CHAPTER 78: TOO LATE TO BE CHOSEN

He laughed, kind of embarrassed but also undeniably cute.

"Yeah. Don’t judge me."

"I’m not judging," I said, smiling at him. "I’m just... shocked."

"Yeah, yeah, it was a long time ago though," he waved it off, looking away. "The crush lasted for months. Haha."

"I’m not going to lie... Liam’s really pretty. Like, unreal pretty. Even the first day I saw him I couldn’t believe someone that beautiful actually existed."

There was a small pause.

Suddenly, Dominic cleared his throat, loud and exaggerated, rolling his eyes.

"Okay, yes, we know. Liam is Aphrodite with a jawline. Can we move on?" He smirked, but there was a flicker...behind the joke. "Or do you want me to stop talking?"

He sounded... jealous.

I blinked. "Oh, sorry," I said quickly. "No, keep going. I want to hear the rest."

He looked at me for a second like he was trying to decide something. Then he sighed and leaned back against the wall.

"So... did you get over it?" I asked. "How did the crush even start? Did you ever get a chance to confess?"

Dominic scratched the back of his neck again, biting is lower lips.

"I’m shy to say it but... technically, he was my first love," he leaned in, and whispered in my ear.

Something in my chest twisted.

First love?

"You won’t believe this," he whispered, "but I was actually going to confess. Right before we entered high school. I was all ready, right? I prepared a speech in a messy handwriting, my heart was racing and all that. It was meant to be a dramatic confession...under the stars confession."

I laughed quietly.

"And then," Dominic continued, "we went to this party. And I saw him... kissing this girl. Behind the house, near the pool. I think she was wearing this sparkly red dress or whatever."

His voice drifted for a second. "And that was it. I just stood there, holding a plastic cup and feeling like an idiot."

"Oh." My throat tightened. "I’m... I’m sorry."

He shrugged. "It’s fine. That was years ago. I got over it."

But the way his voice cracked slightly told me he hadn’t. Not fully.

And for some reason... I hated that.

I hated that he’d looked at someone else that way. That he still remembered the red dress. That he called Liam his first love.

And I hated myself more....for being jealous over something so small. So stupid.

But it wasn’t small to me.

I looked away, blinking too fast. "So you just... stopped liking him after that?"

He shrugged. "Kinda had to. I mean, what was the point? I was fourteen. He was straight. Or at least, straight enough to break my heart."

He laughed again, but it sounded more like he was exhaling pain.

I wanted to say something. Anything. But all the words caught in my throat.

I suddenly felt awkward, invisible, too quiet in my own skin.

"You know," I said eventually, "I’ve never even told anyone I liked before. Not out loud. Not really."

Dominic turned to me, his brows lifted slightly.

"Never?"

I shook my head.

He leaned closer, the wind picking at the edge of his hoodie.

"Well," he said. "If you ever do... I think whoever you tell would feel lucky."

My heart stumbled.

He said it like it meant something.

Like I meant something.

I didn’t trust my voice not to crack, so I just nodded. And maybe smiled a little too.

But inside, I was falling apart.

Because I wanted to tell him.

I wanted to say: stupid, It’s you.

It’s been you for a while now.

But I stayed quiet.

Because what if he didn’t feel the same?

I know he likes me, but what if it’s not as deep like he did with Liam.

And I wasn’t ready to lose him, too.

"So... do you regret not telling him?" I asked, keeping my voice even.

Dominic shook his head without hesitation. "Regret? I don’t think so. I’m actually really glad I didn’t."

I tilted my head. "Why?"

He let out a dry laugh. "Because the girl he was kissing that night... it was Jade."

My eyebrows shot up. "Wait...Jade? Like the Jade? The popular one in school?"

He grinned. "Yep. Technically, they’re still together. Even now."

My stomach twisted, but for a different reason this time. Not jealousy this time. Just... sadness.

"She comes to the hospital every morning.... just to see him. Brings him flowers. Just sits there, talking to him. She even skipped school the whole week. Like... she hasn’t left his side once." His voice cracked.

I glanced at him. His jaw had tightened again.

"I feel bad for her," he said. "She really, really loves him. And I keep hoping he’ll just wake up. Just open his eyes and say the name of the asshole that stabbed him and pushed him off the goddamn roof so I can stab them and push them off a roof."

I blinked. "Whoa, whoa...chill, Dom."

He looked at me, and sighed.

"He’s going to wake up," I said gently. "Hopefully. We have to keep believing."

He nodded once. "Yeah... yeah, it’s just hard without Liam, you know? I miss him so much."

"I’m so sorry, Do."

We fell quiet for a while, sitting side by side on the bench outside the rink. Cars passed by, it felt like we were the only two people left in the world.

Then he turned slightly toward me.

"Hey," Dominic said after a while. "Can’t forget... we’re going to the station tomorrow, remember?"

"Yeah," I said, nodding. "I remember."

More silence.

"So," he said, playfully again. "Do you have a crush on any of your best friends?"

I blinked, caught off guard. "Huh?"

"Is it Marcus?" he asked, smirking. "Or June?"

"Oh my God....no! no. Not any of them," I said way too fast, probably a little too loud.

He laughed. "Okay, okay, relax."

Inside, I was screaming.

Is he seriously this clueless?

I looked at him, my heart was racing.

Does he really not see it?

Can’t he tell it’s him?

Every time he smiles, my heart stumbles a little.

Every time he talks to me, or throws in one of his nasty flirty jokes, I laugh like it’s nothing....but inside, I’m holding on to every word like it means something.

And now... now he’s looking at me like that again.

This is more than just flirting or teasing or those late nights sext.

Like maybe he feels it too.

I swallowed.

"So... do you have anyone you feel that way for?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

He raised his head and smiled.

Then, without saying a word, he gently placed his hand on mine.

My breath caught.

He opened his mouth, as if he was finally going to say something. Maybe everything. Maybe he was going to confess his feelings to me.

But then....

"Dominic?"

A voice cut through the moment.

Dominic flinched, pulling his hand away from mine so fast.

He stood up quickly...way too fast.

"Ian! Heyyy," he said, forcing a smile.

Ian stood in front of us, phone in one hand, eyes darting between the two of us like he’d interrupted something... intimate.

And he had.