Bound By Lies

Chapter 2: Starting Over

The next time I saw Chris was in the library. He was sitting by the window, sunlight catching the edges of his sharp features as he flipped through a thick book. He didn’t notice me at first, but I hesitated to approach him. My heart raced as I thought about everything I wanted to say.

Gathering my courage, I walked over and sat in the chair across from him. He glanced up, startled, and then quickly composed himself.

“Hey,” I said softly.

“Hey,” he replied, closing his book. There was a hint of hesitation in his voice, like he wasn’t sure if he should be happy or cautious about my presence.

“I owe you an explanation,” I began, my voice barely above a whisper.

Chris leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing slightly. “An explanation for what?”

“For…everything,” I said, struggling to find the right words. “I wasn’t honest with you before.”

His expression shifted, confusion mixed with curiosity. “What do you mean?”

I sighed, looking down at my hands. “When I told you I liked you, it wasn’t entirely true. I was going through something complicated, and I thought pretending to like you would solve it.”

Chris frowned, his jaw tightening. “You’re saying it was all fake?”

I winced at the hurt in his voice. “At first, yes. But then…” I paused, meeting his gaze. “Then I realized something. You weren’t pretending. And it made me remember how much I admired you before. How I stopped myself from liking you because I was with someone else.”

Chris’s eyes softened, though there was still a trace of wariness. “So what are you saying now?”

I took a deep breath. “I’m saying that my feelings for you are real now. And I’m sorry it took me this long to realize it.”

For a moment, he didn’t say anything. The silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken emotions.

Then, finally, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “You’re serious?”

I nodded, my heart pounding. “I am.”

Chris studied me for a long moment before a small smile tugged at his lips. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear that.”

Relief washed over me, and I felt the corners of my mouth lift into a smile. “So…what now?”

“Well,” he said, leaning back in his chair again, “I think we should take it slow. You’ve been through a lot, and I don’t want to rush you into anything.”

I nodded, grateful for his understanding. “Thank you, Chris. For being patient. And for…not hating me.”

He chuckled softly. “I could never hate you.”

For the first time in months, I felt a sense of peace. It wasn’t going to be easy moving forward, but sitting there with Chris, I felt like maybe—just maybe—I could start over