"You don't have to actually respond."

"I know."

"Then say something."

"I'm coming. I'm thinking."

"Think faster."

I scoffed at Daniel's impatience. Did he understand the weight of the question he had asked me? Was he expecting me to say yes?

Being in the same room as him wasn't doing me any good, so I got off my position on the floor and walked straight into the bathroom that was in the living room area.

The bathroom was basically the same size as the one I had back home, except this one had a mirror and a sink. The same size as the one I shared with my whole family and it was just there in a living room area.

I forced myself to calm down because my hands had begun to shake subconsciously. I rubbed them on my lap as I sat on the closed toilet seat. After a couple more breathing exercises, I began to think.

Daniel had asked if I liked liked him. He didn't say like because I would have played it off as a friendship thing, he had purposefully double liked, knowing fully well that I would understand the deeper meaning. He liked liked me. He definitely did.

A smile crawled its way up to my face and I gave a voiceless squeal. Danny liked me. This was amazing.

As soon as the smile had arrived, it had disappeared. The fact that I had a boyfriend began to sink in and all the joy I once felt faded like the sun on a cloudy day.

Why was I happy that another boy liked me if I was dating Joseph? I liked Joseph, I had always liked Joseph. But when I thought of Danny, I couldn't help but smile. I even felt butterflies and would imagine romantic scenarios that would never come to pass, like I used to do with Joseph.

I found myself chewing on my fingers nails, I would nibble on them but never actually cut them off. This was a big deal, a very big deal. Did I now have to choose between my crush since I knew what the word crush meant and the guy who the whole school is convinced I had once dated?

Then again, maybe I didn't even like Daniel. Maybe I was just nervous around him because he was popular and confident. Maybe I had deluded myself to believe I liked him because of all the time we had spent together.

Now the pieces were coming together. I didn't like Daniel. I couldn't like two boys at the same time. That would be impossible, I think.

I got off the toilet seat and washed my hands. Then I splashed some water on my sweaty face and stared myself down in the mirror as they did in the movies.

"Kolupo Davis, you can do this."

When I stepped out of the bathroom, Daniel was nowhere to be found. Unlike how I had imagined things going. He was supposed to be there, I would tell him I didn't like him and then walk out of his house. Now I needed to find him first.

Right as I was about to begin my quest to heartbreak, my phone started to vibrate in my skirts' pocket. I had totally forgotten about my phone for once in my life. Google might have given me a better answer to my situation if I has remembered it sooner.

I hurriedly took out the phone to answer but literally froze as I read the caller ID.

💖Hubby💖

Kenny couldn't have chosen a more compromising time to call me. I hadn't even permitted him but sometimes determination overruled that. He was determined to have a voice call with me no matter what.

I let the phone ring, even singing along to the song and sighing in relief as the call ended. It would be easier if he assumed I wasn't with my phone, rather than declining the call. 

My moment of relief didn't last long, as the phone began to ring again. His name across the screen taunting me, begging me to answer and see his reason. But, as I was about to hit the answer button, the call ended.

I waited and waited but the phone never rang. By the time I looked up from my screen, there stood Daniel. His eyes were watching me with curiosity yet he looked so cute and innocent as he eyed my phone.

"Who was calling you?" He asked nonchalantly as he took a seat in his original position, so I did the same.

I shook my head and shrugged, acting like it was absolutely no big deal. To which he nodded slowly, accepting my somewhat answer.

We sat in silence. Daniel was fiddling with his phone while I pretended to be texting someone on mine. Nothing had ever looked more awkward. Why was I even still in his house?

I looked at the time on my phone and decided I had been here long enough, so I got up from my seat and adjusted my clothes nervously.

"I'm going home now," I announced.

Daniel had been watching me from the moment I stood up, watching me fix myself, waiting for me to give him an answer. "Okay, let's go."

As he struggled up from his chair, I could do nothing but watch him pitifully. I had put him in that position but touching him after the question he had asked felt weird and unsettling.

I let him lead the way, even though I knew the way. I watched him limp and barely support himself on his crutch, then lean against the doorpost with a huff.

I slid past him and out of the house, then I turned to face him. I avoided eye contact with him, my hands shaking and my stomach churning with nerves. Just like the day in church when I messed up my lines. So instead of stalling, I blurted it all out.

"I don't like like you. I'm sorry that I can't return your feelings, I would if I could. It's just that I'm dating Joseph and I've liked Joseph since...since ever. So I hope we can still be friends in the end."

I rushed my words and even ended up biting my tongue at some point but nothing hurt as much as my chest did. Why was I feeling so much pain from this? Why did my churning stomach and shaking hands only intensify? Most especially, why did my eyes begin to itch and threaten to leak with tears?

When I looked up to Daniel, he didn't have the hurt expression I was expecting, he didn't even look angry. Instead, he asked a question that not only felt like I was hit by a bullet and spread an immense amount of pain and shame but left me speechless.

"Did I ever say I liked you?"

So, I mumbled goodbye and ran away.