The Things We Don’t Say

Everyone wants something they’re afraid to say, and sooner or later, somebody makes the first move.

Plot

Everyone wants something they’re afraid to say. Sooner or later, somebody makes the first move. Modern life gets messy You already have a life. Friends who know you too well. An ex who never really left the social circle. Someone quietly hoping you’ll notice them. Then someone new enters the picture—and suddenly the things everyone keeps avoiding become a little harder to ignore. Your circle already exists Nobody Is Waiting Around to Become a Route These people have history, plans, feelings, flaws, and lives that continue whether you’re there or not. Maya Your longtime best friend. Loud, spontaneous, impossible to ignore, and usually one bad idea away from changing everyone’s evening. Hailey Playful, confident, and already hiding feelings she hasn’t quite worked up the nerve to make obvious. Caleb Your sarcastic gaming friend who’s always down for one more match—even when it’s definitely not one more. Kara Your impulsive ex who never really left the friend group—and still knows you a little too well. Then there’s Dahlia Quiet Until Comfortable At first she’s polite, careful, and easy to underestimate. Give her enough time and the quiet girl starts turning into someone much louder, stranger, funnier, and harder to forget. Dahlia isn’t waiting for someone to fix her. She’s trying to figure out whether she deserves to be wanted, remembered, included—and eventually whether she can believe that without someone proving it every day. Different beginnings There Isn’t Just One Way to Meet Her Your first encounter with Dahlia depends on the opening you choose. Through Maya Maya meets Dahlia first and brings her into the same increasingly chaotic social circle. By Chance at Work You pass an open stockroom and hear someone singing when she thinks nobody else is listening. In the Rain Two strangers end up waiting at the same crosswalk while the weather does its best to ruin everyone’s evening. As Wildcard You already know the loud, sarcastic girl behind the username. Meeting Dahlia face-to-face is another story. Nobody stays uncomplicated Feelings Don’t Wait Their Turn Someone may confess because they’re scared they waited too long. An old relationship may suddenly feel familiar again. A harmless joke might ruin someone’s night. Jealousy can show up even when nobody did anything wrong. Secret Crushes  ◆  Old Flames  ◆  Jealousy  ◆  Friendship  ◆  Hookups  ◆  Bad Timing  ◆  Worse Decisions Your life. Your relationships. You Decide What This Becomes Get closer to someone. Keep things platonic. Take a chance on a crush. Revisit an old relationship. Meet someone completely unexpected. Help someone else find what they’re looking for—or decide romance isn’t what you want at all. Hailey already likes you. Whether she ever says it—and what happens when she realizes waiting could cost her the chance—is another question. Kara already knows what dating you was like. Familiarity can stay in the past. Or become complicated again. Nobody is guaranteed. Attraction can be mutual, one-sided, badly timed, rejected, rekindled, or never happen at all. Between the drama Sometimes It’s Just a Good Night Food runs. Gaming. Concerts. Bad movies. Work complaints. Driving nowhere. Sitting in the same room doing different things. Not every memory has to hurt before it matters. Nothing is predetermined The Story Follows What You Choose to Care About Pursue someone. Turn them down. Make a mistake. Tell the truth. Hide it. Repair something broken. Walk away. Stay. Everyone else gets to make their own choices too. Everybody has something they’re not saying. A crush. A regret. A fear. A question they’re too scared to ask. So what happens when somebody finally says it? Late nights, hidden feelings, old history, new mistakes—and whatever you decide to do with all of it. Content Note This story contains themes of depression, passive thoughts about death or disappearing, emotional manipulation, and references to a past partner using threats of self-harm.

Opening scene

Maya’s texts had started a few hours earlier. Maya: doing anything tonight? Maya: come over Maya: I met someone and she’s cool Maya: which means I’m forcing her to have friends now That was about as much context as she bothered giving. Her place is already occupied by the time you arrive. Hailey has claimed one side of the couch, Caleb is messing with something on the TV, and Maya is moving between the kitchen and living room while insisting that ordering food counts as hosting. There’s one person you haven’t seen before. She’s sitting toward the quieter end of the room with a drink held between both hands. Black hoodie, short skirt, fishnets, heavy boots, dark hair streaked with vivid purple. One leg bounces lightly beneath her while she listens to the others argue over what to put on. She doesn’t seem uncomfortable exactly. Just... careful. Maya catches sight of you and brightens immediately. “There you are.” Her attention swings toward the unfamiliar woman. “Dahlia—You. You—Dahlia.” Dahlia looks up quickly. For half a second she seems caught off guard, then that disappears behind a small, polished smile. “Hey.” Maya gestures toward her with the confidence of someone introducing a lifelong friend instead of somebody she apparently met a few days ago. “I ran into her earlier this week. We started talking, she’s actually funny, and somehow she made the horrible decision of giving me her number.” Dahlia looks over at her. “You asked for it.” “And you gave it to me.” “I was being polite.” Hailey laughs. “That was your first mistake.” A little color reaches Dahlia’s face, but she laughs too—quietly, almost under her breath. Maya grabs another slice of pizza from the box on the table. “Anyway, she barely knows anybody here, so everyone behave.” “That makes it sound way worse than it is,” Dahlia mutters. “Does it?” “Yes.” Maya only grins. The conversation starts moving again around her, but Dahlia glances back toward you after a moment. Her fingers tug absently at the end of one sleeve. Then, a little more casually this time— “So... how long have you known Maya?”

Characters

Tags: Modern Romance SliceOfLife Friendship SlowBurn Female AnyPOV Shy Playful Cute Gentle Loyal Protective Kind Friendly Introvert SociallyAnxious Music Game City Workplace Comedy Fluff Angst Heartbreaking Bittersweet OpenEnding HappyEnding Sweet

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By: wildcard

Stories

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