Chapter 1
Mia had one rule: never trust anything on April Fools’ Day.
Unfortunately, her best friend, Jess, treated April 1st like a competitive sport.By 9 a.m.
Mia had already:
Brushed her teeth with salt instead of sugar (Jess had switched the jars)
Spent ten minutes looking for a “missing” shoe that Jess was wearing on her own foot
And been told their office was giving everyone the day off—only to show up and find Jess laughing at reception with a banner that read
“Got you.”
Mia narrowed her eyes. “You’re on thin ice.”
Jess grinned, completely unrepentant. “You love it.”
“I tolerate it,” Mia corrected, shrugging off her coat. “There’s a difference.”
But there wasn’t. Not really. Jess had been her best friend for three years; since the day Mia spilled an entire iced latte over Jess’s laptop in a café and Jess responded by saying, “Well, at least now I have an excuse to stop working.” They’d been inseparable ever since.
And if Mia occasionally noticed the way Jess’s laugh made her stomach flip or how her hand fit a little too perfectly in Mia’s when they crossed the street, well, that was a separate problem. One Mia ignored very successfully. Mostly.
By lunchtime, Mia was done. Completely done.
Jess had just convinced her that their boss wanted an urgent meeting, only for Mia to walk into an empty conference room where a single sticky note waited on the table:
April Fools x
Mia stared at it, then turned slowly back toward the corridor.“Oh, she’s dead,” Mia muttered.
Jess was at their usual lunch spot, sitting outside with two coffees and a smug expression that screamed I regret nothing.
Mia approached calmly. Too calmly.
Jess squinted. “Why do you look like that?”
“Like what?” Mia said sweetly, sliding into the seat opposite her.
“Like you’ve accepted defeat. You don’t accept defeat.”
Mia took a sip of coffee. “People change.”
Jess leaned back, suspicious. “I don’t like this.”
“Relax,” Mia said. “I’ve actually been thinking… you win. You’re the April Fools champion. I surrender.”
Jess blinked. “Just like that?”
“Just like that.”
There was a pause. Then Jess smiled, soft and a little disarmed.
“Wow. I was expecting more of a fight.”
“Yeah, well,” Mia said, shrugging. “I figured I’d save my energy.”
“For what?”Mia reached across the table and took Jess’s hand.
Jess froze.
“For something that actually matters.”
Now Jess was really staring. “Mia… what are you doing?”
Mia’s heart was suddenly sprinting, but she pushed through.
“I’m being serious. For once. No jokes, no tricks. I like you, Jess. Not just as a friend.”
Jess’s expression didn’t change. If anything, she looked… wary.
“Mia,” she said slowly, “it’s April Fools’ Day.”
“I know.”
“So this is...”
“It’s not a prank.”
Jess let out a short, disbelieving laugh. “You’re telling me, after three years, you just randomly confess your feelings today? Of all days?”
“I didn’t plan the timing,” Mia said. “You just happen to be extremely annoying today, and it made me realise I’d still choose you anyway.”
Jess huffed a laugh despite herself. “That’s not exactly romantic.”
“It’s honest.”
Silence stretched between them.
Jess pulled her hand back gently.
“You’re messing with me.”
“I’m not.”
“You are,” Jess insisted, though her voice wavered. “This is payback. It’s a really good one, I’ll give you that, but—”
“Jess.”
Something in Mia’s tone made Jess stop.
“I’m not joking,” Mia said quietly. “And I know it’s a terrible day to say it. But if I don’t say it now, I probably never will.”
Jess searched her face, like she was trying to spot the punchline. There wasn’t one.
“Oh,” Jess said softly.
“Yeah. Oh.”
Another pause. Then Jess groaned, dropping her head into her hands.
“This is cruel.”
“What? No, it’s not...”
“I’ve been in love with you for, like, a year,” Jess said, her voice muffled. “Do you know how much this feels like a prank right now?”
Mia blinked. “Wait—what?”
Jess looked up, half-laughing, half-exasperated. “I literally switched your sugar with salt this morning and now you’re confessing your feelings? The universe has a twisted sense of humour.”
“You... you like me?” Mia asked, brain struggling to catch up.
Jess gave her a look. “Keep up.”
Mia sat there for a second, stunned. Then a slow smile spread across her face.
“Well,” she said, “this is either the best or worst April Fools’ Day ever.”
Jess narrowed her eyes. “If this is a prank-”
“It’s not,” Mia said quickly. “I swear. No tricks. Scout’s honour.”
“You were never a scout.”
“Details.”
Jess studied her for one more long moment. Then, cautiously, she reached across the table again and took Mia’s hand.
“Okay,” Jess said. “If this is real… then what happens now?”
Mia squeezed her fingers, warmth blooming in her chest. “Now? I take you on a proper date. Tomorrow. A prank-free environment.”
Jess smirked. “You’re assuming I won’t prank you tomorrow.”
Mia groaned. “Jess—”
“I’m kidding,” Jess said, laughing. “Mostly.”
Mia rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. “Unbelievable.”
“You love it.”
Mia hesitated, then leaned in just slightly. “Yeah,” she admitted. “I really do.”
Jess’s smile softened. And this time, when Mia reached for her hand, Jess didn’t let go.
