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July 6 - July 7, 2025
Falling for your best friend was always dangerous, but this was the first time I thought my feelings for Paige might actually kill me.
I couldn’t help it that every time she looked at me time seemed to slow, and I was briefly transported to an alternate universe, where my deep and secret feelings for my best friend weren’t completely one-sided.
And even if, by some miracle, Paige suddenly did start seeing me differently, I knew I wasn’t worthy of her. She was the human embodiment of sunshine, and what kind of selfish jerk would I be if I dimmed her glow with my dark, stormy clouds?
She was the girl I wanted in my life forever, and even if that was only as a friend, it would have to be enough for me.
I’d fallen in poison ivy on the first day and Grayson, the thoughtful idiot that he was, decided I shouldn’t be in pain alone, and had jumped in the ivy too. We’d both spent the whole week itching and rubbing lotion on ourselves.
That’s just stupid. I’m sorry. Who does that??
Grayson was like befriending a brick wall. Strong, reliable, and perfect, if you needed something sturdy to lean on. But also, totally immovable and completely stubborn.
Grayson was everything a girl should want in a boyfriend. He was sweet and loyal and kind. And it didn’t hurt that he was totally gorgeous to look at. But it was something I refused to even consider. We’d been friends for so long, he’d become the most important person in my life; so much more than some passing high school relationship. I didn’t want that to change.
“Because everything about you is Grayson’s business.”
All I could think was that I’d happily put up with terrible cooking every night for the rest of my life if it meant I could be with Paige.
I’d never really grasped the concept of playing nice, but I couldn’t say no to Paige. I’d do anything to make her happy. And if this was what she wanted, then I was going to do it. Even if I knew it would slowly kill me inside.
she squeaked as she threw herself into my arms. These moments were the best and worst part of my day. Paige always smelled sweet, like the candies she was constantly sneaking. And she fit so perfectly in my arms, it was like she was made for them. I closed my eyes, wishing for the millionth time that things were different. That I was the kind of guy who deserved Paige. That she returned my feelings. That I was selfish enough to risk our friendship and show her how great it would be if we were something more.
I was concerned about her leaving me for another guy. I was scared of losing her, even though she wasn’t mine. Any idiot could see how incredible Paige was, and if word got out she was searching for someone to kiss, there would be a line of guys a mile long volunteering to help. I wanted to be at the front of that line, but how could I when I knew she didn’t want me there? She wanted me to be her wingman; to be a supportive friend. So, I was going to have to keep on pretending that was enough. What other choice did I have?
“Well, the first stage of any good intervention is admitting you have a problem,” Parker said.
Operation Shrek Makeover. Dress nicer and get your hair cut Compliment her — but not too much Flirt with her — but don’t be creepy Show your sensitive side — if you don’t have one, fake it! Touch her more – show her you have chemistry! Be charming — or at least try Take an interest in her hobbies Be less grumpy Grayson Don’t be too clingy or too nice If all else fails, just tell her you have feelings
“I think we can still help. What’s the one thing you’re great at in hockey?” “One thing?” I wondered where he was going with this. “I’m great at more than one thing.” “Sure you are.” It felt like Parker was talking to me like I was five. “Just answer the question.” I released a pained sigh. “I don’t know. Skating?” “No.” “Stickhandling?” “Definitely not. I’ll give you a clue. What did you receive the most penalties for last year?” “Interference?” I guessed. “Bingo.” Parker snapped his fingers. “That’s the one thing I’m good at? How does that help?” “We interfere with Paige’s attempts to kiss
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You couldn’t say anything stupid if you simply kept your mouth shut.
Gray: Just wear what you had on at the game. You looked perfect. Me: I was wearing your jersey. Gray: Like I said . . . perfect.
“If this isn’t enough to impress Damien, then perhaps he isn’t the one for me.”
I didn’t want her getting flustered and nervous over another guy. If she was going to squeal with laughter and spill a drink down her top, I wanted it to be because of me. And I wasn’t sure I could sit back and do nothing anymore.
Our friendship felt like a brick wall between us, preventing her from seeing what was right in front of her. I needed to take a sledgehammer to it and smash my way through.
I didn’t want to be the practice guy. I wanted to be the guy.
All I needed to do was show her I was the guy she should be flirting with, I was the one she wanted to kiss, and I was the one she belonged with.
Flirting with Paige was addictive, and after one night I was hooked.
Apparently, I wasn’t just at risk of ruining our friendship, I was also at risk of falling deeper and harder for Paige than I ever had before.
I don’t want my first time to be some meaningless kiss at a party. I want it to be more special than that. I want to feel sparks with a guy. I want there to be fireworks. I want to be asked out, to get dressed up and taken on a date.
