Hey there! It feels good to finally be posting something, even if it is quite short. Enjoy!

Three years ago, if someone had told Max she would one day grow to love Caroline, she would have rolled her eyes and made a snarky comeback. But here she was, three years and two cupcake shops later, proving herself very wrong.

The truth, of course, was that she did love Caroline. She loved her very much. But she was unsure how. She had wondered where the line was between loving someone as a friend, and loving them romantically for some time, as she couldn't quite tell. She could no longer picture her life without Caroline in it, but she also couldn't decide where Caroline fit. Best friend? No, she was a lot more than that.

Three years ago, Max was stuck in a job that just barely paid the bills, and in a relationship with a guy that didn't really care about her. She had been sad for such a long time. It was hidden well under layers sarcasm and snark, sexual innuendos and cheap shots. But she was lonely, and tired, and sad. She needed a friend. Hell, she would have settled for a mother who wasn't an alcoholic and a drug addict.

Then in walked Caroline, a perky, leggy blonde who Max instantly disliked. She knew the type. Spoiled, entitled, and the kind of girl who sat around filing her nails instead of working. But Caroline was different. She tried hard that first day, and when she told Max that her boyfriend was hitting on her instead of sleeping with him, Max felt a respect for her that she hadn't planned on ever feeling. From that day on, Caroline started to grow on Max at an alarming rate.

Caroline had this magic about her; she was able to take the darkness out of Max's life and make her smile and laugh and just feel happy, which was pretty magical, in Max's opinion. So no, Caroline wasn't just Max's best friend. She was the one person that Max cared the most about (even more than herself). She was happiness and reassurance and comfort. So she told Caroline she loved her, because it was true and real and the only real love Max had ever felt for anyone. And when Caroline said she loved her too, Max felt a warmth within herself that she'd never felt before; it wasn't just the first time she'd said I love you, it was also the first time she'd heard it.

That night, Caroline noticed Max was less snarky than usual.

"Are you alright, Max?" she asked, pushing away her empty plate. They'd finally gotten home and collapsed on the couch, finishing off some Chinese food leftovers that neither of them remembered ordering. Caroline figured they'd be paying for it later.

"I'm fine."

"Mhm... Weren't you the one who just told me fine never means fine?" Caroline smirked and raised an eyebrow, but smiled when she saw Max smiling.

Max blushed, something she rarely seemed to do, deciding if she didn't say anything tonight she never would.

"I mean it. I'm actually really good right now... It's all your fault."

"My fault?" Caroline laughed.

"Yeah... You said you loved me too and it made me feel all...warm and happy inside. No one's ever said that to me before, so. Yeah." She looked to the floor, embarrassed again.

Caroline was suddenly very sad. Her father had told her he loved her every day of her life; she couldn't imagine never hearing it. She leaned over and pulled Max into the tightest hug she could manage, trying to give her all the love she could.

"I do love you, Max."

Max tensed up, but only for a moment. She hugged Caroline back, and felt that warmth again.

"I love you, too."

It still felt weird to say, but it would get easier.