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Laurel
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Landre's confession hangs in the air, and my heart races, caught off guard by the words he's just spoken. I open my mouth, but I don’t know how to respond to that, so I whisper his name with a trembling voice. But before I can say anything else, Landre rises from his seat and walks to my side. He kneels beside me, taking both my hands gently in his own, his eyes never leaving mine as he speaks.
"You don't have to say anything right now," he says, his voice steady. "I know I’m putting you on the spot, and that this isn't the best time for me to confess my feelings. But I couldn't bear to keep them to myself any longer. I’ve held on to them for years, kicking myself for being a coward and never telling you. You’ve always had my heart, and I want you to kn
