Days went by, The brilliant summer sun illuminated the environment in vibrant colors, and my feelings for Alex grew stronger because there was this comfort and familiarity whenever i was with Alex, my long time friend he always walked me from work and my parents always invites him over for dinner my little sister tory seems to have grown more fond of him than me"this is the only good thing you've done for me since you bought me front row tickets to see trent brown" she said whispering to me at the dinner table"that's because you blackmailed me into doing it" i whispered back"and by the way Alex is my friend i brought him home so backoff" i continued "Alex should i pass you the salt sprinkler because someone and i mean gemma forgot to add salt in the food " she looked at me smiling deviously"oh it's okay tory i really don't like salt anyway and the meal is just perfect" he said smiling at me and continued his meal i looked at tory and sticked my tongue out at her "how do you like that" i whispered and laughed"better watch your back Gemma" she smiled as cute as she is I'm very much scared of her i can't wait for her to grow out of this phase"thanks Mr and mrs. smith it was nice having dinner with all of you" alex said as he did a slight bow and my parents told him he was welcomed to join dinner anytime and he gave tory one of his bracelets and hugged her goodbye i accompanied alex outside, I couldn't help but think about the forthcoming local fair as we walked. When we were kids, it was an annual event that we both looked forward to."Hey, Gemma," Alex said, snapping me back to the present. He was waiting for me outside his car, his gorgeous smile on his face."Hey, Alex," I said, feeling a rush of affection for my friend.It was 6:22 p.m. at the time. As the sun began to drop, we sat on the trunk of his car, our gazes riveted on the pink and orange-hued sky."Alex, thank you for having dinner with me and my family. "It's been a lot of fun," I remarked, feeling a wave of happiness wash over me."I had a great time as well, and your family always makes me laugh," Alex said, his eyes softening as he stared at me. "Well, they were just pretending to be normal on a normal day," I explained, and he chuckled. "What?" I asked, because he kept staring at me. "You know, I don't say it very often, but you mean a lot to me, Gemma."My heart skipped a beat as I heard his words, and a warm flush crept across my cheeks. "You mean a lot to me as well, Alex." "You're my best friend," I said, a sweet smile on my lips.Alex's eyes twinkled, and he reached out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear. I couldn't help but lean in, putting my head on his shoulder, since the sweetness in his voice made my heart melt. "And you, Alex, have always been there for me. I treasure our friendship above anything else."As we sat in peaceful calm, I observed how our fingers had voluntarily linked. We felt like we were on the verge of something new, something that may forever alter the trajectory of our relationship."Hey, Gemma," Alex said quietly to break the silence. "Hmm?" I mumbled, loving his warm presence and raised my head just then alex leaned in i could feel his warm breath on my face and he went in and kissed me and then he stopped and cleared his throat"I'm so sorry i got carried away an-" before he could finish i went in for another and i smiled"Shhh I've waited a long time for you to do that" i said still smiling "You did?" he askedAnd i replied nodding my head and he gently kissed me it was so warm and i really missed this feeling the day got dark and it was time for alex to go home i didn't want the night to end but unfortunately it had to he drive off as i waved at the car till it was in no sight i got home and saw my mom, dad and tory standing at the front door"You guys are creeping me out, are you spying on us?" i asked"Well""Maybe""Yes we were spying on you guys" tory said and i raised my brow looking at my parents"Seriously?" i asked"Okay honey we just checked if Alex was still there since you wasted time" my mum said"Ohhhh Alex Shhh I've waited a long time for you to do that" tory mimicked my eyes widened as my parents placed their hands over Tory's mouth"Young lady to your room" my dad said "but" "no buts to your room now" he said with a stern voice and she went up to her room and my parents sat me down"Look honey we're sorry we shouldn't have pried into your privacy" my mom said as she hugged me"On the bright side hun you might eventually forget about Liam" my dad said And my supported "I guess so" i said, and my dad hugged me"I hope he's the right one Gemma, if you have anything bothering you you know where to find us, i could be your gal pal" my mom said "Mom no one say gal pal" i rolled my eyes and laughed "Okay mom" i stood up and i walked upstairs and stopped midway i saw my parents hugging and my dad kissed my mom's forehead and it was actually cute so i walked upstairs i got to my room and checked my phone and i had 3 missed calls from Natalie and i called back "Hey babes" i sounded all cheery but at the other end of the