AGAIN SORRY THIS CHAPTER TOOK SO LONG I HAVE OTHER PROJECTS, WORK AND I'M RUNNING OUT OF IDEAS FOR THIS FIC

Lincoln was walking home from school back to the Loud House. His head low and his eyes wide with shock, still reeling from his friend Stella's love confession. He walked up the familiar sidewalk, barely noticing the autumn leaves crunching under his feet. The world around him seemed quieter, distant, like he was underwater. His mind raced, replaying Stella's words again and again.

"I'm saying that I like you Lincoln I love you."

He couldn't shake the memory of her nervous smile, the way she had looked at him, her eyes hopeful but full of doubt. And now, here he was, stuck in a whirlwind of emotions he wasn't ready for. As he entered the loud house his sisters were in the living room doing their usual activities, they had apologized to him and he was trying to forgive them but that wasn't his biggest concern right now so he just walked past them up to his room.

Lincoln laid in his bed still contemplating Stella's confession a few months ago he would have jumped at the chance to go out with her but her timing is not ideal since he was dating Maggie right now who he has really gotten close to and sees her as the person who helped turn his life could feel the weight of Stella's confession pressing down on him, and at the same time, the warmth of Maggie's support lingered in the back of his mind. How was he supposed to do, he new the bitter sting of putting someone in the friend zone and wouldn't wish it on Stella even she did it to him, but Maggie had helped him stand up to his sisters and thanks to her he was no longer the family push over so he couldn't just dump her for someone else.

Lincoln then heard a knock at the door. Lincoln sat up abruptly as he heard the soft knock on his bedroom door, the sound pulling him from his whirlwind of thoughts. He wasn't ready to face anyone right now, least of all one of his sisters, who were often quick to notice when something was bothering him.

"Uh, come in," he called out, trying to sound normal, though his voice cracked slightly.

The door creaked open to reveal Lori and Leni.

"Hey Lincoln." Leni said.

"Everything Okay?" Lori asked.

"Could be better." Lincoln said hesitantly.

Lori and Leni exchanged a look, their expressions softening as they stepped further into the room. Lincoln could see the concern etched on their faces, and for once, he appreciated it. Despite their flaws, his sisters did care about him, even if they didn't always show it in the best ways.

"Want to talk about it?" Lori asked, sitting down on the edge of his bed. Leni perched herself on the desk chair, spinning it lightly before settling down

Lincoln wasn't sure he was ready to share this sensitive information with his sisters considering they only just started to patch things up.

"Lincoln I know things have been rough and we haven't been the best sisters but we told you we're gonna be better and we meant it." Leni said.

"And maybe we could start if you literally let us help you with whatevers bothering you." Lori said.

"Well you know how I've been seeing Maggie the last few months? Lincoln asked.

"Y-Yeah." Lori and Leni said in unison through slightly gritted teeth remembering how Maggie influenced Lincoln's behavior lately.

Lincoln sighed, noticing the slight tension in their responses. He knew his sisters had their reservations about Maggie. "Okay, so... something happened today, and it's got me feeling... all over the place."

Lori and Leni leaned in slightly, their curiosity piqued. "What happened?" Leni asked gently.

Lincoln hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. He wasn't sure how to explain it without making things worse or sparking more drama in the house. "It's about Stella," he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Lori and Leni exchanged another glance, their eyebrows raised in unison. "Stella? What about her?" Lori asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

Lincoln took a deep breath, deciding to just rip the Band-Aid off. "She... confessed to me today. She told me she likes me—no, loves me." The words tumbled out, leaving an awkward silence in their wake.

Lori and Leni's jaws dropped in unison. "Stella what?" Lori blurted out.

"Like, love love?" Leni added, her eyes wide.

"Yeah," Lincoln said, nodding. "And now I'm stuck. I mean, I've been dating Maggie, and she's been amazing to me. She's helped me become... I don't know, stronger. More confident. But then Stella—she's been my friend for so long. I don't want to hurt her."

Leni tilted her head, her voice soft with empathy. "Oh, Linky, that's, like, a lot to deal with."

Lori crossed her arms, her expression thoughtful. "Okay, let's break this down. First, how do you feel about Stella? I mean, do you... feel the same way about her?"

Lincoln frowned, staring at his hands. "I don't know. I care about her—a lot. She's one of my best friends. A few months ago, if she had told me this, I probably would've been over the moon. But now... now I have Maggie. And I really like Maggie."

Leni smiled gently. "Well, it sounds like Maggie's made a big difference for you, and you, like, really appreciate her. But it also sounds like you care about Stella too. That doesn't mean you have to pick right this second, you know?"

Lori nodded. "Leni's right. But you do need to be honest with both of them. Don't string Stella along, but don't let this mess with what you have with Maggie either. You're going to have to talk to both of them—sooner rather than later."

Lincoln groaned, flopping back onto his bed. "I know you're right, but this is so hard. I don't want to hurt either of them."

Leni reached out and patted his shoulder. "It's okay, Linky. Just, like, take it one step at a time. Maybe talk to Maggie first? She's your girlfriend, so she deserves to know what's going on."

"And with Stella," Lori added, "just be honest. If you don't feel the same way, tell her gently. She'll understand. She's your friend."

Lincoln looked up at his sisters, surprised by how much their advice helped ease the knot in his chest. "Thanks, guys. I mean it. You're right. I'll talk to Maggie first, and then... I'll figure out what to say to Stella."

Lori smiled and ruffled his hair. "That's the Lincoln I know—always trying to do the right thing, even when it's tough."

Leni beamed. "And, like, no matter what happens, we've got your back. Promise."

Lincoln sat up, feeling a little lighter. "Thanks. Really. You guys are pretty okay, you know that?"

Lori rolled her eyes, smirking. "Don't push your luck, twerp."

Leni giggled. "But we're, like, awesome big sisters, right?"

Lincoln chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, something like that." For the first time all day, he felt like he could handle what was coming next.

HERE YOU GO I FINISHED THIS CHAPTER WITH SOME HELP FROM CHATGPT