Quick A/N - OK guys from now on you guys these chapters are going to be quite rushed and my writing may get a lot sloppier from now on. I've just realised how bad my writing was when I read over the beginning and a few other chapters so I'm going to finish this book quickly and move onto my other one to try and redeem my writing skills there. ^-^

-Ollie/O.L Starbirth :)

"I'm in love with Victoria. I want to confess to her at the end of the day. And I want to know if you're OK with that?" 

I froze. 

"...What?" I muttered. 

"I want to confess my love for Victoria." 

I took in a sharp breath. Part of me didn't want to believe it, the other half, simply couldn't. Daniel was in love with Victoria. I should have been happy for him, I should have been joking with him and helping him. It shouldn't have bothered me. 

So why did my heart hurt so much?

Why did I suddenly just want to punch my best friend in the face for saying that?  

I already decided I didn't love Victoria, we were just friends, I liked her as a friend. She was like a little sister to me. Was that so called older  brother thing just me hiding from my feelings?

Wait, no Josh. You already decided you didn't like her, stop staring in disbelief like an idiot. Of course, someone was bound to fall in love with her, she's good looking. Just accept it. A little voice in the back of my head whispered.

"That's.... Great!" I put on a fake smirk and exclaimed. "Wow, I never knew you were into Victoria's type," I laughed.

"...So, are you Ok with it?" Daniel asked nervously. 

"Yeah. Sure, it's great... I'm happy for you," I lied. 

Daniel let go of the breath I didn't even realise he was holding, "God, you didn't know how scared I was. Since you know you seemed so close to her and everything I thought you might like her too and I didn't want to create tension you know. But I really love her, Josh."

I felt a sudden stabbing pain in my heart at that last sentence but brushed it to the side.

"Me, like Victoria?" I laughed at that a little too hard, "No, she's like a little sister to me, I worry about her, but if you want to date her I don't have a problem with it." I lied again. 

 "Thanks, mate," Daniel said walking to the door, "I want you to be there when I confess to her by the way. It would mean a lot." 

I smiled at that and watched him leave the room to his next class. 

"Fuck!" I screamed when I was sure he was gone. "Fuck, Fucking shit!" I cried and threw my fist at the wall. 

"Why? Why now?" 

I put my right hand to my chest and squeezed where I knew my heart was. It was beating so fast every thump more painful than the last. I felt like I was being eaten alive by the feeling. Why couldn't I just let it go?

"Goddammit! Why?" I yelled again punching the wall continuously until I couldn't go on. 

"Why?"

***

When I calmed down enough, I went to my next class. History. Victoria was in this class. 

I didn't want to see her, I didn't want to think about her. I didn't want to be reminded of Daniel and his flipping love for her. But I had too. I had to put on that fake smile once again because Victoria was sitting next to me in this lesson. 

I tried my best to avoid eye contact with her, and if I could avoid it I stopped looking at her face entirely. If I let her look at me with that look in her eyes, I would have definitely lost my cool.

It was for the best anyway. Daniel deserved her. I was just being an idiot. 

I was doing pretty well at avoiding talking with her until we were given a task on the board which involved "group disscussion."

"Um, so why do you think Henry VII was a bad ruler?" Victoria asked. 

I didn't reply. 

"Josh?" 

"I'm not really sure." 

"Well, you need to think of something," she answered. 

I sighed and turned my head away from her, "I guess because he played with the emotions of all the women he married." 

"...Josh, are you feeling OK?" 

Do I look OK to you? I thought

"Yes, why?" I snapped.

"You have that look in your eyes again. Why will you never tell me when something's up?" she frowned at me.

Well, I can't really tell you that my best friend wants to date you and I'm so pissed about it can I?

"Look, Victoria, I'm really not in the mood today," I said and looked down at my history book.  felt bad for rejecting her kindness like that, but it was better than telling her the truth. 

Slowly she averted her gaze from me and sulked, "Do you... hate me or something?" 

"No! What in the hell gave you that idea!?" I suddenly shouted in surprised.

"All day, you haven't really wanted to talk to me, and every time I strike up a conversation you always turn me down. Did I do something to upset you?" 

Instantly, I felt a twinge of pain strike my heart. I was being a complete and utter jerk. "Look, Victoria it's fine, I'm sorry, there's just been a lot happening lately and I don't think I can tell you about it. I'm fine though so don't worry, but I think it would be best for you to give me some space. Oh, and I don't hate you."

She gave me a concerned look but smiled all the same, "If you say so, when you're ready come and talk to me OK?"

"OK."

***

After class, I met up with Daniel. We went to the dining hall to grab some food before going out onto the field. The words Daniel has spoken to me still ringing clearly in my head.

"It's almost the end of the day you know," Daniel pointed out.

"Yeah." 

"Mate are you sure you're-" 

"Yes, Daniel! I'm flipping fine." I shouted. 

"Well, you don't seem fine to me," Daniel argued. 

I stayed silent. I needed time to think about what I really wanted, not the stupid facade I was putting up in front of everyone. For some reason I wasn't OK with Daniel wanting to date Victoria, even though there was a huge chance she'd turn him down, I still couldn't get over it. 

Who was I kidding? 

I couldn't just ignore the feeling anymore. I knew very well what was going on, yet, I didn't want to admit it. 

Maybe I did like Victoria, a bit.

Well no shit sherlock.

But what about Daniel, how would he react. I didn't want that to break up our friendship, but at the same tie, I couldn't keep my feelings hidden. I was going to have to take that chance. 

"That's because I'm not," I sighed in defeat

"What?" Daniel replied. 

"Daniel, ever since you said, you know that. It's been bugging me." I started, "I couldn't stop thinking about it and it annoyed me, a lot. I'm not an idiot, I've had this feeling for a while but. I think I like Victoria."

I stopped for a moment. I did it, I finally said it. 

"Finally!" He exclaimed. 

It took me a second to register what Daniel had said. 

". . . What?" 

"Geez, it took you long enough, I was wondering if I was actually going to pull this off, but I knew you couldn't just keep quiet. Thank God!" 

". . . Wait, what are you talking about? I love Victoria Daniel did you miss that part. I kept it from you because you like her too but I just couldn't keep it hidden, I'm sorry I-" 

"Josh, it's OK." 

At that point, I was very confused. 

"Josh. I never liked Victoria in the first place. I only said I did because I was hoping to make you admit you did." Daniel laughed  "Come on Josh, it was written all over your face, but every time I tried to ask you about it, you denied it completely." 

I froze in surprise for the second time that day. 

"So you mean, this whole thing was just a prank?" I asked quietly. 

"Yep." Daniel smiled. 

"So you mean, I was losing my mind over this for nothing?" 

"Pretty much." Daniel laughed. 

". . .Daniel! You flipping motherfudging dickhead! I can't believe you did that and I believed you and to think I was freaking out over nothing!" 

"Calm down, it worked didn't it?"

"Yeah but that's not the point-" 

Daniel laid a hand on my shoulder and laughed. 

"Josh, getting angry about it won't solve anything. You know what you have to do now, don't you?" 

"What are you on about now?" I sighed.

"You are gonna confess to Victoria." 

"You're joking?" 

"Nope, now come with me."

*** 

Keep reading for the next chapter....

Chapter 26 - The Confession

A/N - OK, this is offically the worst, ugliest chapter in this book. I cringe every time I read over it 😂, but I'm going to post it anyway because at this point I just want to finish this book, no matter how bad it is at the end. And if you've stuck with it this far, my friend, you are an amazingly, special person to be able to ignore all the flaws. 

-Ollie/ O.L Starbirth :)