew they were right. Brandon stopped walking, looking at me.

'You okay?' I just shook my head, not trusting myself to talk. 'What's wrong?'

'I... I don't really know how to tell you this, so I'm just gonna say it.' I took one last deep breath. 'I like you. Brandon. Like really like you. In a more-than-friends kinda way.'

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499 words... Phew... I keep cutting it close...

Song: I really like you - Carly Rea Jepsen 

Hope you enjoyed!

Lots of love,

Em,