An intense crush on a complicated boy. Unrequited love for a good friend. And a love confession that will change everything.

This is “What Happens After You Confess Your Feelings to Someone?”

About the story

“What Happens After You Confess Your Feelings to Someone?” is a story about the highs and lows of high school love. At the beginning, you’ll find yourself in 2005—a time when cellphones were still fairly new on the scene and when social media wasn’t such a big thing.

In this story, Chloe is a studious high school sophomore who finds herself with a big crush on a junior named Mordecai. He claims he would date her if she were allowed to date, but his actions say otherwise. He’s constantly going out with other girls and constantly breaking Chloe’s heart with his indifference to her feelings, even though he already knows she likes him. He just hasn’t said how he feels about her.

But Mordecai has a secret—several, actually—secrets he can only tell Chloe. They’re secrets he carries with him from his troubled past. And she’s the first one he turns to when he needs help.

At the same time, Chloe has a good friend named Simon. He’s a new sophomore at her school, and his love for Chloe is obvious from the start. Simon is the antithesis of Mordecai—generous, reliable, and parent-approved. But Simon’s nice guy ways are lost on Chloe. And it doesn’t help that he struggles to confess his feelings to her.

Senior year is fast approaching, after all—the year Chloe’s parents will finally allow her to date. If she holds on a little longer, Mordecai might seriously consider going out with her. Or will Simon find a way to win her heart in the end?

Who will Chloe choose? Whose love confession will change everything?

You’ll have to read the story to find out.

An Excerpt

Here’s an excerpt from Chapter 4 of “What Happens After You Confess Your Feelings to Someone?” (Chloe is the one narrating.)

That Friday, Mordecai calls me soon after I get home from school.

“Hey,” I answer.

“That’s all you have to say to me? ‘Hey’?” he wonders.

“Excuse me? Should I have said something more?”

“Yeah, you should have. What’s the deal with you and this new guy?”

“What new guy?”

“The guy you’re always hanging around with now.”

“You mean Simon?”

“Yeah, Simon, I guess. What’s the deal with you two?”

“What do you mean?” I wonder.

“I mean, I’ve been seeing you guys together a lot lately.”

“So…”

“So…what’s the deal?”

“No deal. We’re just friends.”

“Just friends, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“You mean like you and I are just friends?”

“No,” I say. “Simon and I are the type of friends who might actually date someday.” I say that mostly to tease him, not because I truly believe it.

“You’re saying we’re not friends that way?”

“Not from where I’m standing.”

“Well, I don’t like it.”

“Don’t like what?”

“You two together. I don’t like it. It doesn’t feel right.”

I chuckle. “What don’t you like?”

“He’s not your type.”

“Oh? And what exactly is my type?”

“Well…me,” he says.

I chuckle again. “If that were true, we’d be dating already.”

“You’re not allowed to date yet.”

“I don’t believe you’d date me even if I were allowed.”

“What makes you say that?”

“How about the fact that you haven’t even considered asking my parents’ permission to date me? If you really cared about me that way, you would at least try that.”

“Don’t I get any credit for not trying to force you to sneak around behind your parents’ back so I can date you?”

I sigh. “Fine. I’ll give you credit for that. But still—”

“But nothing. The day you become a senior, see if I don’t ask you out.”

“You’ll forget about me by then,” I say.

“Not possible.”

“Sure it is. You’ll be in college surrounded by college girls. You won’t have time for a lowly high school kid like me.”

“I could never forget you, Chloe.”

Every inch of me warms at the sound of those words. It takes a while before I recover enough to say, “Anyway, while I wait for you to make up your mind, I’ll be hanging out with Simon.”

“He’s not your type.”

“Stop saying that.”

“All right, but it’s true.”

“We’ll see.”

Why You Should Read the Story

“What Happens After You Confess Your Feelings to Someone?” isn’t a typical YA romance. In this story, there’s no instant connection between lovers. It takes a while before real romance finally blooms.

Until then, both Chloe and Simon are dealing with unrequited love for a friend. But I would say only Simon has a crush on a good friend because he and Chloe have a lovely friendship.

Also, the love triangle between the main characters is complicated. Chloe is attached to a boy who doesn’t treat her well. Simon struggles to confess his feelings to Chloe. And Mordecai—well, he’s carrying his own baggage.

Plus, if you’ve ever been friends with someone you had feelings for, you may be able to relate to what both Chloe and Simon go through. If you’re currently in the middle of a crush like this, you might even learn something that can help you with your own situation.

Who Is It For?

If you are…

• A fan of YA romance who’s looking for something fresh in this genre,

• In the mood for a love story with flawed, relatable characters, or

• Someone who has had (or currently has) an intense crush or a crush on a friend,

then this story is for you.

How to Read It

Right now, this story is only available on Medium. The first three chapters are free and you don’t need an account to read them. But you’ll need a Medium account to read the rest. And you may also need to become a Medium member. I’ll be releasing two chapters a day.

So, if you’re ready to dive into “What Happens After You Confess Your Feelings to Someone?”, don’t wait another second to click here and start reading Chapter 1!

I hope you enjoy the story!