The soft glow of her phone screen was the only light in the room as Esi lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. The gentle hum of the city outside was like background noise in a dream she couldn’t quite shake. Her thoughts, though, were anything but calm. They circled around one person, like they often did these days,…… Charles.

She smiled, thinking of how easily they slipped into each other’s lives, the way they had always been. Friends. Best friends, really. The kind of friendship where boundaries didn’t exist, where they could joke about anything, hold hands, talk about nothing and everything, and yet it always felt like everything.

But lately, something had shifted. Or maybe it had always been there, and she was only just noticing. Esi bit her lip, feeling the familiar warmth rise in her chest, a warmth that now came with a whisper she couldn’t ignore. What if…?

They had sibling-zoned each other for years, laughed about it even. “You’re like the brother I never had,” she’d said countless times. And he’d nod, agreeing, always agreeing. It was comfortable. Safe. But now, after 4 years of friendship, ……in the quiet of the night, it didn’t feel so safe anymore. Her heart, once steady, began to flutter at the thought of him. Of his laugh, his eyes that crinkled at the corners when he smiled, his intense looks, his masculine dark, tall figure, his voice …..how had she never noticed how deep and sexy they were?

Esi turned on her side, staring at her phone. Her fingers hovered over the screen. She had typed and deleted the message to Charles five times already. Should I tell him? No, it’ll ruin everything. But the words tugged at her, pulling her closer to the truth she was too afraid to admit, even to herself.

Finally, she typed: Hey, you up?

Simple. Safe. She hit send and exhaled, her heart racing, hoping he’d reply and terrified he actually would.

She continued,…..

I got addicted to you so easily. I’m attracted to you in ways that I can’t even explain. Every day, you’re in my head. And when the night falls and the world quiets, my mind doesn’t—it’s filled with thoughts of you.

I lie awake, wanting to talk to you. You’re the last whisper in my mind before sleep comes and my first thought when I wake. Every day, it’s like this.

I care about you more than you know, and I appreciate you more than you realize. Tell me, when our eyes meet, do you feel it too? Am I the only one lying awake at night, lost in thoughts of you? Waiting to hear your voice, your thoughts, just to find peace?

The truth is, I love you more than words can explain. My heart beats for you, and sometimes I think I’m going a little crazy because of it. It’s you I want, you my heart beats for. With your touch, I find peace. In your eyes, I see our future. In your presence, I feel safe. And your smile—it’s the best thing I’ve ever seen.

So please, don’t ever doubt the impact you have on me. Thinking about you makes me smile randomly, and I’m not even ashamed.

She read those words over and over again, her phone glowing softly in the dark of her bedroom. It was late, almost past midnight, but sleep  was the furthest thing from her mind. Each line she had written was like a secret part of her soul, poured out onto the screen.

Was this real?

Did he feel the same?