Seth: Oh! That sounds awesome
Nina: Yeah? I’m kinda feeling awks…But oh well. I’ll tell you more about it on the train
Seth: You’re catching it with me?
Nina: As far as I know, I don’t have any other train besties to annoy…Unless you want me to find another?
Seth: You couldn’t if you tried. I’ll see you soon
Nina had texted him first thing in the morning, and the moment Seth read them, his heart dropped through the ground. It’d been a week since he’d encouraged Nina to express herself.
Idiot, idiot, idiot.
“So, how are you going to do this? With Carlos?” Seth asked, a nip at his voice. He cleared his throat, glancing down at the hot mint chocolate Nina held between her fingers.
The train swayed a little, and his shoulder bumped hers.
“Okay, don’t tease. But I wrote stuff up on my notes, mostly like, in dot points -”
He reached forward, almost automatically, to grab her hot chocolate before it stumbled out of her grasp whilst she reached for her phone.
Unlocking it, she brought up the notes she was speaking of. Her spilled heart laid there, through the written dot points. Addressing it felt like spikes against his chest.
His eyes raked over the first two. There had to be aboutfivedot points.
?Carlos, I have to tell you something. I like you. In that way. I’ve felt this way for quite a bit. From the moment you sat next to me in that history lecture, actually
?I could start with the reasons why. Your smile is really sweet, and you’re so very kind…
A dull ache pulsed in him as he glanced away.
“That’s adorable,” he managed, willing himself to smile. He pictured how happy she’d be if - when - Carlos returned her feelings. Of that grin she’d carry even moreso.
Would she stop talking to him, if she and Carlos got together?
If she loved him as a best friend, surely, she wouldn’t. He’d make sure that she’d never know his feelings. That Carlos would never find out, either.
“You don’t think it’s too much?” Nina asked, worry gnawing at her voice, just as she gnawed at her lip.
With a soft smile, Seth reached upward with his free hand. And between his fingers, pinched Nina’s cheek affectionately.
Her expression shifted into surprise, as she whipped her head backward.
“You’re never too much,” he assured, with a grin, “And that’s not just speaking from the two months we’ve grown close. But from all the years I’ve known you before.”
That made Nina laugh.
“Seth, you and Ibothknow that you thought I was too much in high school.”
“Well, I was a fool back then,” Seth said, nudging her with his elbow, “And I didn’t know any better.”
“Yeah, you didn’t.”
She gave him a smile that felt like flames licking his stomach. Swallowing, Seth braved the question tipping over his tongue.
“So, this Carlos…what do you like about him?”
The query seemed to surprise Nina, her eyebrows raising in thought.
