All Along | ✓

Chapter Fifteen

I shake my head softly, "She was going to, but she realised she got her dates mixed up. She has a paper due tomorrow and she can't afford to lose the time by coming here. She wishes you good luck though. Says she'll have the game on while she's working."

Oli smiles, understanding, "That's alright. You okay to sit by yourself though, Little Luna?"

"I'll be fine. Promise." I reassure him.

Nodding once, he replies, "Good. I know you said you didn't want front row seats, but you're in the second row, alright? I want to be able to see you easily when I'm playing. But I can get you a different seat if you want."

A smile lifts my lips, "If that's where you want me to be, that's where I'll be."

Rick clears his throat from behind us and I turn my head to face him. "You ready for me to show you to your seat, Darlin'?" He asks, hinting at the fact that it's time to go.

I nod softly before looking up at Oli when I feel his grip at the back of my neck tighten slightly. He crouches a little to get closer to my height and murmurs, "Give me that good luck, Little One."

I fight to keep the blush off my cheeks and gently reach up to grip his jaw with my hand. Angling his head to the right, I lean forward and press a kiss to his right cheek. It feels different to how it used to be, where his face used to be always clean-shaven, he now has slight stubble dotting his jaw. My lips press to his cheek quickly before I murmur, "You've got this, Oli." I hesitate for a second before saying my next words, "I love you."

I hate myself for hesitating, but I don't even remember the last time I said those words to him in person. It was probably this past Christmas, the last time I saw him, but I don't really remember. For years now we've shared quick messages of 'Love you' over text or on the phone. And it's not that I don't love him anymore. Of course I do, he's my best friend. It's just that sometimes I find myself forgetting that all that love I have in my heart is his. At times my heart feels empty and hollow, like he's taken that love with him and I won't be getting it back."

"I love you, Little One," He reminds me, eyes twinkling as he straightens up. And it's moments like these that my heart feels full. Because of course that love is reciprocated. I'm his best friend as much as he is mine. While my love is with him, his is always with me. Maybe I need to try a little harder to remember that.

I leave with Rick shortly after and he leads me to the stands, right down to my seat in the second row, as Oli promised. Once I'm sat in my seat, Rick gives me a smile before leaving, murmuring, "Oli never mentioned that he was datin' his best friend."

My eyes quickly widen at his words. "Dating!? No, no, Oli and I have been best friends since were were kids, I-" I swallow thickly, unsure of why a blush is heating my cheeks, "There's five years between us, we've never seen each other that way. Ever. That would be... weird."

Rick's eyebrows shoot up at my quick correction of his assumption, lips quirking into a little lop-sided smile. "Could've fooled me. Enjoy the game, Darlin'." And then he's gone, leaving me alone with my thoughts in a flurry.

He really thought that Oli and I were dating? But... I'm eighteen and he's twenty-three, we've known each other since we were kids. He's been my best friend for over ten years. I've always looked up to him and felt safe around him. Sure, I used to have a crush on him and I guess that never completely went away. But you can't really blame me there - even little eleven-year-old Luna wasn't blind to his looks. And he's five years older than me. He was my idol. As he got older, of course I noticed that he was tall and strong and kind and just... the most wonderful person I've ever met. I looked up to him so much, of course I had a crush on him.

But I'm not stupid. Oli's my best friend and the love between us will never be anything more than platonic. He's five years older than me, anyway. The age gap would just be too much. And I don't see him that way anyway. A crush is one thing, but having feelings for my best friend? That's out of the question.

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A/N

Hello incredible readers!

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Thank you so, so much for reading! I love you, have a wonderful day!!!

~ Pink Flamingo