𝓻𝓾𝓮𝓵 𝓲𝓶𝓪𝓰𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓼

• a fateful truth or dare •

*.*.*.*

"Coco, what the fuck?" I said, shoving my friend playfully in the shoulder.

"You have to answer no matter what, y/n— your fault for picking truth!" She giggled.

I know, I know— we're way to old to be playing truth or dare, but right now was the most tense moment of my life.

"What was the question again?" I asked, trying to get out of answering her by rolling off of her bed and into the soft embrace of the carpeted floor.

I stared at the ceiling which was covered in R&B singer posters, concert tickets and of course, glow stars. Coco could be such a kid.

"Y/n, seriously?" Coco said exasperatedly, swinging her head off the edge of the bed, until she locked me in a gaze, her blonde hair falling from her bun as she looked at me from above.

"Whaaaaaat?" I drawled in a goofy Indian accent as I played dumb. Of course I remembered the question— but still, just thinking about it was enough to make me blush like an idiot.

"Do you love Ruel?" She said through a laugh. "Damn that sounded wrong— ah come on—what was I thinking? No one would love my gross little brother," Coco said, giving me a knowing look as she checked out her nails.

"He's not gross per say..." I said quietly, meeting her eyes from the carpet.

"AHA!" She squealed, jumping up from the duvet and tumbling off of the bed, landing directly beside me. "I knew that would get it out of you! But still— you haven't answered my question, y/n!"

"Huh, hmm?" I said, snapping out of my momentary daze consisting of images of hazel eyes, and a cute tan curtained haircut.

"Well, do you love Ruel?"

"Uh- fuck no! He has a complicated relationship with that other girl, a/n... I could never," I muttered, looking down.

"Well, y/n/n, they aren't dating, like, whatsoever! Do you know how much Ruel talks about how beautiful you are at family meals?" She stated, using big gestures. He called me beautiful?

Do I love Ruel?

She gave me a moment to ponder that as we stared at the glow stars on the ceiling. I remember back in primary school, where Ruelio and I first met; I called him 'Rueloff' for the first three years, purely to annoy him.

Then the seventh grade rolled around— our first year of high school, and that was when we became inseparable. I chuckled, remembering the fact that I threw a brick at Zach Jordans that year because he asked me to the school dance.

In Year 7, I had never told Ruel why I threw that brick, even though he asked again and again. But I knew thoroughly why.

It was because I wanted Ruel to ask me to the dance instead.

When the both of us were 15, we began to go to a little latte place on the corner of both our streets every Friday— and we'd always cancel our plans to eat the calamari there and catch up.

I was shaken to reality before I dwelt too long on those fond memories of Ruelio. Before I dwelt on the fact that he was my first best friend, the person I cried to when my dad left, and eventually, my first kiss, though after that moment we shared— he blushed profusely and avoided the subject every time I brought it up.

So we stayed best friends. And forgot about that kiss for good.

Well until now, I guess.

Suddenly, something took over my brain, wedged a thought in there, and didn't let it go until I said it out loud.

"I... I do."

What the actual fuck, brain.

"Say wha—?" Coco exclaimed, sitting up on her elbows, and grinning from ear to ear.

"I think— I think I do love Ruel."

"Y/n— y- you love me?" a new voice spoke from the threshold of the room, but deeper this time. It was certainly not Coco.

Ruel himself stood there, his bucket hat sticking out of his backpack and his hands threaded through his locks. I didn't mistake the minuscule tint of pink on his cheeks for anything other than blush, though.

"Oh shit. I'm just... gonna leave you to it," Coco said, before scurrying out of her room like the coward she was. I was so gonna chew her out later.

"How long were you standing there like a creep?" I asked, trying to play it off.

"You love me?" he repeated, exasperatedly, taking a step back towards the hallway, as I tried to move closer and explain.

"Y/n... you- h-how? What about a/n? You..." he began, not creating comprehensible sentences and looking flustered. He backed out of the room, face red as a tomato and his hand rubbing against it, trying to calm its heat but failing miserably. It would be almost
laughable— except for the fact my 8-year friendship with Ruel was hanging in the balance from three stupid little words.

I felt the vibrations of his thudding footsteps receded into silence in the hallway until I was alone.

I was in deep shit, wasn't I?

*.*.*.*

A/N: Not my best, and I had no freakin' clue where I was going with this, but I hope you enjoyed it, nevertheless! <3