*Admitting my feelings*

*Chapter 4: Sudden realisation*

It would make so much sense. If I loved Daisy, then all of my questions about true love would be answered. I always got happy when I thought about her, I never wanted to let go when hugging her, and all I ever wanted to do was spend time with her. She was the light of my life and now I knew why.

My happiness stopped when I realised that in a few weeks, I would be married to a man who (now I knew) I didn't love. I would be married and soon after, Daisy would be married to Luigi. We would drift further apart as our kingdoms needed more attention. We would have to create families and heirs for our bloodlines to continue.

Even if we managed to cut off the wedding, she already had a kingdom and couldn't just leave it. She had her sister, I guess, but Lily never had any interest in the crown. Or atleast, not that she ever showed anyone.

I froze when I realised that Daisy and I were in my room and somehow I was say on my bed, with Daisy starting at me intently. She smiled a warm smile and then looked around the room. As her eyes wandered and I realised how beautiful she was. Her perfect short brown hair was tidy and her big green eyes were curious. Her posture was elegant and her hands were poised lightly on her knees.

"So pretty.." I mummered louder than I wanted. Daisy's head whipped round to see my eyes steering lovingly at her.

"W-what?" Daisy stammered. Her wide, shocked eyes softened as the words sank in. "What did you say?"

"I-um, well you, um, look really pretty..." I trailed off. My eyes shifted around the room, trying to focus on something. Anything! Finally my eyes found Daisy who was looking at me with a mixed expression of shock and care.

"Thank you, Peach." Daisy looked down, fiddled with her fingernails and said the next sentence quieter than the last, "I think youre pretty too."

"Thanks.." I said while playing with my hair.

"So, which clothes can I wear as pyjamas?" Daisy said as she slipped over to my wardrobe. She flung the doors open and started looking intently at the different choices. I got up and walked over to the wardrobe. I pulled out a nightie that Daisy left once on a previous sleepover. It was a light orange knee length nightie with dark orange lace trimmings. It was beautiful.

"Here, you let it here and I forgot to give it back." I said as I handed the orange night dress to her. She grabbed it and started striping immediately. I shifted my eyes about, trying to think of something else to focus on.

"Thanks Peach. I wondered where this was." The shuffling noise stopped, "Hey, you okay?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, just wondering what to wear!" I said with a nervous laugh.

"Hmm, you sure? Youre always comfortable when I get dressed in front of you."

She was right. She'd gotten dressed in front of me countless times before and me in front of her. She had an amazing body and didn't care if someone saw her change. And rightly so. This time however, it was different. I felt like if I turned around, I would admit my newly found feelings to her. As an engaged woman, I felt like I couldn't do that.

"Um, well, I am. I just can't find my silk top.." I lied.

"It's right there. Next to your hand" Daisy pointed out. I finally paid attention to my wardrobe and saw my favourite white silk top and my bedtime trousers of a pink shade.

"Oh, yeah. Thanks" I said as I grabbed them. Without looking at her, I tried to tiptoe out of the room.

"Where are you going?" Daisy said as she tightened the strap of her nightie. I turned around slowly to meet her curious gaze.

"T-to the bathroom. To get changed..."

"You can just get dressed here. I don't mind." Daisy said as she fiddled with her bra strap. She then looked at me, "are you embarrassed?"

"I, uh-" Daisy interrupted before I could speak.

"Because you shouldn't be. I've seen your boobs before you know." Daisy's head snapped up, "not that I watch you change out anything..." She chuckled nervously. She looked down and focused her attention on her bra strap.

I blushed when she wasn't looking. She watched me get changed? Usually I'd scoff and call her a pesky peeker, but this time it felt weird. Like she liked what she saw. Did Daisy like me too? It's have to do a bit more investigating find out. Operation 'does she like me?' is a go.

After a few minutes of awkward silence later, she was finished getting dressed and headed out onto the balcony without a word. I slid my slippers and my dark pink silk dressing gown on and followed her. Her face had a mixed expression on embarrassment and longing. Her facial expression changed once she realised I was watching her.

