'I, uh, I- I… I think I kind of love you?' that was not what he was expecting and for a moment all he was do was blink at her.
That really had rather blindsided him, of all the places he thought she might be going with that; of all the things he thought she might say, none of it was leading to that.
'Oh' he managed after a moment. He really couldn't get his head around it. He watched her mouth work for a minute before she shook her head
'Look, forget it. I should really-' he lost the last of the sentence as she looked away trying to pull her hand free.
'Kayo. No. Sit. Please. It was just a surprise, that's all. Please?' she didn't seem keen on the idea and he was certain she was just going to bolt. She didn't though, instead she set her shoulders and looked at him. Waiting.
He had always liked her, found her attractive. He was pretty sure that anyone who saw her would find her attractive really. As they'd grown up and she had shown more of an interest, and eventually picked John he couldn't deny he had been jealous, and for a while he had hoped she would change her mind. He had made his peace with it though, he was happy for them and he had moved on, but now she was picking him and he really wasn't sure how he was meant to feel about it.
She could do better than him.
He was broken and she was wounded. He was smart enough to understand a rebound; hell he'd had his own in the past, and then there was the guilt she'd told him enough times she felt about it all despite his efforts to convince her otherwise. he knew her well enough to know the latter was certainly a big part of this, but, he couldn't deny part of him wanted this.
More than part if he was really honest.
She was beautiful and could see beyond the scars and broken parts. The missing parts. She was there and she understood everything. She knew him as well as he knew her.
Could he really say no?
Yes, and he should, but would he? No. Pushing it all aside, loosing himself in the memories he had brought up, of better and simpler times.
He wouldn't because she was right. He had gone to her after she arrived because she was pretty, he had always been there for her because he had always liked her more than just a friend.
He smiled and she relaxed the nerves and tension fading.
'I'm not exactly upset to hear that, if I'm honest'
Her smile grew and she pulls the chair a little closer, leaning on the bed.
They'll have to talk, to find the lines around this. There will have to be some honesty about things, the fact that this is being built on bad foundations, but for now it can wait, because right now, hes happy.