Chapter 1

                                    

                                          


                          
Chelsea took a deep breath. Today was the day. She was going to confess to her crush. Even if she said no, it'd be fine, she'd have her answer. She'd rather go through life knowing that she tried rather than sitting back and watching the chance go by. She wanted to look back at her last year as a high schooler and be fond of it. Chelsea saw her crush, named Olivia, walking toward her from the other side of the hallway, just as always.
                          
  Olivia looked as though she were minding her own business, glancing at the lockers beside her. From what she remembered from studying her- (totally not stalking) she was tomboyish. She was also one year younger than Chelsea-  She also seemed like she gave her immediate thoughts to everyone and anyone.  No nonsense- which was perfect for Chelsea. She figured a quick declaration of her feelings would be good enough. 
                          
Chelsea walked up to her with bated breath, staring at Olivia's short blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. She felt small near her- she literally was, too. Oliva was considerably taller than her. The approaching blonde had on her volleyball uniform today, but Chelsea remembered her usual outfit choices were very loud.  She thought Olivia was so cool, while she thought of herself as just a 'glasses-wearing geek'. She didn't like her ginger red curly hair much, and her brown eyes weren't doing her any favors, at least to her. She shook her head. Now wasn't the time to be insecure! Confidence, Chelsea, she silently chanted. She felt the fire inside of her ignite again as she walked toward her with a trembling, yet high head.
                          
"U-Um..!" Chelsea spoke. Olivia's eyes wandered to the shy girl, and her eyebrows rose.
                          
"Oh!" She shouted. Olivia's eyes widened. "You're the girl I was looking for!"  Chelsea was taken aback.
                          
"Wha-"
                          
"Dude," The blonde crossed her arms. "I kept wondering to myself 'where's that girl at?' Y'know, I've seen you around a lot but never got the chance to talk to you. You're always at my volleyball games. I always, always, always saw you there. You were staring at me a lot too."
                          
Chelsea almost screamed in embarrassment. 
                          
"You always got red when I saw you, though." Olivia pointed at the shy girl who was blushing already. "See? Like that!" 
                          
"Wha-" Chelsea flinched.

                          
"Anyway, I wanted to say, thank you so much for always being there."
                          
"Wh-Wh-wh-wh..." Chelsea muttered.
                          
"Huh?" Olivia asked.
                          
"I- Wh- How- You-...why do you notice me? I- I'm no one special..."
                          
"Hey, now don't say that about yourself. That's rude. Say sorry."
                          
"...Uh... to who?"
                          
"Yourself. What's your name?"
                          
"Um...It's Chelsea-"
                          
"Okay, Chelsea, repeat after me. 'I'm sorry Chelsea.'"
                          
"I- I really don't think it's nessesa-"
                          
"You deserve the apology!"
                          
"I reall-" Olivia started pouting at her, something she didn't expect her to do at all. 
                          
"Why not?" Olivia asked. Chelsea lowered her head- she was going to say something that she didn't want her crush to hear.
                          
"Okay. I'm...sorry, Ch-...Chelsea." She muttered. God, she felt so weird saying it.
                          
"Good!" Olivia said. "Anyway, I said what I wanted. I'll get goi-"
                          
"...No!" Chelsea shotued. "No! I- I have something to tell you!"
                          
"Huh?"
                          
"I-... I-... I like you!" Chelsea shouted. Her face flushed red, her heart raced like a speeding bullet and she sweated enough to make a small pool.
                          
"Oh-" Olivia said. She beamed. "I like you too, dude." 
                          
Chelsea lit up.
                          
"R-Really?!" She said. 
                          
"Yeah!" Olivia cried. Chelsea's heart shot like a rocket.  "I don't mind having more friends." Olivia said. 
                          
Chelsea's face shot to confusion. "Wha- I- No- you don't- I- don't-"
                          
"Huh? Do you not like me? I thought you said you did," Olivia frowned.
                          
"No! I don-! No! I- I mean I- I do, but I-"
                          
"So...that means we'll be friends! Cause we like each other," Olivia said with a grin. "That's how it works."
                          
"No! I-...!"
                          
Olivia frowned again. "...Then you don't want to be friends?" 
                          
Chelsea lowered her head and groaned loudly.
                          
"I-I do want to be friends," She said. 
                          
"Perfect!" Olivia said, grinning. "We'll be besties. I know it," Chelsea tensed up immediately as Olivia patted her shoulder. "See, you're red again." Olivia said. "You should get that checked out." 
                          
"Y-Y-Yeah... I-I sh-should..." Chelsea laughed nervously.
                          
"I had trouble finding you, so how about I give you my phone number?" Olivia said. "We can hang tomorrow."
                          
"Um... O-Okay..." The two brought out their phones and exchanged numbers.  
                          
"I gotta go now. I'll text you. Bye!" She said, waving her hand and running off. 
                          
Chelsea just stood there watching.  She was flung into that roller coaster of emotions so quickly- she had no idea what to think. Was she just friend-zoned?
                          
She wondered to herself. She dodged the question so well-...a little... too well. Did she really think saying 'I like you' was her asking to be friends? She couldn't put her finger on it... but, friendship...? Was it better than nothing? She stared at her phone. Seeing Olivia's name alone had her heart racing.
                          
She'd never think in a thousand years that she'd have her name on her contact list- not ever. 
                          
She rubbed her phone against her cheek and smiled widely.  Something came out of this, and that made her happy. 
                          
Maybe she could just get to know her for now. But she'd need to confess properly... but that'd be the hard part.