let’s not fall in love. I could tell you were catching… | by Val

I could tell you were catching feelings, even if you didn’t want to admit it. The way you looked at me, all nervous and soft, gave you away. But you were holding back, like you were scared to let it happen.

“Hey,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper, “do you like me?”

You went quiet, just staring at the floor like it held all the answers. After what felt like forever, you finally looked up, your eyes locking with mine. “Yeah, I like you,” you mumbled, “but I’m all messed up about it. I’m kinda freaked out, you know?”

My mind flashed to that dumb phone call last weekend. I was half-drunk, rambling about how much you meant to me. Shit. That’s probably why you’re spooked. I basically poured my heart out, and now you’re stuck dealing with it.

You shifted closer, your voice shaky but real. “I’m falling for you, just a little. But it feels… off, you know? Like, this isn’t how it’s supposed to go.”

Your words hit me hard. It’s like you saw right through me, like I was some open book you’d already read a hundred times. Every goofy smile, every late-night text, every time I tried to play it cool — it was all laid bare.

“What, you think I’m just saying what you wanna hear?” you asked, raising an eyebrow, half-teasing, half-serious.

I couldn’t hold it in anymore. My heart was pounding, and I was done pretending. “I love you,” I blurted out, cringing at how desperate it sounded. “Don’t act like that’s a shock.”

You blinked at me, like you weren’t sure you heard right. “You for real?” you said, your voice all soft and skeptical.

I laughed, but it came out more like a sigh. “Fine, let’s not fall in love then,” I said, throwing my hands up. “We’re nothing, I guess. Just friends. Whatever.”

But then you grabbed my hand, your fingers wrapping around mine like you were afraid I’d bolt. “Hold up,” you said, your voice steady now, cutting through my panic. “How are we supposed to be anything if we don’t even try? You think I want ‘just friends’? Nah, we’re past that.”

My heart was racing, and I just stared at you, your hand still in mine. The room felt too small, like it was just us and this big, scary thing we couldn’t ignore anymore.

And for once, I didn’t want to run from it.