If They Only Knew

(This chapter focuses on the events in chapter 19).

Leah's POV

I know that it's a horrible thing to say about your best friend, but I couldn't wait for Kaley to leave. Once she was gone off on her date with Darren, which yes, totally was a date date, then I would be all alone with Chris. I couldn't help but sigh happily.

Nobody pinch me, I sighed dreamily to myself. If this is a dream, I don't want to wake up!

Part of me was in denial that anything could happen between Chris and I. After all, he was out and proud and I was very clearly not a male. Why would he even consider a girl like me? But still, even just being friends with him would be totally amazing! It had always been him that I had fallen in love with, not his character or his looks (even though he looked fine!), but rather it was him himself. His personality, his witty remarks, just him in general. After watching countless interviews of him, I just knew that I had to meet him someday. And now, here I was, waiting anxiously with Kaley for our "dates" to arrive.

"They're on their last song," I commented, hearing the music for Don't Stop Believin' play over the speaker system. Kaley didn't respond and I knew that it wasn't because she hadn't heard me, but rather that she was purposely ignoring me. The fact that she wasn't reacting to my nudges were proof of that.

"I said, they're on their last song," I repeated, nudging her a little harder.

"What, can't wait to get rid of me so that you can have Chris all to yourself?" Kaley remarked, teasingly.

"How did you know?" I gasped loudly. I made sure to make it overly dramatic so that it would cover the anxious feeling that bubbled in my chest. I couldn't wait to be alone with Chris. Not that I'd ever admit that to Kaley though. Thankfully, my ruse worked and she started laughing, making me instantly join in with her.

"But seriously," I said once we had settled down. "Aren't you excited for your date?" There were two reasons I asked that question. One, I was genuinely curious. Two, I wanted to steer the conversation away from the topic of Chris. I was too afraid that I might say something that I could regret later.

"It's not a date," Kaley rolled her hazel brown eyes at me. "He doesn't think of me that way."

"Kaley, it is totally a date!" I exclaimed, trying to encourage her. "He's totally into you!"

"How do you know?" Kaley sighed. I had to force myself not to roll my eyes at her. I loved Kaley to death, but she could be very doubtful, especially when it came to herself.

"I've got a sense for these things," I smiled.

"Sure you do," she laughed, rolling her eyes again. "So tell me then, Miss Senser, is Chris into you?"

"Well, I... Uh..." I sputtered. I could feel my eyes widening in panic as I was caught off guard by her question.

"Just what I thought," Kaley laughed. "If you can't even tell if your own guy likes you or not, then how can you say that mine likes me?"

"Because it's just one of those best friend things where I just know!" I exclaimed with a huff.

"But how do you know?" Kaley argued.

"I just know!" I exclaimed again, starting to get a bit frustrated with her. Seriously, sometimes Kaley could just not take the hint to drop something!

"But-" she started to say.

"Oh girls, you're so silly!" a voice came from the doorway. We both looked up to find Chris leaning casually in the doorway. Neither of us had noticed that the song had ended, allowing Chris to be able to sneak up on us. My heart started to pound in overtime as I saw him.

"H-How long have you been standing there?" I asked nervously. I wasn't totally sure if I wanted to know the answer to that though. What if he had heard me and Kaley talking about him?

Oh my gosh, what if he heard Kaley refer to him as my guy? I groaned silently to myself, hoping that this was not the case.

"Oh, long enough," he laughed, giving me a little wink that made me blush heavily. There was a bright sparkle in his eyes that told me that he heard a lot more than I would have wanted him to.

"Ready for your date?" Chris asked, turning his attention over on Kaley, allowing me the chance to regain the ability to breath again. The way that Chris looked at me literally took my breath away. The way that his lips parted as he breathed, the soft, plump, pink skin breaking away to show a bare glimpse of his dazzling white teeth. The way that his eyes flickered over my body, as if he was checking me out, though he wouldn't be doing that. That would just be ridiculous to think that! But yet, I couldn't help the small flutter of hope every time that he snuck a glance over at me.

I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I barely had time to register the fact that Kaley was leaving the room with Darren, whom I hadn't even notice come in.

"See you later, Kales!" I waved goodbye as she followed Darren out the door. Dang, I was so jealous of her! Why was she able to go out on a date with Darren Criss, possibly getting the chance to fall in love with him, while I was stuck back here with the man that I was hopelessly in love with but had absolutely no chance with?

"You two have fun!" Chris called out after them, to which Darren replied with a, "oh, we will!"

And then we were alone.

Chris slowly turned back to me, a smile gracing his lips, making him look even more gorgeous than he normally did.

"So," he said, still smiling. "What do you need me to do?"

