Creve Coeur | Ahri x Male Reader

Chapter 14: The Difference Between Knowing and Doing

Third Person POV

She liked him.

She actually liked him.

Groaning softly, she rolled over and hugged her pillow tightly.

Maybe she was just overreacting and she didn't...

No, she definitely did.

Thinking it over, she knew there was nothing to be ashamed of.

(Name) was a cool guy. He was funny, helpful when he wasn't an asshole, smart...

So why was she so scared..?

She knew why.

She definitely knew why.

Cracking an eye open, her gaze landed on a framed picture on her nightstand. It was an old picture, consisting of her, her mother, and her father. She remembered being so happy at the time the picture was taken, and she thought her parents were as well. Observing it, she noticed her mother's smile, while genuine, was no where near the size of her own, and her father...his smile...

it was fake.

She hadn't been able to distinguish the difference back then, being a child and all, but now that she was almost an adult...

Just looking at the picture made her sick.

"Why haven't I thrown this away yet..?" She angrily mumbled, reaching out and placing the frame face down so she wouldn't have to see it anymore.

It had taken a while to get used to life without that man. It wasn't easy by any means, but she had her mother, and that's all she needed.

For years she promised herself that she would never pursue a relationship. Call it a childish fear that she refused to let go of, but it didn't matter to her at all.

Now here she was, liking a boy enough to consider a relationship with him.

Oh the temptation to just tell him was strong, strong enough that she almost caught herself doing just that when she realized how she felt. Alas, there were two main things holding her back from doing it.

Her own fear and the truth behind Evelynn's words.

If she did manage to overcome her problems, what's to say (Name) would even want to be with her? After all, just because you like someone doesn't mean you would want to be in a relationship.

What if he got upset with her and they stopped being friends?

That was the last thing she wanted.

She groaned again, louder this time before sitting up in her bed and rubbing her stiff joints.

Suddenly, her door was cracked open and Willow poked her head inside. The older woman smiled at her daughter. "May I come inside?"

"It's a free country." Ahri mumbled, looking in her mirror while trying to tame her bed head.

Willow stepped inside and took a seat on Ahri's bed, immediately noticing the picture frame, but deciding to stay quiet for now. "What's got you so pissy?"

"Wha? What makes you say that?"

"Well, considering its 5 pm on a Saturday, you'd usually be all up and about, trying to make plans with friends, and you would basically be anywhere but in your room." The older vastaya listed off. "But you've been in your room all day, you look terrible-"

"Thanks, mom."

"-and you haven't even eaten yet." Willow's voice took on a worried tone. "Honey, if there's something you're having trouble with, you can tell me, I promise I won't judge you."