THE ONE PERSON I WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO FALL FOR
Genre: Romance | Friends to Lovers | Contemporary Fiction
SUMMARY
They had shared secrets, laughter, heartbreaks and countless memories. But when one unexpected kiss changed everything, their beautiful friendship became the one thing neither of them knew how to protect.
CHAPTER ONE: JUST FRIENDS, RIGHT?
If someone had told Amara that she would one day fall in love with her best friend, she would have laughed in their face.
Not because Daniel wasn't attractive. He was. Annoyingly attractive, actually.
But Daniel was Daniel.
The boy who stole fries from her plate, called her dramatic at least five times a day and knew exactly what to say whenever she was having a terrible day.
He was her best friend. Her safe place. Her favourite headache.
And most importantly, he was someone she could never imagine losing.
"You're staring again," Daniel said, snapping his fingers in front of her face.
Amara rolled her eyes. "I'm wondering how someone can be this annoying and still have friends."
"Yet here you are, sitting beside me."
"Unfortunately."
He laughed, leaning back against the sofa.
They had been friends for almost six years. From university examinations to terrible relationships, family problems and late-night phone calls, they had experienced almost everything together.
Daniel knew her favourite food, her biggest fears and the little things that made her happy.
He even knew that she cried whenever she was angry but would rather die than admit it.
And Amara knew him just as well.
Or at least, she thought she did.
Until Friday evening.
Daniel arrived at her apartment looking unusually cheerful.
"Guess what?" he announced.
Amara barely looked up from her phone. "You finally got arrested for disturbing innocent people?"
"Very funny. I'm taking someone out tomorrow."
She paused.
"Someone?"
"Yeah. A girl."
Amara forced a smile. "Oh, really? Who is she?"
"Her name is Vanessa. We've been talking for a while."
"That's nice."
She returned her attention to her phone, pretending to be interested in whatever was on the screen.
But suddenly, everything felt irritating.
The television was too loud. Her drink was too sweet. And Daniel's smile was becoming increasingly annoying.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"
"You're quiet."
"Must I talk every second?"
He studied her face for a moment before shrugging.
"Okay, troublemaker."
That night, Amara couldn't sleep.
She kept replaying his words.
I'm taking someone out tomorrow.
Why did it bother her so much?
Daniel had dated other girls before. She had even helped him choose birthday presents for some of them.
So why was this one different?
She picked up her phone and opened their conversation.
Amara: I hope your date goes well tomorrow.
His reply came almost immediately.
Daniel: Thank you, bestie. Love you.
She stared at the message.
Bestie.
For the first time in six years, that word felt like an insult.
CHAPTER TWO: SOMETHING WAS CHANGING
Saturday came, and Daniel was unusually busy.
He sent her a picture of his outfit, asking whether the shirt looked good.
Amara replied with a simple thumbs-up.
He called her.
"You don't like it?"
"It's fine, Daniel."
"Just fine?"
"Do you want to marry the shirt?"
He burst into laughter.
"There she is. I was beginning to miss you."
Amara smiled despite herself.
And that was the problem.
No matter how much she tried to be annoyed with him, he always found a way to make her smile.
Later that evening, Daniel sent her a message.
Daniel: The date was okay.
Amara: Just okay?
Daniel: She's nice, but I don't know. Something was missing.
Amara stared at the message for a few seconds.
Then she typed:
Amara: Maybe you're just difficult to impress.
Daniel: Maybe I'm looking for the wrong thing.
She didn't reply.
Because, for the first time, she wondered whether Daniel was looking for something that had been sitting right beside him all along.
CHAPTER THREE: THE KISS THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
A week later, Daniel showed up at Amara's apartment.
He looked tired.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing."
"Daniel."
He sighed and sat beside her.
"Vanessa and I aren't seeing each other anymore."
Amara tried not to look too happy.
"Oh. I'm sorry."
He turned to look at her.
"Are you?"
She frowned. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Daniel reached for her hand.
"Amara, can I ask you something?"
"Depends."
"Have you ever wondered what would happen if we weren't just friends?"
Her heart skipped.
She laughed nervously.
"Where is this coming from?"
"I'm serious."
She looked at him, searching his face for the familiar teasing smile.
There was none.
"I don't want to lose you," she whispered.
Daniel moved closer.
"And I don't want to spend the rest of my life pretending that you're just my best friend."
Before she could find the right words, he gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face.
"Tell me to stop if you don't feel the same way."
She didn't.
Instead, she leaned closer.
And then he kissed her.
It wasn't rushed. It wasn't perfect.
But it was everything she had secretly wondered about and everything she had been too afraid to ask for.
When they finally pulled apart, Amara rested her forehead against his.
"So..." she whispered.
Daniel smiled.
"So?"
"Are we still best friends?"
He laughed softly.
"Always. But I'd really like to be your boyfriend, too."
For the first time, Amara realised that sometimes the greatest love stories don't begin with strangers meeting.
Sometimes, they begin with two friends who have been choosing each other for years without understanding why.
And sometimes, the person you've been looking for has been sitting right beside you all along.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Amara thought the hardest part would be admitting that she loved Daniel.
She was wrong.
The hardest part was discovering that Daniel had been hiding something from her for years.
And when she finally found out what it was, she began to question everything she thought she knew about their friendship.