“Sometimes, when you stop looking ahead and focus on what’s right in front of you, that thing you’ve been looking for all along finds you.”
Had I really decided to skip hockey practice to go shopping? Paige must have thought I’d lost my mind. Perhaps I finally had.
“I think if you wear that dress for a second longer, I’m going to forget we’re just friends.”
Despite the darkness in the room, I could see Gray’s expression was still serious. “I don’t want you to be afraid.” “I’m never afraid when I’m with you.”
I needed a total brain reset. But maybe that’s what kissing Damien would do. Reboot my system and break this fixation I’d developed for my best friend. Maybe if I started to form feelings for someone else, they would replace those I had for Grayson, which were quickly growing out of control.
Paige started rummaging around in her backpack and pulled out a bag of sweets. She grabbed a couple of sour gummy worms and angrily bit off their heads.
“How will you know when you’ve found this soulmate?” Her tone suggested she was challenging me to prove I was serious. I paused, racking my brain for a suitable answer. I’d already found my soulmate, but it was hard to pinpoint the exact moment I realized Paige was it. Perhaps I’d always known. When it came to Paige, it had never just felt like her and me. It had always felt like us. My life simply wasn’t complete without her.
“What’s your idea of a perfect date?” “Just what kind of article is this, Paige?” “A fun one,” I replied with a smile. “So?” “A hike,” he replied. “That’s really your idea of a perfect date?” “Sure. You have time to talk, you get nice scenery, and you can see if the girl has stamina. If she starts complaining two miles in, you’ve got an idea of what she might be like in a relationship.”
His smile was broad and so full of light, my breath hitched as our eyes met. I was looking at the same guy who had been my best friend for so long, but something had truly shifted. I couldn’t tell if it had happened slowly, or all at once, with just one smile, or a thousand heartbeats. But I knew everything had changed. Just when I thought I’d realized the true extent of my feelings for Grayson, I fell deeper. The way I yearned for his smiles, how I relished his scowls, how I admired his strength of heart, and how I adored his quiet kindness. It was clear I’d fallen for Grayson Darling,
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“Seriously, I can’t be the first to go through the Grayson Darling date experience. There must have been other girls.” I wondered how well I was hiding my jealousy. I hated the thought of Gray going to so much effort for someone else. “Like I said before, what other girls?” he murmured. “Well, what about . . . Uh, didn’t you . . .” The truth was, I couldn’t say who else he’d dated. I didn’t know. Girls at school always talked about how intimidating Grayson was, but they’d do anything to go out with him all the same. He was the strong, silent type, and was generally considered one of the
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“You’re everything, Pidge.” My speeding heart had moved from my chest to my throat as I took her hands in mine. There was no going back now. I couldn’t afford to hesitate or let any doubt set in. “I’m sorry I’ve taken so long to tell you this,” I continued. “But somewhere along the way, you became much more to me than just my best friend. I get butterflies when you enter a room and sparks on my skin when we touch. I’m happiest when I’m with you, and when I’m sad, you’re the person I want by my side. I know you deserve so much better than me. And I don’t want to mess up what we have, but I’ve
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I closed those last few inches between us and our lips finally met. I’d spent a long time imagining what it would feel like to kiss Paige, but my dreams were nothing compared to the real thing. One touch from her lips, and it was like we’d taken a torch to our friendship, burning it down and building something new in its place.
My hands tangled in her hair, and she gripped my jacket to pull me closer. My whole body came alight, and my heart was so full I thought it might burst. This wasn’t just a kiss. I felt it everywhere, from my lips to the depths of my soul. Her kiss marked me in a permanent way, like she’d tattooed her name across my heart.
“No, Pidge. That was my first kiss too.” “But . . . What? Who?” She blinked. “How is that possible?” “Why would I kiss someone else, when I was waiting for you?”
ohhhh my gosh! That is the sweetest thing <3
Gray knew me too well, but that was what made starting a relationship with him so special. We had something no one else had. It had kind of always been that way, but now we could take our unique relationship to a whole new level.
“What if we don’t work out?” I said as we stopped by the trunk of my car. “I don’t want to lose you.” Gray’s expression was serious, and he placed my bags on the ground so he could take my hands in his. “You’re never going to lose me.” “You make it sound so simple.” “It may not always be,” he agreed. “But fighting is one of my strengths. I’m always going to fight for you. For us.”
My path isn’t straight and narrow. It’s a winding, uneven trail through the trees. I’m going to get lost occasionally, but I’ll get where I want to go, eventually. You just have to trust me.”
