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oh my god.

no way.

valerie makes her way out of my room to go get ready. not me, though. i sit on my bed in shell shock.

well, that just happened.

i get up not too long after her. i have to find will. i have to tell him.

i search around the house until i find wilbur, grabbing his arm without saying anything and pulling him off to the hall. we're alone, everyone else is in their room getting ready.

"uhh, hey. what's going on?" wilbur asks.

"she likes him," i say.

"who likes what?" he asks. i groan.

"val!" i whisper shout. "val also likes tommy!"

"woah, what? says who?"

"she just told me!"

"what'd she say?"

"she likes tommy and doesn't know how to tell him because she doesn't want to 'fuck everything up.' she also said she's worried that telling him will be the worst decision she's ever made and it will ruin their friendship because she doesn't think he likes her back." wilbur puts his palm over his forehead and his jaw drops. he looks both happy and in shock.

"oh my fucking god, i'm having deja vu," he says, holding his head and letting out an airy laugh.

"that's what i was thinking when she told me!" i whisper. "isn't that pretty much what tommy told you?"

"literally those exact words. oh my god, they're soulmates." wilbur chortles and shakes his head. "how are we gonna do this? did you tell her what he told me?"

"no. i figured they need to tell each other on their own accord. if he hasn't told her yet, he's not ready. it's not my place to tell."

"that's good on your part, but how the hell is he not ready? it's so obvious! alex even asked me yesterday if they were a thing because we saw them going down the slopes together! they held hands!"

"i saw." i groan and rub my temples. "getting two clueless teenagers together has proven to be harder than it looks.

"what are we gonna do?" wilbur asks, biting his pointer finger nail.

"picnic, park, alone time."

"how can we assure that happens?"

"we can't ASSURE it. we just gotta... push it, i guess."

"push it?"

"make sure they stick together, let them have alone time. the park we're going to is known for kindling romance. have you seen it? it's beautiful. that's partially why i suggested it." wilbur nods and stays silent for a moment.

"should we... like... say anything? because tommy probably won't just tell valerie, no matter how much i assure him that it'll be okay. he's not great about admitting to his feelings, so i was impressed when he opened up to me. so do you think he'd really open up on his own?" my eyes grow wide.

"i don't think valerie's gonna make the first move either."

"well shit."

"well shit is right."

wilbur and i both stand in the empty hallway in silence, deep in our thoughts, attempting to brainstorm.

"you wanna know what i think we should do?" wilbur asks.

"hm?" i say, looking up at him.

"you probably won't like it."

"try me." wilbur inhales sharply.

"we leave them alone. let them work it out for themselves."

"they won't do this without our help."

"i knew you weren't gonna like it."

"of course not! because that won't work!" i exhale slowly and calm down. "look, i'm sorry. i'm not angry or anything. it's just... i'm sure you want them to get together as much as i do. and so far, they've done everything couples do except kiss and put a label on it. which is exactly what they're both afraid of."

"i know, i know. but... what else can we do? we've pushed them enough, we've assured them enough, now it's time they do something about it."

i nod. as much as i don't want to admit it, will's right. there's only so much we can do, even though it's excruciating to watch them be clueless of their mutual feelings for each other.

"you're right. we can't do anything. they need to figure it out themselves. as much as i hate to say it. let's just hope for the best, and if they never tell each other then i propose we say something before valerie goes home. she can't leave without knowing," i say. wilbur nods, then shakes his head while smiling.

"this feels like a slow burn wattpad fanfic or something," wilbur says with a laugh. i giggle.

"tell me about it."