Hidden feelings and fears

Chloe woke up that morning with an unexplainable urge to be in Mrs. Brit's paradise. As she descended the stairs, her father, Mr. Chad, inquired, "Where are you going?" His attempt at strictness was evident as he stood up from the couch, clutching in hand.

"I'm going to Mrs. Brit's," Chloe replied. "Charlie asked to meet there, but don't worry, Dad. I'll be back soon."

A soft smile spread across Mr. Chad's face. "Oh," he realized, "Just go, dear. Stay as long as you wish. Have fun with him, and don't forget to thank him for all the support he's given us."

Chloe hugged her father goodbye and passed by Mrs. Harley, who was busy preparing breakfast. "Good morning, Mrs. Harley," Chloe greeted with a joyful face.

"Good morning," Mrs. Harley replied, glancing at Chloe. "Where are you going all happy in the morning?"

Chloe retorted playfully, "Is it a bad thing to be happy in the morning?"

Mrs. Harley arched an eyebrow. "You can't answer a question with another; you have to answer first."

Both of them giggled, and Chloe finally answered, "Well, I'm going to Mrs. Brit's. I'm meeting Charlie there."

Mrs. Harley nodded knowingly. "Once it's about Charlie, don't ask any more questions."

Their laughter echoed in the kitchen as they continued their morning banter. Mrs. Harley paused for a moment and said, "A friend like Charlie is rare. Hold on to the bond you share. He's such a good kid. I admire his commitment to his friendship with you. Makes me wonder..."

Chloe's happy face turned slightly shy as she inquired, "Wonder what?"

Mrs. Harley steered the conversation away. "Hurry up now. You don't want to be late for your breakfast dat— I mean donuts, breakfast donuts," she corrected herself.

Chloe playfully stormed out of the kitchen, feeling the warmth of a mother's presence in Mrs. Harley's embrace.

As Chloe approached Mrs. Brit's paradise, she spotted Charlie from the outside,he was eagerly waiting, engrossed in typing a chat message to her. She glanced at her phone and decided to playfully tease him. She sent a message saying, "Sorry, Charlie, I won't be able to make it. Dad's discharge was postponed to next week due to something unexpected."

Charlie's face reflected concern as he hurriedly got up, but Chloe wanted to add an element of fun. She walked in and surprised Charlie with a playful taunt. Charlie sat back down, his hand over his heart, letting out a quick sigh of relief before adopting a more serious expression.

Chloe noticed Charlie's reaction and chuckled. "Oh, Charlie boy, I'm sorry," she teased.

Charlie looked at her, puzzled, only for Chloe to make another playful face, a substitute for the words "gotcha." Charlie was about to leave, playing along, but Chloe stopped him, getting off her chair and dramatically pleading for him to stay.

"Please, please, Charlie, I'm sorry," she implored.

Charlie reluctantly sat back down, looking at her. Chloe's tone became sincere as she said, "Come on, I was just joking."

Charlie, still puzzled, asked, "Who makes fun of their father's situation?"

"Me!" Chloe replied with mock seriousness, pointing to herself.

Charlie gave a faint smile he wasn't expecting an answer.

Before he could continue,Chloe added, "Speaking of which, Mrs. Harley said that she admires your personality, and Dad asked me to thank you for all the support you have been giving us."

Charlie felt a bit embarrassed but was about to express his gratitude when Chloe interrupted, saying, "stop blushing, you look like a baby chameleon."

Charlie's amusement shifted to slight irritation. He glanced at Chloe, and she asked, "Well, are we going to order something else today, or are we going to use your charm to get us a tray of donuts?"

Ignoring her, Charlie mumbled, "Well, since you've refused to speak, allow me to use my girl power."

Charlie muttered, "Girl power? More like zombie power."

Chloe blushed and retorted, "Really? Allow me to demonstrate."