She looked up to the stars and examined every one intently. I could see her tracing the constellations with her eyes. Her mouth moved ever so slightly as she said the names to herself. After watching her for a while, I looked up too. The sky was cloudless and the stars were gleaming ever so brightly. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Daisy watching me as I did her.

"Daisy?" I said after a while. "Can i ask you something?" Daisy continued to look at the stars.

"Yeah, sure." She said as she watched the lights dance in the distance.

"Do you think true love exists?" I said as I sat down on my balcony sofa.

"Yes. I do. Why?" Daisy stopped looking at the stars and turned her full body round to look at me.

"Just wondered." I put my head down and fiddled with the sleeves of my dressing gown. "D-do you love Luigi?" I said after a while.

Daisy didn't answer me for what felt like hours. I could see her thinking of what to say. I could see the cogs turning in her head as she pondered what to say. Finally she answered my question.

"I think so, I mean-I" *sigh* "I hope so Peach. I really do," she moved over to sit next to me, "I mean, I don't know when he'll propose. Mario proposed just out of nowhere, y'know? Who knows if his brother is the same. I just- who knows what love is? How am I meant to know that I love someone? Shouldn't it be overpowering? A feeling I can't resist? I don't feel that with Luigi. I like him! He's a nice guy, I just don't know if what I'm feeling is love." Daisy looked up at me with pleading eyes, "Am I making any sense?"

"Yeah, of course your making sense! That's the exact same problem I have with Mario!" I put my hand on her arm and she placed her other hand on top of my hand. She smiled, but somehow, it didn't reach her eyes. Like there was something she wanted to tell me, but couldn't.

"Daisy. We both know that I don't love Mario, right?" Daisy nodded solemnly. I took a deep breath. I felt like I couldn't hide it anymore. "I think I like, maybe even love someone else. I'm not sure yet, I've only just started figuring it out. Should I tell them? Even though I'm to be married?"

"Of course, Peach! You deserve even a shot of being happy! You deserve to have a chance at happiness, even if you end up marrying Mario anyway." The smile stayed on Daisy's face but it still didn't reach her eyes, like she was sad but pretending.

I needed to tell her how I felt. I couldn't contain it. I also couldn't find my words. My eyes rushed around as I tried to find the courage to tell her how I felt. How could I tell her? Did I want to tell her? Should I tell her? Maybe it's too soon? But I'll be married in a few weeks, if I don't tell her now I might never get the chance to tell her.

"I-" I hesitated while she looked at me curiously. For the first time since we met, she wasn't able to read my face. I breathed out and started again.

"I have a confession to make. To tell you something that I'm not even sure I should tell you. Something that will either make my life easier- or harder." I looked down at my hands that were folded neatly on my knees. Her delicate tanned hand lifted my head gently and looked deep into my eyes with a kind smile.

"You know you can tell me anything." She kept her hand supporting my head for a few seconds while I pondered if I should tell her for a second time, and when she was confident I wouldn't drop my head after, she held my hands tightly in hers.

"Okay." I said a final time. I'd never get a time like this again.

It was now or never.

"I think I love you" I blurted out all in one breath.

I closed my eyes tightly to avoid seeing her reaction. I didn't want to see. Now that I'd said it, I never wanted to open my eyes again. My heart fell as I heard nothing but silence. The only sounds I heard was light shuffling as Daisy adjusted herself on the sofa. I knew she was still there as she was still clasping my hands like they were her life line, but I slowly opened my eyes to make sure.

She was still sat where I left her. Sat facing me with her whole body, her brown hair gleaming in the moonlight, her hands wrapped firmly around mine and her face with a loving expression, gazed at me with admiration in her eyes.

I was astounded. I thought she would have torn her hands away from mine in utter disgust with an expression of sheer outrage. She would've stormed out of the castle and never spoken to me again. All because I told her how I felt.

But that wasn't the case. She sat there with part astonishment and part relief written on her face.

"Do you know how long I've waited for you to say that?"