Chapter 15
esidence in Sophia’s apartment was able sat in the edge of the couch, staring at his reflection in the duck screen of the television. The room and him was immaculate, just
sophia was not, having mische to clear that she needed space. De absence only amplified the storm raging inuude him.
Domes prizing on his knees, and hired his fare in his banch, Lauren’s watch from their last conversation echoed in his mind
(ho know they want me
The polt pureed at him. He thought about Sephia, the woman who had stood by his side, planned a bite with him, and trusted him implicitly. She did’t deserve this the uncertainty, the
But then bar thaight shut Lemm
en with bej sharp wit and quin stongh Lanen, who had been their fon bimahough merry high and low, who had seen him at hei won it.
had
hemple in had always been tangled up in dear–fear of losing their friendship, fear of ruining something pre, ear of not being enough for her
His phase hulpted as the coffee table, puling him from his thoughts. He glanced at the samen it was Sophii.
owdered sproving it, letting mail he had so many times before. But he couldn’t keep running from this
ast, sitting up strachin. “Do you want to talki
There kun a palm them’a heasaich “I’ll be these in ten
When Sopitia walked thorough the do, her her was calm, but her eyes betrayed he frantation. She set her parse down on the counter and crossed her arms, staring at him from the
‘ she sand simpl
carmchair and sat down, bei posture stiff and emtrolled. “What’s going on with you, Alex? And don’t tell me it’s nothing, because we both know that
unabile to meet bei paze “I’ve been struggling”
voice but ely above a whop
1’t change, but he saw the flicker of hurt in her eyes. “Because of Lare
- biphia salt, bet voice sharp but not angry. “I’ve known it for a while, „but i kept telling myself it would pass. That you just beed time
Hand, holding up a hand. “Not yet just tell me the truth. Do you love her?”
ad heavy with the wright of lus emen
vot sadness and resgatan “Alahat about one, Alex? Do you love inett
“So what happen now! Me you ping to leave me for her?
T’uno pang tullaound waiting for you to decide whether Umoworth it.”
jail skarply. “Make a chance, Alex. Ma on her hot daï’t you dive stailin the make aty kongen.
my hubbaik, thư hôr he had plased, the truir Sights had given him. ki ji also meant the chance to finally have the love ha
Käset kupitia de las inmiddels, get about their abgether, the plans they
He thought about the years they had spent Bagatlari.
erstand kin withand made, the way be presence felt ble lanse, the way his bear chest where
rungenden borul that had always been flain, reen when they lied selgiorni.
Chapter 15
And he thought about her worth “I deserve someone who doesn’t need time on space or second chances to know they want me”
in
By the time the first rays of dawn broke through the window, Alex felt no closer to an answer.
His heart told him to follow Lauren, to fight for the love he had denied himself for so long.
But his mind whispered doubts about the pain he had caused, the bridges he had burned, the uncertainty of a future with her.
And so he sat there, frozen by his indecision, the weight of his choice pressing down on him like a vice.
The choice was his to make.
But for the first time in his life, Alex wasn’t sure he was brave enough to make it.
animal dentiral man in fall wing, a kaleidoscope of lights and Lighter filling the evening aur Strings of twinkding baths crisscrossed the main square, illuminating the bootha mverything from funnelizcakes to handcrafted trinkers. The aroma of popcorn and caramel apples mingled with the crtup sort of fall, conating an atmosphere of warmth and
an hem dowly the festival was of my faite chuldhood tradtions – one Alex and I had always attended together, caring to the Ferris wheel or challenging
letting the noise and energewash over me Trompsbee Hooked, How pieces of my part–families laughing,couples holding hands, kich chasing each
1ow him
wheel, fin hand shoved im the pockets of his jacket, his eyes scant
canning the cond. When his gare Linded me, is expassion shined–arlet, longing, and
telling me to turn and walk away. But before I couldact, he was already making his way aid m
trace carrying ives the noise of the festival.
loping t’d find you here,” he said, cropping a few feet away
ad coming my arms. “What mate is there to say?
thing” he said, his vere eames
By poster_surrounded by the hum at the festival, but in it like we were in out
„Der been a Jack,” Alen began, his words spilling out in a rush. “Tye spent years running from my feelings, pretending that I didn’t love you, convincing myself that staying with Sophia was the safe choice. But I can do it anymore. I can’t keep lying to myself—or to you.”
his voice tum but pleading. “You mean everything to me, Lauren. You always have. And I know I’ve hurt you, and I hate myself for it, bij Ican’t let you walk taker telling you how much I love you
Hit was de hung in the ail, tak and unlibered, cutting through the noise aroundus
1 looked away, my chest tight wit – the weight of his confession.
* Do you kryt fam kong Iwaded to hear you say that?” I asked, my vakce memblaj ty you know how many years I spent hoping you’d look at me the way I looked at you?
cow,” the cut softly. “And I’m as sorry for all the times I let you dow
Platar’s too late_Alex Iud shaking my head “You can’t expect me to forget everything you’ve done, everything you‘ pac me through, just because you’ve finally decided you le
I’m not asking you to forget,” he said quickly “I’m asking you to give me a chance to
1k a deep breath, steadying myuli. “Alex, you made your chains: You chose Sophia. And whether you admit it or not that says something”
ricas never my choice,” he said, his voice taking “She was my escape. I thought being with her would mal
out you. But it didn’t. It just made everything worse.”
bellat about her ?” I asked, my tone sharp “What happens to Sophia if I say yes to you? Do you think s
things easier, that it would keep me from facing the muth about how bell
He finched, the guilt witten all over his face. “No, she doesn’t Buri can’t live the rest of my life lying to her to myself.”
The Ferris wheel liglas cast shifting patterns actou his face, highlighting the pain and desperation in his eyes.
“Lasten. I’m not perfect. I’ve made so many mistakes. But I know one thing for cestain–I love you. And I’ll spend the rest of my life proving it to you if you’ll let me,”
my heart aching with the weight of
*1 lewer your cou, alen,” I admitted, the truth spilling out before I coulding it.
His eyes lit up with hope, muddar a soonent, I saw the boy thad fallen in love with all those years ago
Kikwapanini fell, the hope dating. “What do you mean?”.
o someone who had to lose me to realize they wanted me. I can’t keep putting myself in a position
at I can’t do this, Alex,” I said, tears streaming down my face.“I can’t be with som
serand pursuing whether I’m enough four pou
“You are ruingh,” he widterrrly. “You’ve always been enough.”
“Mars why did it take you sokagi? Liked, my volerparking.
“İde selve sapeuta wanderers tur medanji bruktation,” fcontinued, my traza falling freely now.
Then pain on fas eyes was undeatable, lan I forced mspell to holdbaka pror.
Someone who dowon’t need time a space of the person to figure out how they feel
The Frith wheel span slowly in the kid and walked away, a step feeling heavier th
Because this time, I lovew there was nothing to
I made my way through the crowd, the sounds of the esival faded in the background, replaced by the steadyythm of my heartbeat.
