[ WP ] `` For what it 's worth ... I 've always loved you . ''

Gareth was my best friend. My confidant. The only one who cared about me outside family. And he was betrothed to my sister. 
 
 It's not like this was really a shock. I knew since I was 13 that he was going to marry my sister once he turned 18. It was an arranged marriage that was done in the name of peace and equity. I had no control over it. 
 
 On the night before the wedding, Gareth and I headed out to an open field to practice some sword fighting. He was teaching me in secret after I asked him to do so. While we were taking a break from sparring, he said something that could've really messed everything up. 
 
 `` For what it's worth, I've always loved you'' Gareth said to me while we were sitting there. 
 
 I paused for a moment. It's not like I did n't know or that I did n't feel the same. Of COURSE I felt the same way. He cared about me and was always there for me. On top of that, he respected me as a worthwhile swordfighter. Nothing bothered me more than when guys would make me seem like I could n't do anything because of my gender but that's another story for another day, however. I gave him a strange look as he looked up to the stars, a tiny smirk on his face. Man, I just wanted to kiss him right there and tell him how I felt. Instead, I started laughing. He looked over at me and then started laughing as well. 
 
 `` Oh man, you almost got me there, Gareth!'' I said `` Good one'' 
 
 `` Yeah... thought I'd I'd try to pull one over on you'' he said with a chuckle, his voice with a little bit of sadness mixed in. 
 
 `` Well you almost had me, buddy'' I replied as we kept laughing. I playfully shoved him. 
 
 To most people, this would be a miscommunication. To us, however, it was a message that we sent to each other that acknowledged our feelings. We acted like it was a joke because it was the only way we could cope. 
 
 Maybe in another life and another time, things would work out much better. Here and now, it did n't matter how much we loved each other, it just was n't enough.