phone Nat was sniffing like she was crying "Are you okay?" i asked feeling really concerned "No Gemma do i sound okay?" okay miss sassy pants i said under my breath"Gemma, Liam has been acting weird ever since we dropped you off to meet Alex his texts are dry, he comes up with lame excuses for why he snubs me one time he told me he had to feed his neighbor's baby rabbit he doesn't even have a neighbor" she continued i laughed a little because it was funny but why did Liam do that i mean Natalie might not be the brightest person but she was the nicest person i had as a friend "Do you by know where he is i tried calling his number but it kept directing me to voicemail" she asked" oh no love i don't even have his phone number" i said which i actually didn't have because i deleted and block him on all my socials"Don't worry nat maybe he has a lot of personal issues going on i know he loves you have you seen the way he looks at you? Girl you're one lucky lady" i said comforting my best friend and i could hear her laugh while she sniffed " thank you Gemma what would i have done without you i love you so much" she said"I love you too and go get some rest i don't want my Best friend to have those nasty eyebags goodnight Nat" i said and she replied and hung the call as she ended it i kept wondering why Liam would do that he literally left me for her why is he hurting her feelings like he did to mine i couldn't sleep so i went down to get a glass of milk and left over cookies on the counter i got to my room and turned on my laptop and download a few movies as i ate and watched i fell asleep
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As the fair approached, my excitement grew. The fair was always a magical experience, full of bright lights, merry-go-rounds, and cotton candy. It was a place where dreams could come true, and I couldn't wait to go there with Alex.I met Alex at the fair's gate on the day of the event. He was dressed casually in a button-down shirt and slacks, looking as dashing as ever. "Hey, Gemma," he said with a smile."Hey, Alex, you look amazing," I said, a smile on my lips. "Thank you, you look stunning as well" He complimented back while twirling me "Are you ready to have some fun?""You bet," he responded as he took my hand in his. "Let's make this night one to remember."As we strolled through the fairgrounds, we enjoyed all of the traditional fair activities, such as riding the Ferris wheel, winning stuffed animals at the carnival games, and munching cotton candy until our lips became pink.Alex surprised me by leading me to a hidden section of the fair amid the laughter and bustle. "What's going on?" I asked, my heart racing with curiosity and excitement. Alex smirked and pointed to a brightly illuminated space with fairy lights and a dance floor. Couples swayed in each other's arms, caught in the romance of the moment, as soft music filled the air. "Do you want to dance, Gemma?" he asked, his eyes twinkling with nervousness.What I was hearing was unbelievable. "You mean, like, a slow dance?" My pulse was beating with both excitement and worry as I stammered. "Yeah, if you're okay with it," he said, clearly unsure. I nodded without hesitation, unable to resist the allure of the moment. Alex took my hand in his and we took our places on the dance floor. As we moved to the music, I couldn't help but notice how well we complemented one other. It seemed as if we were designed for each other, and I found myself falling even more in love with my friend or is that what I wanted? To be just friends or more "You know, Gemma," "I've always loved your attitude and how you could light up a room with your dad jokes," Alex interrupted the silence, "Heyyy nothing beats some good old fashioned dad jokes."I blushed at his remarks, feeling both pleased and vulnerable. "Thank you so much, Alex. I guess I've always believed that making people happy is all that mattered."That's one of the qualities I admire in you," he added, his eyes fixed on mine.We kept dancing and talking all night, and I felt a degree of euphoria that I hadn't felt before. The fair had become a lovely backdrop for the evolution of our emotions, and I couldn't help but wonder whether this was the start of anything new between us.As the evening came to an end, Alex escorted me home, and we stood at my door, hesitant to say goodbye. The moon's warm light enveloped us, and the air was thick with longing."I had an amazing time tonight, Alex," I said, my heart pumping. "Me too," he said, his voice softening. "Gemma, there's something I've always wanted to tell you." I held my breath, "What exactly is it, Alex?" He inhaled deeply, his gaze never leaving mine."I think I'm in love with you, Gemma. I don't even think I know I'm in love with you gemma ever since we were in kindergarten together. I always told my mom to pack 2 meals for me just to share it with you, which I feel is silly" i let out a light chuckle as he said that" I've tried to fight it, to ignore these emotions, but it's impossible. You mean so much to me, and I am unable to imagine my life without you.