I couldn't keep it in anymore. Living with Max had become harder each day, not because we didn't get along—God, we got along too well. It was because I had fallen for him. The feelings had been building for months, and every time we sat on the couch or cooked dinner together, the weight of my unspoken feelings grew heavier. I kept thinking that maybe, just maybe, he felt the same. But I couldn't be sure, and the fear of ruining our friendship held me back.
Until tonight.
We were sitting in the living room, the TV on but neither of us really watching. I glanced at him, my heart racing, and decided I couldn't do this to myself anymore. I needed to know.
"Max," I began, my voice quieter than I intended. He looked at me, his usual relaxed smile fading into something more serious. "I… I have to tell you something. And I don't want to make things weird, but if I don't say this, it's going to drive me crazy."
He shifted slightly, his brow furrowing. "What is it?"
I took a deep breath, my heart pounding in my chest. "I've been feeling something for a while now… and I don't know if you've noticed, but it's been getting harder to pretend like I don't. Max, I… I think I've fallen for you."
The silence that followed felt like an eternity. His expression froze, and for a moment, I was sure I had ruined everything. My stomach twisted as I waited for him to say something, anything.
Max swallowed, looking down at his hands before slowly meeting my eyes. His voice was low, hesitant. "I—" He paused, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't know what to say. I mean… I've been feeling the same, but I was too scared to bring it up. I didn't want to mess things up between us."
My heart fluttered, a mix of relief and nerves. "You've been feeling the same?" I repeated, hardly believing what I was hearing.
Max nodded, his eyes soft but conflicted. "Yeah, for a while now. But I didn't know if it was just me or if I was reading too much into things. I was terrified that if I told you, and you didn't feel the same, everything between us would change."
I reached for his hand, squeezing it gently. "I was scared of the same thing, Max. But I couldn't keep pretending. I don't want to hide how I feel anymore."
For a second, he just stared at our hands, his thumb tracing small circles against my skin. Then, with a deep breath, he looked up at me, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "So… I guess this means we both feel the same?"
I nodded, the tension between us finally easing. "Yeah, I guess we do."
Max exhaled, his smile growing a little, though there was still a hint of uncertainty in his eyes. "So… what now?"
I smiled back, feeling lighter than I had in weeks. "I guess we figure it out. Together." My heart was beating so fast I could've sworn I was running a marathon, but I couldn't deny it I was happy.