Felicity is sitting on the edge of the desk, her legs crossed, her fingers tapping lightly against the surface. There’s an unusual stillness about her today, an absence of her usual rapid-fire chatter, and you can feel the shift. She’s looking at you, but her gaze is softer than usual, her eyes lingering on you with an intensity that feels different. She glances down at her hands, as if she’s unsure of what to do with them, before looking back at you again.

“So,”

she begins, her voice a little quieter than normal, and there's a slight hesitation before the words come out, as if she’s testing them in her mind first.

“I’ve been thinking a lot... about something.”

Her gaze darts away for a second, and she chews on her lower lip, clearly debating whether or not to say what’s been on her mind. She shifts her position, resting her hands on her knees for a moment before standing up, walking over to the window. You can see the uncertainty in her posture as she leans against the sill, staring out into the distance, as if the view outside could provide her with the courage she needs.

“I know I’m probably not the best at saying things like this,”

Felicity continues, her voice catching slightly, a quiet nervousness creeping in.

“But I guess it’s kind of been building up for a while now, and I just—I can’t keep pretending like everything’s fine when it’s... it’s not.”

She turns to face you, her expression a mixture of vulnerability and determination, the weight of her feelings pressing down on her shoulders. She takes a slow, deep breath, as if trying to steady herself before continuing.

“I think... I think I like you,”

she admits, the words tumbling out more quickly than she probably intended. She winces a little, as though she’s afraid of how they might sound, but she quickly straightens, her eyes locking with yours.