Continuation of Chapter 12. Same POV. It feels really cheesy...

But I like it :)

" You're just realizing it now? " she said sarcastically, but it seemed like she regretted it once she said it.

I knew I could fly, but hearing her say that, made me feel like I was floating.

It wasn't how I had imagined the conversation, but I could fix it.

" So, you love me? "

She nodded hesitantly.

" What about... What about Ferntail? " I felt guilty asking her that somehow.

" She doesn't love you... " Petalnose looked away. Did she think I would be pining over Ferntail because I had gotten confirmation of something I had known since we were apprentices?

" Who does she love? "

" I can't tell you. I promised her. " She answered as if she rehearsed denying me that information. But maybe not specifically me...

I didn't know what to say next. But I sort of had a script. I closed my eyes to brace for the words I was about to say.

" I don't love Ferntail anymore. "

I thought that would the hardest thing I would ever do, but instead it felt freeing. I realized that I had never actually admitted to myself that I didn't.

Petalnose's eyes widened. But I saw that she didn't have much hope. Clearly, she thought that I was rejecting her. Why would I ever do that?

" So, I know you're madly in love with me, but I don't really care, XD. BTW, I'm over your best friend, I love someone else though. Spoiler Alert: It's not you! TTYL! "

That seems like something a fox-hearted Shadowclan warrior would do.

" I... I love you, Petalnose. "

All the indecision in her eyes vanished because she could tell I meant it.

" Well, it's about time! " Ferntail's voice said behind me. I could imagine her rolling her eyes as she said it.

I spun around.

" I thought that you would never get over me. It was kind of pathetic, honestly. We're better as friends. " She told me. I was kind of hurt by the pathetic comment, but I ignored it because she implied that I wasn't pathetic before I fell in love with her.

She looked at Petalnose.

" I am so proud of you, " she said flatly, " you finally told him! "

Petalnose blinked gratefully.

For some reason, Ferntail was distracted. She wouldn't have been so mean.

She eavesdropped on her best friend's private conversation, then teased her, called me pathetic and then ignored me, just moving on to Petalnose after saying we should be friends again. She also would have said something more encouraging to Petalnose rather than: I am so proud of you.

What is there to be proud about?

Petalnose noticed it later, too. She wrinkled her nose at Ferntail and glanced at me.

Something is really wrong! she seemed to say.

I hoped I could my message across: I agree!

If I was Ferntail's friend now, I would care about this kind of stuff now.

I'll talk about it with Petalnose later.

Right now I was just going to work on replaying that moment over and over again in my head.