025 | what if?

Gianna paced her living room, the soft padding of her socks barely making a sound against the wooden floor. The weight of her thoughts had grown too heavy, and there was only one person she could think to turn to for clarity. Marc Guiu, her older brother, sat comfortably on her couch, lazily flipping through channels on her TV.

"Marc," she started, her voice unsteady.

"Hmm?" he hummed, not bothering to look away from the screen.

She hesitated, biting her lip. Her hands fidgeted with the hem of her sweatshirt as she considered whether she should even ask. But the words had been sitting on the tip of her tongue for days now, and she couldn't hold them back any longer.

"Marc," she said again, this time more firmly. He finally turned his head, giving her his full attention.

"What's up?" he asked, his brows furrowed slightly as he noticed her nervous energy.

She took a deep breath, her heart racing. "What would happen if I... liked Hector?"

For a moment, there was silence. The question hung in the air, heavy and loaded with meaning. Marc stared at her, his expression unreadable, before he finally leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"Wait," he said slowly, his eyes narrowing. "Are you saying you do like Hector?"

Gianna groaned, dragging her hands down her face. "I don't know! That's why I'm asking you. I don't even know what I feel anymore."

Marc tilted his head, studying her. "Alright, let's break this down. What makes you think you like him?"

She plopped down onto the couch beside him, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's just... the way he makes me feel. When he's around, everything feels easier. Like I can breathe again. And when he looks at me or says something sweet, my heart does this stupid fluttery thing, and I hate it because it's so confusing."

Marc smirked, leaning back. "Yeah, that sounds like you like him."

Gianna shot him a glare. "This isn't funny, Marc. I'm freaking out. He's my best friend. If I ruin things between us, I'll never forgive myself."

Marc's smirk softened into something more thoughtful. He reached over, ruffling her hair in that older-brother way that always annoyed her but also comforted her. "Look, Gigi, I get why you're scared. Hector's been in your life forever. But you can't ignore how you feel just because you're afraid. That's not fair to you-or him."

"But what if he doesn't feel the same way?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "What if I tell him and he starts acting weird around me? I don't think I can handle that, Marc."

Marc sighed, leaning back against the couch. "Hector cares about you more than anyone. I've seen the way he looks at you, Gianna. He'd drop everything if you needed him. If you ask me, he already feels the same way-you're just too blind to see it."

Her heart skipped a beat at his words, hope bubbling up in her chest despite her best efforts to suppress it. "You really think so?"

"I know so," Marc said confidently. "But even if, by some miracle, I'm wrong, Hector isn't the kind of guy to let something like this ruin your friendship. You're too important to him."

Gianna stared at her hands, her thoughts swirling. It felt like her emotions were a tangled mess, and she didn't know where to start unraveling them. But Marc's words gave her a sense of clarity, a small glimmer of courage.

"So... what do I do?" she asked, looking up at him.

Marc shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. "That's up to you. But if you're asking me, I'd say take the leap. Life's too short to keep your feelings bottled up. And who knows? This could be the start of something amazing."

Gianna let out a shaky laugh, shaking her head. "You make it sound so easy."

"It's not supposed to be easy," Marc said. "But it'll be worth it."

She leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Thanks, Marc."

"Anytime, baby sister," he said, wrapping an arm around her. "And for the record, if Hector ever hurts you, I'll make sure he regrets it."

Gianna laughed softly, the tension in her chest easing just a little. She still didn't know what she was going to do, but for the first time, she felt like maybe, just maybe, everything would be okay.