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Karolina didn’t know how she had ended up being Nico’s go to girl for everything and anything to do with her love life but here she was.
She supposed that it was the duty of the best friend to provide moral support for these kinds of things and at first she was fine with it. After all Nico was straight and clearly wasn’t intentionally trying to rub it in Karolina’s face. If she knew about Karolina’s feelings she would never mention it but Karolina had missed her chance to tell her and now it was too late.
She had been naive to think Nico wasn’t the type of girl to gush about boys but oh boy was she wrong. Every conversation they had, he was brought up. Karolina felt like she knew absolutely everything about this mystery man.
His hair colour.
“They have the most beautiful blonde hair. Whenever I see it I just feel like running my hands in it, it’s that gorgeous.”
His eye colour.
“They’re such a striking blue colour, exactly like yours Karolina.”
His height.
“They’re quite tall. Not too tall that it would be awkward but tall enough that if we were to kiss they would have to lean down like this.”
Karolina still thought about the way Nico had cupped a hand around the back of her neck and pulled her down until they’re lips were only centimeters apart. The temptation to close the distance and finally be able to taste Nico had been so strong that Karolina instantly snapped her head backwards, blushing brightly. If she and Nico were going to kiss it wouldn’t be during a conversation about her very real infatuation with someone else.
Everytime Nico mentioned him she had to hold her breath for fear of blurting out that she too had blonde hair, blue eyes and was tall. It was beginning to get exhausting. Over the last year the descriptions had become more and more intense and specific, Karolina hated it.
He didn’t even sound that great anyway.
She didn’t think spending two hours trying to rescue a cat from a tree and ending up late to an appointment was cute. It was a waste of time, the owner probably wouldn’t even say thank you and stroll away leaving the rescuer covered in scratches and late. Karolina knew from experience. She wondered if Nico even remembered or cared that she had done exactly the same thing as this guy. Probably not.
Karolina had asked for his name more than one but everytime she did Nico would become reluctant to share anymore. She didn’t know why though. Nico probably thought that she would try and set them up. The idea made her scoff.
She was sad to admit it but she had taken to avoiding alone time with Nico for fear of another rambling speech on how this guy was so perfect.
This method had worked perfectly until Chase invited the group over for some ‘team bonding’ which she knew was code for ‘getting drunk and playing party games until we pass out’.
Luckily Nico didn’t tend to bring up her lovelife to anyone but Karolina. Usually she resented that fact but tonight it was a blessing in disguise. The buffers, also known as their friends, would steer the conversations far from the stupid mystery man. She was wrong.
It was well into the night and they were all fairly tipsy except for Molly who had attempted multiple times to steal a sip from Gert and Chase’s drinks only to be batted away with a scolding glare. Karolina suspected her suggestion of ‘truth or dare’ was a way to take advantage of her sober state of mind and gather secrets to embarrass them with later.
Everything was going fine for the first few rounds. Chase told them how he and Gert had actually had sex the first time at the homecoming dance. Alex had kissed Gert and promptly been shoved by a pouting Chase. Gert had rapped all of fergaliscious. Molly had fallen asleep.
Everything was normal until the bottle spun and landed on Nico.
“Truth.”
Everyone booed as they usually did when someone wimped out and then a smirk slowly bloomed on Gert’s face.
“Nico…” She drawled, drawing out the end of her name as she leaned heavily on Chase’s shoulder. The rum and coke sitting next to her completely drained. “Do you have a crush on anyone?” She asked innocently and then proceeded to bury her head in Chase’s arm as they both giggled drunkenly.
Karolina tensed as Nico glanced her way. She wondered if Nico was planning on answering truthfully. Obviously Nico had looked at her to see if she would expose her if she did. Karolina shrugged subtly.
“Yes.” Nico answered bluntly. Karolina knew that had she been sober she would never have admitted to it.
“Oh really?” Immediately the entire room was intrigued. Karolina huffed as they all perked up, if they had been dogs their ears would have been pointed straight up. Gert and Chase had stopped giggling enough to pursue the line of questioning.
“Do we know them?”
“Have you told them?”
