I didn't think it was possible to feel this nervous about someone I already knew so well. Bri wasn't just a friendâshe was the friend, the one I could tell anything to, the one who could always make me laugh. And now? She was also the girl I couldn't stop thinking about.
Ever since we admitted our feelings to each other, things had been... different. Not bad, exactly. Just different. There was this electricity in the air whenever we were together, like something big was about to happen, but neither of us was sure how to take the next step.
I'd spent hours replaying our conversations in my head, wondering if I should just come out and say it. Hey, Bri, do you want to go on a real date? Like, officially? But every time I worked up the courage, I'd chicken out, telling myself it wasn't the right moment.
Until today.
---
I didn't think I could be so nervous around someone I already knew so well. Bri had become a person that meant a lot to me in a short amount of time. But now, she was also the girl I couldn't stop thinking about.
Ever since we admitted our feelings for each other, things had felt different. Not badâjust different. There was this quiet, unspoken tension between us, like we were both waiting for the other to make the first move. And the waiting? It was driving me insane.
Today, we went to her house after school to hang out and study. Sitting across from her at her dining table, I watched her scribble notes in her journal, her brow furrowed in concentration. She tapped her pen against her bottom lip as she thoughtâa habit I'd seen a million times before, but now it made my chest tighten in a way I didn't entirely understand.
"You're staring again," she said without looking up, her voice tinged with amusement.
I blinked, caught. "What? No, I'm not."
She glanced up, raising an eyebrow. "You so are."
I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to play it cool. "Maybe I'm just appreciating the scenery."
Her cheeks turned pink, and she ducked her head, focusing on her notes again.
God, she was adorable.
---
We worked in relative silence after that, occasionally trading ideas or cracking jokes. Every now and then, I'd catch her glancing at me out of the corner of her eye, and my heart would stutter.
After an hour, we decided to take a break. Bri stretched her arms over her head, letting out a soft groan. I tried not to stare as her shirt lifted slightly, revealing a sliver of skin.
"Want something to drink?" she asked, heading to the kitchen.
"Sure," I said, grateful for the distraction.
She returned with two glasses of lemonade, handing one to me before sitting back down.
"So," she said, fiddling with her glass, "I've been thinking..."
My stomach flipped at her tone. "About what?"
"About us," she said, her voice quiet. "About what this... thing between us is."
I set my glass down, my heart pounding. This was itâthe moment I'd been waiting for, dreading, and hoping for all at once.
"And?" I prompted, my voice softer than I intended.
She hesitated, her gaze dropping to her lap. "I like you, Dev. I have for a while. But I don't want to ruin what we have."
"You won't," I said quickly. "I like you too, Bri. More than like you. And yeah, it's scary. But I think we're worth the risk."
She looked up at me then, her eyes wide and vulnerable. "You really think so?"
"I know so," I said, reaching out to take her hand.
Her lips curved into a small smile, and she gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "Okay," she said softly. "Let's do this."
---
Later that evening, I offered to drive her home. The ride was quiet but not uncomfortable. Every so often, I'd glance over at her, and she'd catch me, her cheeks turning pink.
When we pulled up in front of her house, I turned off the engine but didn't move to get out. Neither did she.
"I had a good time today," she said, breaking the silence.
"Me too," I said, my voice low.
She hesitated, biting her lip like she wanted to say something but wasn't sure how.
"Bri," I said, my heart pounding, "can I kiss you?"
Her eyes widened slightly, but then she nodded, her cheeks flushing.
I leaned in slowly, giving her plenty of time to change her mind. When our lips finally met, it was soft and tentative, like we were both testing the waters. But then she leaned into me, her hand resting lightly on my arm, and everything else faded away.
When we finally pulled apart, she was smiling, her eyes shining with something I couldn't quite name but knew I never wanted to lose.
"Worth the wait?" I asked, my voice teasing but soft.
"Definitely," she said, her smile widening.
I grinned, my heart feeling lighter than it had in weeks. For the first time, everything felt right.