The Overdue Confession

Charles has spent far too much time holding a secret. - Writer's Cramp Winner!

For months, Charles had been there for Gina in every way he knew how. After her painful breakup, he had made it his quiet mission to bring back her smile. He took her out to dinner, planned spontaneous weekend road trips, and even sat through movies he had no interest in just because he knew she needed the distraction. When she called him crying at midnight, he picked up. When she wanted to rant about her ex, he listened.

And somewhere along the way, things had changed.

Gina had started doing things that felt… different. She’d lean on his shoulder when they sat on the couch. She’d text him first thing in the morning, asking about his day before it even began. She’d reach for his hand absentmindedly while laughing at his jokes. There were kisses.

She wasn’t just acting like his best friend anymore. She was doing the things a girlfriend would do. And it set his mind ablaze with hope.

He had picked a quiet restaurant; one of her favorites.

The dim glow of the restaurant’s candlelight flickered against Charles’ anxious face. He sat across from Gina, his hands trembling slightly as he clutched his glass of wine. The hum of conversations and clinking silverware filled the air, yet to him, everything was silent except for the thunderous beating of his heart.

Gina, radiant as always, noticed his unease. She leaned forward, concern etching lines onto her delicate features. “Charles, are you okay? You’ve been acting strange all night.”

He exhaled sharply, setting his glass down. It was now or never.

“There’s something I need to tell you,” he began, his voice unsteady. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to meet her gaze. “Something I should’ve said a long time ago.”

Gina tilted her head slightly, curiosity flashing in her deep brown eyes. “Okay...I’m listening.”

Charles’ fingers curled into fists on the table. He had rehearsed this a hundred times in front of a mirror, but now that the moment had come, his carefully planned words vanished like mist.

“I love you, Gina,” he said finally, his voice raw with emotion. “I’ve loved you for years. I’ve tried to bury it, tried to convince myself that I could just be your friend. I can’t keep pretending that I don’t feel this way.”

Silence.

The air between them thickened as Gina’s expression shifted; first to shock, then something unreadable. She blinked rapidly, lips parting, but no words came out at first.

“Charles…” she whispered, her voice uncertain.

His heart dropped.

She looked away for a moment, running a hand through her hair as if searching for the right thing to say. “You’ve always been my best friend, Charles. I don’t even know what to say.” her tone heavy with disbelief.

He forced a smile, but his chest ached. “Say whatever you feel. Even if it’s not what I want to hear.”

Gina’s eyes softened, but there was hesitation in them. “You mean so much to me. I don’t want to lose you. But… I don’t know if I feel the same way.”

The words landed like a punch to the gut. Charles nodded, forcing himself to keep breathing. “I understand,” he murmured, though his voice cracked slightly.

Tears brimmed in Gina’s eyes. “I never wanted to hurt you. I swear, I didn’t know…”

Charles smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes. "What about the kisses...why did you kiss me?"

She reached across the table, taking his hand in hers, a silent apology in her touch.

"I needed someone and you were there for me," she said, silently willing him to understand.

Charles sat there, staring at their intertwined hands, feeling the warmth of Gina’s fingers against his own. It was bittersweet; comforting and painful all at once. He had always imagined this moment, but in his mind, it had gone vastly different.

Gina squeezed his hand gently. “I don’t want this to change us,” she whispered, as if saying it softly would make it true.

“How could it not?” His voice was quieter than he intended, laced with exhaustion. “I just confessed my love for you, Gina. And you told me you don’t feel the same. That’s not something you can just take back.”

Gina’s face twisted with guilt, and for a second, Charles regretted his words. He never wanted to make her feel bad for something she couldn’t control.

“I don’t want to lose you,” she pleaded, her voice small.

Charles looked at her; really looked at her. He saw the way her lips trembled slightly, the way her eyes shimmered under the dim lighting, filled with an ache that almost matched his own. But it wasn’t the same. She wasn’t in love with him.

That was the most painful part of all.

He swallowed hard, trying to steady his voice. “I don’t know if I can just go back to how things were.”

She nodded slowly, understanding. “I get it.” Her fingers loosened, as if she was preparing for him to pull away.

And he did.

The loss of contact sent a shiver up his spine, but he knew it had to be done. He couldn’t sit here and pretend he wasn’t breaking apart inside.

“I think I need some time,” Charles admitted, finally voicing what had been on his mind since the moment she hesitated.

Gina’s expression wavered between sadness and acceptance. “Okay,” she said softly.

The silence that followed was unbearable. The unspoken words between them, the memories of what they once were, and the reality of what they now had to become; it all sat heavily in the air.

Charles stood, pulling out his wallet. Gina opened her mouth to protest, but he shook his head. “Let me do this,” he said, forcing a small smile.

She didn’t argue.

As he placed the bills on the table, he glanced at her one last time, memorizing the way she looked at him; half worried, half heartbroken.

So, without another word, he turned and walked away.