Nico paused for a moment and glanced at Karolina before frowning slightly. “You know them and no, I haven’t told them.” She answered quietly and rolled her eyes at the simultaneous gasps from the two.
“Why not?” Molly demanded from her place on the couch. Karolina didn’t know when she had woken up but apparently she had heard the entire conversation.
Nico must have been more drunker than she thought because she answered the question.
“ I’ve been dropping them the most insanely obvious hints for like a year now. No response.” Nico replied, her face dropping into disappointment as she avoided catching any of their gazes.
Karolina felt herself growing more angry by the second. Whoever this guy was, he clearly needed to get his head out of his ass. Nico had wasted a year on him and he was the luckiest guy in the world. Her ears were growing hot at the thought.
“Wow. They sound stupid.” She blurted out, the alcohol limiting her ability to control what was coming from her mouth. She meant it though. This person was an idiot.
“But they’re not. They’re really smart actually. Just dense.” Karolina almost scoffed at how quick Nico was to defend this person. If they were so smart they would have picked up on the flirtations after a whole year. She would have told Nico this but she wasn’t drunk enough yet.
By now Karolina just wanted for Nico to go for it because she didn’t think she could take another day of pining after a girl who only wanted to talk about someone else.
“
Maybe you need to be more obvious? Like, I don’t know… ‘
Hey! I love you!
’” She suggested and instantly regretted it. No she did not want Nico to tell someone else she loved them. What on earth was she thinking?
“I guess you’re right.” Nico answered and there was a long pause before she continued. “Karolina, I love you.”
Karolina struggled not to get a little hope out of the words. She knew they weren't’t meant for her. They were a practice for the real person Nico loved. She would give anything to have Nico looking at her exactly like that, saying those exact words and actually meaning them. She swallowed down the lump that had built at the back of her throat and smiled tightly. The others had all fallen silent and Karolina absently wondered why they were all staring at her like she was an alien, well technically she was but whatever.
“See! Just like that!” She exclaims in the happiest, most encouraging voice she can. She had years of practising fake smiles and in that moment she made sure all that work didn’t go to waste. The slight crack in her voice as she spoke was obvious to her but Nico either didn’t notice or just didn’t comment.
“Holy fucking shit.” Karolina raises her eyebrows as Gert whispers the words into Chase’s ear. He nods but doesn’t tear his eyes from the scene in front of him.
“If that flies over their head then, sorry Nico, but their too dumb for you.”
Alex snorts out a laugh at the same time Molly slips from the couch to lay face down on the floor with a groan. Gert’s jaw drops and Chase’s eyes widen.
“Karolina.” She isn’t sure why Nico sounds that exasperated with her. It was true. This person wasn’t good enough for her. Not that anyone would ever be good enough for Nico.
“I’m sorry but if they’re that oblivious to your feelings then they don’t deserve you! I would never be that stupid if I had the chance to date you. If I were your crush I would never-” She cuts herself off quickly and tries to control the embarrassed blush now covering her cheeks.
“Are you kidding me?” Nico asks and Karolina looks away in shame. The bewilderment in Nico’s voice was enough of a confirmation of just how unrequited her feelings were. She was sure that Nico and now all of their friends now knew of her feelings. This was humiliating, especially considering the amusement she could see in their eyes. They were laughing at her.
“Okay. I’m going to take this,” she plucked a half empty bottle of vodka from Alex’s hand “,and leave.”
She rushed out of Chase’s living room and her hand was on the handle of her car before Nico’s voice called out from behind her.
“It’s you! You’re my fucking crush, Karolina! Karolina Dean I am in love with you. ” Nico essentially shouted at her.
“Huh?” Karolina asked, happy confusion building up inside of her.
Nico doesn’t say anything else and chooses to instead hook her hand around Karolina’s neck. She pulls her down into a bruising kiss. At first Karolina doesn’t react until she realises what’s happening and begins to grin into the kiss. The vodka bottle slips from her hand and smashes into the concrete below. She jerks backwards as the liquid splashes across the floor. Everything clicks into place.
The sounds of the others whistling and cheering in the background is faint in the background.
“Wow… This is really embarrassing.”
“No duh.” Nico rolls her eyes exasperatedly. “Now, come back here.”