Oh, right, I sighed to myself. He's here to help with the laundry. I instantly felt foolish to think that anything would really come from this time alone together. Chris was most likely just doing Darren a favour, taking one for the team. Though we had seemed to be bonding pretty well before...

I sighed heavily as I tried to push my depressing thoughts away. Just getting any time to hang out with Chris would be worth it, even if it did mean that we would be spending it cleaning clothes.

At least it`s time spent with him, I told myself.

"Umm, those clothes over there can be folded and placed into piles over here," I said, pointing at the hamper on one of the tables.

"Okay," he replied, smiling brightly. He seemed eager to help, which was nice.

We worked in silence for a couple of minutes before I finally worked up the nerve to talk to him.

"So," I said, taking a deep breath. "What does Brian think of you being away for two weeks?" Chris looked up in surprise at my question and I was instantly worried that I had overstepped.

"Brian wasn't very happy," he laughed after a moment. Good Lord, that sound was music to my ears. "He kind of gave me an evil glare when I left. But he's staying at my mom's place, so I know he's probably getting spoiled like crazy. I think he'll forgive me for being away for so long."

"I'm sure that if you brought him back something special, he'd forgive you and resume curling up on top of your laptop, disrupting your writing," I teased back, laughing lightly as well. "He doesn't want you to finish any of your writing because if you did, then you would become even more famous and even have less time for him. I believe that there is a method to his adorableness."

"He gets it from me," Chris remarked, grinning. "The adorableness, I mean."

Does he ever! I couldn't help but think.

"So what about you?" Chris asked suddenly. "Do you have any pets?"

"Not here," I shook my head sadly. "Our landlady won't let us have a pet in the apartment, so we are currently petless. Hopefully someday we'll be able to get a new place where we can have pets. Kaley wants to get a little dog. I'm kind of torn between wanting a puppy or a kitten. Maybe I'll just have to get both."

"Make sure that they get along though!" Chris chuckled. "Or else you will never be able to get any work done or get any sleep! Brian is very picky when it comes to who he likes and who he doesn't."

"I'd love to meet him someday," I sighed, not realizing that I had said it out loud.

"I'd love for you to meet him," Chris smiled. "If you ever find yourself in L.A., you should totally come by my place and meet him."

"I would love that!" I exclaimed, my heart skipping a beat. Chris had just invited me to come to his house! Was I dreaming?

"Me too," he replied softly, almost too quietly for me to hear.

Was I meant to hear that? I wondered, blinking with surprise as Chris turned his attention away from me and back on the clothes in the hamper in front of him. Or did I just imagine that he said that?

As I stared at Chris, I noticed his cheeks turn a slight shade of pink.

No, I didn't imagine it, I realized with surprise. He really wants me to come to his house... Ohmygosh! Chris wants me to come to his house!

I think I just died a little inside.

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Chris' POV

Crap, did I really just say that out loud? I panicked, sneaking a subtle side glance at Leah. She was looking at me with surprise, which instantly gave me my answer. How could I have been so careless to let that slip? I was usually so good at keeping myself calm and collected. Then why was I slipping up in front of Leah?

Because you like her, my subconscious poked at me. You like her, even though you won't admit it!

Yes, I do like Leah, I snapped back. She's a very nice girl. She seems like she'd be a very sweet friend to have.

Yeah, now put those two words together, my subconscious teased.

Hush! I scolded, though I instantly felt stupid for it. I was literally fighting with myself. This is ridiculous! Leah is just a friend. Nothing more.

But you'd like it to be more, my subconscious pushed.

"So, how long have you been living in New York?" I asked, trying to distract myself from my internal argument.

"For about a year now," Leah replied. "Kaley and I moved here together to chase our dreams. I wanted to work in the theatre, work for big Broadway shows, and Kaley wanted to be a writer, an author, like you."

"Oh really?" I smiled. I would have to convince Kaley to let me see her work sometime. "Where did you two move from?"

"Toronto," she smiled as well.

"Canada?" I blinked with surprise. "You're Canadian?"

"Yes," she laughed. "Got a problem with that?"

"No," I laughed, shaking my head. "The exact opposite, actually. I love Canadians." I instantly scolded myself on my word choice, but the words were already out there. "I mean, the Canadian fans are always so nice and we have Cory on the show, who's Canadian. Man, he's going to love you two then! He feels a little homesick sometimes, surrounded by all of us Americans, though I'm sure I'm part British too. I just know that I must be a descendant of the Queen. It's somewhere there in my bloodline, I just know it!"

"I'm sure you are," she giggled. I couldn't ignore how my heart skipped a beat at the beautiful sound.

Why do I feel this way? I wondered as I watched her face light up. And why does she have to look so darn cute?