Page 12 of My Fake Neighbor's Valentine

“I don’t know. Your fear sounds very selfish.”

“How so?”

“Because you are only thinking about what you might lose and have never mentioned what you might rob her. If she feels the same, you are taking the chance she has to be in a loving relationship. If she is not, then you are robbing her agency to decide what to do with your friendship, knowing how you feel.”

“Yeah, I think I would like to choose for myself instead of you choosing for me.” Grace’s voice startles me.

We step outside the restaurant’s private courtyard. No one is using it because tonight is an unusually cold and windy February night. The fairy lights and some of the restaurant’s Valentine decoration are on keeping the dreamy vibe. I pull Grace to a corner to cover her from most of the wind. I avoid standing in front of her so she doesn’t feel like I’m caging her. There is enough space for her to leave if she needs to.

“When were you going to tell me?”

“About my feelings for you? Pretty much never. I’m not your friend so I could eventually be something more. I genuinely want your friendship. I can deal with my own feelings.”

“What if I’ve reciprocated your feelings?” Grace asks.

“None of our interactions for years said you could be interested in me more than a friend.”

“I sleep with you.” She crosses her arms in front of her chest.

“I’m still not gonna assume you are because you feel something more than physical attraction. I don’t want to gamble our friendship just to check.”

“You don’t think our friendship would overcome a conversation where one of us has feelings for the other and it’s not reciprocated?”

“No. Don’t get me wrong. I think we would still be friends, but it would be different. If I was to confess and you couldn’t reciprocate, I know I’ll need time to work through my feelings alone. The time and distance will change our friendship. You have expressed plenty of time how manipulative it feels to be in a friend with benefits situation with someone who has feelings for you.”

“Is that why you agreed?”

“No, but it was why I was so reluctant. I’ve been in love with you for what feels like forever, but is more like a year or two into our friendship.”

She runs her hands through her hair. The way her hair lay again over her shoulders makes her even more breath-taking. I reach out to grab her hands but stop myself. I can’t help but second guessed everything between us. I stop myself from touching her in ways that used to be like second nature.

My hands hover over her shoulder. “Hey, I knew what I was agreeing to. If you want us to go back to just being friends, I’m gonna agree. Eventually, we both know this agreement has an end date. I just don’t want you to shoulder something that you have no control over it.”

Grace sighs before grabbing the lapel of my jacket. “I hate and love how fucking considerate you are.” She pulls me towards her and catches my lips in between hers.

I sigh as I take over the kiss and wrap my arms around her. We slowly pull from each other, but she stays in my embrace.

“I’ve been harboring feelings for you too, Seth. I guess we are more similar than we thought. Though I was ignoring and denying mine while you were trying not to be obvious so I wouldn’t feel pressured or manipulated.”

“Wait, you feel the same?” I ask, I had to.

“Yes. I could tell my mom any excuse why you were at my apartment. Claiming you as my boyfriend, even if it was a lie, was me wishing it true. Lowkey, I was gauging your reaction.”

I chuckle and shake my head. “I’m gonna ask because I have to. Grace Stewart, do you want to be my girlfriend, for real this time?”

Grace gives me the brightest, most beautiful smile. “Yes.”

I lean down to kiss her for a few minutes before we make our way inside and I excuse us for the evening.

Seven

Grace

Idon’t know if is that we have finally confessed our feelings to each other or learning the depths of Seth’s considerations to me or maybe is an amalgamation of it all, but I feel so turn on by him. His big heart and kind soul, who seems to be only looking and only loving me for a while, ignite something deep in me.

I want him now.

I need him now.

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