The Breakup and the Confession

Kiara had spent the entire weekend trying to piece together the fragments of her thoughts. She hadn't expected things to spiral this way with Kelly, but there was no denying that the weight of their friendship—now complicated by feelings neither of them had anticipated—was suffocating.

The Monday after their conversation, Kiara decided she couldn't avoid the issue anymore. She needed clarity, needed to know where things stood with Kelly. She couldn't keep dancing around the truth.

As she walked through the crowded halls, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Kelly.

*Kelly:* *"Kiara, can we talk? I need to clear some things up. It's about Cherry."*

Her stomach dropped. She had a sinking feeling that this was coming, but reading it in a message made her heart beat faster. She was tired of the confusion and tension. Maybe this was the moment they'd finally address everything that had been hanging between them.

Kiara hesitated for a moment, the truth heavy on her tongue. She didn't want to hurt him, but he deserved to know. "I saw something today. With Cherry."

Kelly raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I saw her with Jason," Kiara said, her voice shaky but firm. "They were... holding hands and laughing like they were more than just friends. And I saw them get really close. I don't know how to say this, but... I think she's been cheating on you."

Kelly's face drained of color as the words sank in. His expression hardened, but it wasn't anger—no, it was something worse. It was a mix of confusion and disbelief.

"No," he whispered, shaking his head. "No, that's not possible. Cherry wouldn't do that."

Kiara stepped closer, her heart aching for him. She had never seen him so vulnerable. "I wish I was wrong, Kelly. But I saw it with my own eyes. I didn't want to believe it either, but... I can't just let you keep going like this. You deserve to know the truth."

Kelly stood there for a moment, completely still, his mind clearly racing. Kiara could see him processing the information, trying to make sense of it. Finally, he let out a deep breath, his voice cracking when he spoke again.

Kiara didn't even hesitate. She quickly typed back.

*Kiara:* *"Sure. I'm at my locker. Let's talk."*

A few minutes later, Kelly approached, his face unreadable. He looked tired, like he hadn't slept much. His usual confident demeanor was gone, replaced with an expression of uncertainty.

"Hey," he said, trying to force a smile. It didn't reach his eyes. "You good?"

Kiara nodded, but her heart was racing. She could tell that something had happened with him. Something that would change everything between them. "You wanted to talk?"

"Yeah," Kelly said, his voice quiet. He cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair, clearly uncomfortable. "It's about Cherry."

Kiara's stomach turned. She didn't know what she was expecting, but she wasn't prepared for what he was about to say.

"I broke up with her," Kelly admitted, his eyes meeting hers. "A few days ago. I couldn't keep pretending like everything was fine when it wasn't. I just… I didn't feel the same anymore. And I know it's because… because I've been spending so much time thinking about us."

Kiara's breath hitched. She hadn't expected it to be that direct. But there it was. The words she had been fearing—and secretly hoping—he would say.

"You broke up with her?" Kiara repeated, her voice a little breathless.

"I don't know what to say... I trusted her." He paused, shaking his head in disbelief. "How could she do this to me?"

Kiara felt a pang of guilt, knowing how much this was hurting him. She stepped forward and placed a hand on his arm. "I'm sorry, Kelly. I didn't want to be the one to tell you, but I couldn't let you stay in the dark."

Kelly looked down at her hand on his arm, then up into her eyes. He was silent for a long moment before he finally spoke. "I need to talk to her. I need to hear it from her."

Kiara nodded, her heart heavy. She knew this wasn't going to be easy. "I'll be here, okay? Whatever you need, I'm here."

Kelly gave her a small, appreciative smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Thanks, Kiara. You're a good friend."

---

Later that afternoon, Kelly confronted Cherry. The conversation was heated, but Cherry didn't deny anything. She admitted to her actions without apology, claiming that she was bored with the relationship and that Jason gave her the attention Kelly never seemed to.

By the time Kelly came back to school the next day, he was visibly shaken. He had broken up with Cherry, but the emotional toll it had taken on him was evident. He found Kiara waiting for him at the same spot by their lockers, the same place they always met.

Kelly nodded, running a hand through his hair again. "Yeah. I found out some stuff… stuff I didn't want to know. It turns out she was seeing someone else behind my back for a while. I confronted her about it, and she didn't even try to deny it."

Kiara felt a strange mix of relief and anger surge through her. She had suspected something was off with Cherry, but hearing it out loud from Kelly made her feel the weight of his pain, too.

"I'm sorry, Kelly," Kiara said, her voice soft. "I never wanted that for you. I didn't want you to be hurt."

Kelly's eyes softened, and he stepped closer. "I know. I know you didn't. I just… I didn't know how to handle it. I didn't know what to do with all these feelings, and I guess I got distracted by all the attention from Cherry. But now, it's all clear."

Kiara frowned, confused. "Clear? What do you mean?"

Kelly took a deep breath, his gaze dropping to the ground before locking back with hers. "Kiara… I think I've been avoiding the truth for a long time. The truth is, I've been in love with you. I have been for a while. I was just too afraid to admit it, even to myself Kiara's heart stopped. Her thoughts scattered as she processed his words. The person she had loved for so long—her best friend, her confidant—was saying the words she had been too afraid to speak.

Kelly stepped closer, his voice shaking with emotion. "I was scared that if I told you, I would lose our friendship. But now… now that I've lost everything with Cherry, I can't keep pretending like nothing's changed. I don't want to keep pretending anymore, Kiara."

Kiara stood still, her heart thudding loudly in her chest. She had always known there was something more between them. She'd always felt the pull, but never allowed herself to acknowledge it. Now, here it was—out in the open, hanging between them like a delicate thread that could either snap or tie them together.

But could she say it? Could she admit that she felt the same way?

"I… I don't know what to say," Kiara said quietly, her voice shaky. "I've never thought about it like that. I mean, I've thought about us, but…"

"But what?" Kelly asked, his voice gentle but filled with an edge of impatience. "But you never thought I felt the same way? Or but you don't feel the same?"

Kiara looked at him, her breath catching. "I do feel the same way, Kelly. I just… I don't know how to handle this. We've been best friends for so long, and I don't want to ruin that. But now that you've said it, I can't pretend I don't feel something. I just don't know how to navigate it."

Kelly's expression softened, and he reached out to take her hand, his fingers brushing hers. The simple touch sent a spark of warmth through her. "We'll figure it out, Kiara. I don't want to lose you either. We've been through so much together. I think we can handle this."

For the first time in weeks, Kiara felt like she could breathe. There was a long road ahead, filled with questions, uncertainty, and the possibility of mistakes. But maybe—just maybe—they could find a way back to each other, not just as best friends, but as something more.

End of Chapter 10