Page 101 of Best Friends for Never

He loves me?I know he just kissed me, but kissing is a heck of a lot different from loving. Could he really mean that like I want him to mean it?

“Parker?” he says quietly, nervously. His footsteps echo as he crosses the stage toward me. He’s at my back. I can feel his heat. “Did you hear me? I love you.”

I nod, not trusting myself to speak.

He grabs my elbow, and I let him turn me to face him, my eyes still closed.

“Parker, come on. Look at me.” He cups my face with his hands. “Please.”

The pleading in his voice is my undoing, and I peel my eyes open slowly.

He’s staring down at me with nothing but sincerity, and I know at that moment it’s true—Noel Carter loves me.

This can’t be happening. This can’t be real. He’s leaving tomorrow and choosing to tell me he loves me now?

Why? Why is he doing this to me? Andnow?

“I’m not asking you to come with me out of pity or obligation or anything else. And I didn’t kiss you because I was trying to butter you up. I kissed you because I’ve wanted to, because I’ve been dying to kiss you for years.”

Years? He’s wanted to kiss me foryears?

“Around the same time that I realized I was in love with you, actually.” He laughs to himself. “I ... I don’t know what happened. I don’t. We’ve never ... That’s never been our thing. We’ve just been Noel and Parker, and that’s it. But then suddenly, I realized you weren’tjustParker. You were more, and I wanted more. I tried so fucking hard to not think of you like that. Tried to put it out of my mind. Tried to move on. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t stop loving you.”

“But—”

“I know the timing is shit,” he continues. “And I’m really fucking sorry about that. But I had to tell you before I left. Even if you don’t feel the same—and it’s okay if you don’t—I want you to know. I love you, Parker Pruitt, and not just like a friend loves another friend. I’m in love with you, andthat’swhy I want you to come to LA with me. Because I can’t imagine my life without you, and I don’t want to. So please ... please come to LA with me, Peter.”

Desperation clings to every word. I’ve never heard him like this before. Never heard him so frantic.

He wants me to come, and truthfully, a part of mewantsto go with him.

But I can’t. I can’t leave my mom. I can’t leave behind my town. Can’t leave when I’m about to start college. My whole life is here, and I’m not ready to give that up yet.

I love Noel—so much more than he could ever know—but I can’t go with him.

When I don’t say anything back, he sighs. “You’re not coming, are you?”

“No.” The single word comes out as a whisper. I’m afraid if I say it any louder, it’ll make this that much more real, and Ireallydon’t want this to be real.

“Not now or not ever?”

I swallow. “Not now. I’m just ...” I shake my head. “I’m not ready.”

He nods. “Okay. Okay. I can work with that. I can work withnot now.”

“I’m sorry,” I tell him, because Iamsorry. But I’m also not ready to take the leap he’s asking me to take.

“It’s okay. It is. So you’re not coming now. But maybe in a few months, yeah? I can go out there and get settled, and then you can move out with me.”

“Yeah.” I nod. “That ... that sounds good.”

And itdoessound good. Truly, truly good. It sounds like everything I’ve ever wanted—a life with Noel.

But it doesn’t feelright.

Why doesn’t it feel right?

“Yeah? That’s the plan, then?”

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