She took some money from her purse, accidentally dropping her little diary in the process. Unbeknownst to Charlie, he noticed one of his shoelaces was not tied properly and as he bent down to fix it, he raised his head and, to his surprise, spotted Chloe's diary lying on the ground. In the meantime, Chloe reached the counter, strutting like a model.

Curiosity got the better of him, and he picked it up, unaware that it belonged to Chloe. He opened it to a random page and began reading. His eyes widened as he came across a heartfelt poem:

"Dear diary, we've been friends since childhood,

But still, he hasn't understood

That I could tear the world apart,

Just to get a place in his heart.

A special place, more special, like that place

Where someone more than a friend will dwell

And be thought of always.

But yet I'm uncertain if it's the other."

Charlie hesitated but knew he couldn't continue reading as Chloe's footsteps drew closer. Panicking, he flung the diary back onto the ground, not caring where it landed, as long as it was out of his reach or close enough to invite Chloe's lectures.

Chloe returned to her seat, victorious, with a serving box of chicken and a tray of two ice cream servings. "See, I told you I had a better taste for charm than you," she bluffed as she placed the trays on the table and took her seat.

Charlie played along, "Yeah, yeah."

But as they began enjoying their meal, Charlie's mind wandered back to the diary. He couldn't shake the feeling that the words he'd read were about him and Chloe. However, the last line had left him puzzled.

Chloe, sensing Charlie's change in demeanor, asked with concern, "Charlie, are you okay?"

Charlie hesitated before replying, "Yeah, all good. I'm ready to dive into some chicken."

But as the words faded, so did his smile. Chloe noticed the diary on the ground and quickly picked it up, hiding it from Charlie. She feared that he might have read it, and the thought of him knowing about her feelings made her anxious.

Charlie played dumb and asked, "Chloe, is that yours?"

Chloe hesitated for a moment before answering, "Yes, yes, it's mine. Must have fallen out." She put on a fake smile, trying to keep her anxiety hidden.

Charlie couldn't ignore his instincts any longer. He realized that the diary was Chloe's, and the words in it were about him. He realized that his instincts had been correct; the diary was Chloe's, and the words inside seemed to reveal her romantic feelings for him. He couldn't bear to see his friend's heart break, and he couldn't lie to himself either. So, he decided to act as if nothing was off.

As they continued eating, Chloe broke the silence. "So, you wanted me to come here. What do you have in store for me?"

Chloe's heart was pounding with a mix of excitement and worry. Charlie let out a nervous laugh "yep" he said, retrieving a necklace from his pocket. "This necklace is a gift from my mom," Charlie explained. "I found it in a box with a letter beside it. The letter was from my mom, and it stated that this necklace was a gift from Dad, a way to strengthen their friendship. In the letter, she told me to give it to someone my heart holds dear. So, I thought there's no one more deserving of it than you, Chloe. To friendship."

Charlie handed the necklace to Chloe, his heart heavy with the knowledge of Chloe's feelings for him. Chloe, on the other hand, felt a mixture of elation and confusion. It seemed like Charlie had finally noticed her signs, but a part of her still felt like a puzzle piece was missing.

As Chloe put on the necklace, Charlie hugged her tightly. The surrounding patrons, misunderstanding the situation, burst into applause and cheered, thinking Chloe and Charlie were a couple. Charlie quickly clarified, "No, she's not my girlfriend. We're just—"

He paused, remembering the diary's lines. Instead of saying they were just friends, he corrected himself, "We're more than friends."

Chloe supported him with a half-hearted smile. "We're just more than friends, not boyfriend and girlfriend."

They looked at each other and laughed, but beneath the laughter, their hearts held secrets that neither of them was ready to reveal.

For Charlie, the gift was a way of indicating that their friendship would last forever, but for Chloe, it meant that Charlie had finally understood her feelings and had decided to gradually take the another step. However, it remained a mystery to both of them, as they couldn't quite grasp the complexity of their emotions.