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CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: i love you
"Talk about what?" adam asked. they were stood in an empty classroom, andreas arms crossed as the boy tried not to look nervous.
"you, me. you haven't talked to me, adam, not really. not since we won the junior goodwill games." she said. "i don't know what i did, but you're supposed to be my best friend adam! if you don't tell me what i did, i can't fix it."
he looked down, sighing. "you... you didn't do anything, okay? it's just me. i just need space."
"i've given you space!" she argued. "and really? it's not you, it's me? cmon adam, just tell me the truth."
"that is the truth!"
"well, why? adam, what could you possibly need space from that happened at the games? we won, you should've been happy! instead you were too busy ignoring me!"
"i wasn't ignoring you, i was hurt, and embarrassed, and-"
she scoffed, crossing her arms. "embarrassed? why, because i took the winning shot? is that what this is? god, adam, it was just a penalty sho-"
she froze. one second, she was talking. the next, he was grabbing her face and kissing her.
it took her a few seconds to process what was happening, to process that her best friend since she was a kid was kissing her in an empty classroom after basically ignoring her for months.
it took adam a few seconds to realize she wasn't kissing him back, for him to pull away. his heart dropped at the shocked, confused look on her face.
"it wasn't because you took a stupid penalty shot, andy." he mumbled. "it was because you kissed him."
"you-you..." she whispered, still in shock.
"i like you." he nodded. "i have since, like, forever. and i know that some part of you likes charlie, but, maybe part of you likes me, too."
"please, don't do this adam." she said, meeting his eyes.
the look in his eyes broke her heart. "face it, andy. the ducks hate us. charlie hates us. we're varsity now, me and you."
"i can't adam, i just can't." she argued. she didn't want to hurt adam's feelings, that was the last thing she ever wanted. why did this have to happen?
"why not?" he pushed.
"because!"
"because why? because you're nervous? because you're confused? just say it, andy, come on!"
"because i'm in love with charlie!" she said, louder than she meant to. the following silence was demeaning as both of them processed what she'd said.
