Chapter 11: Jealous Hearts
972 Words
Angela's POV.
Angela Villanueva hated feeling jealous.
Especially because she knew better.
She knew what jealousy could do.
How quickly it could turn kind people into bitter ones.
How easily it could damage friendships.
How often it made people act unfairly.
Which was why she spent most of her time pretending everything was fine.
Unfortunately, pretending was becoming harder.
Wednesday's rehearsal began like every other.
Choir members filled the basement with laughter and conversation.
Carlo was arguing about snacks.
Joshua was trying to maintain order.
Mrs. Henderson was already losing patience.
Everything felt normal.
Except Angela couldn't stop noticing one thing.
Sarah and Mark.
Not because they were doing anything wrong.
That was the frustrating part.
They weren't.
They weren't flirting.
They weren't breaking rules.
They weren't even spending unusual amounts of time together.
At least not intentionally.
Yet somehow they always seemed to find each other.
A conversation here.
A shared laugh there.
A glance.
A smile.
Small things.
Tiny things.
Things nobody else would consider important.
Angela noticed every single one.
Across the room, Sarah was completely unaware.
She sat beside Hannah, reviewing music for the feast day celebration.
"So..."
Hannah lowered her voice.
"So what?"
"You and Mark."
Sarah nearly dropped her folder.
"Oh no."
Hannah laughed.
"What?"
"Not you too."
"Too?"
"Mia already started."
Hannah smiled innocently.
"I didn't say anything."
"You literally did."
"Fair."
Sarah shook her head.
The choir had become far too interested in her life lately.
"He's my friend."
The answer came automatically.
Because it was true.
Mostly.
Probably.
Hopefully.
Hannah studied her expression.
Then smiled knowingly.
Which was unhelpful.
Very unhelpful.
The duet practice that evening went surprisingly well.
Almost too well.
Sarah and Mark no longer struggled with harmonies.
The music flowed naturally.
Effortlessly.
The more they practiced, the more connected their voices became.
When they finished the final chorus, the room erupted into applause.
"That was amazing."
"Seriously."
"You guys are ready."
Sarah felt heat rise to her face.
Across the room, Mark looked equally embarrassed.
Mrs. Henderson smiled proudly.
"Excellent work."
Then she turned to the rest of the choir.
"See what happens when people listen to each other?"
Several members nodded.
Carlo raised his hand.
"I listen."
"No, you don't."
The room laughed.
The tension eased immediately.
Everyone laughed.
Everyone except Angela.
Later that evening, the choir gathered around the snack table.
Sarah found herself standing beside Angela for the first time all night.
The silence felt unusual.
Not uncomfortable.
Just unfamiliar.
Angela was normally one of the friendliest members of the group.
Tonight she seemed distant.
Sarah decided to try anyway.
"Hey."
Angela looked up.
"Hey."
"Everything okay?"
The question seemed to surprise her.
"Why wouldn't it be?"
Sarah hesitated.
Because she looked sad.
Because she seemed distracted.
Because something felt different.
Instead she simply shrugged.
"You seem quieter than usual."
For a moment, Angela's expression softened.
Then disappeared.
"I'm fine."
The answer sounded familiar.
Sarah used it all the time.
Which meant it was probably a lie.
As the rehearsal continued, Angela found herself growing increasingly frustrated.
Not with Sarah.
Not really.
Sarah had never been anything but kind.
That somehow made everything worse.
It would have been easier if Sarah had been arrogant.
Or rude.
Or selfish.
Instead, she was thoughtful.
Funny.
Talented.
And completely unaware of the effect she had on people.
Including Mark.
Especially Mark.
Angela hated admitting it.
But she wasn't blind.
She saw the way Mark looked at Sarah.
The way he listened when she spoke.
The way his face lit up whenever she laughed.
The signs were subtle.
Most people missed them.
Angela didn't.
Because she had spent years hoping he would look at her that way.
After rehearsal ended, Angela stayed behind to help organize music folders.
Something she normally enjoyed.
Tonight it felt impossible to focus.
"Need help?"
She looked up.
Mark.
Of course.
"Sure."
For several moments, they worked quietly.
The familiar comfort of friendship settled between them.
Because despite everything, Mark was still one of her closest friends.
That was what made this so difficult.
Finally, Angela spoke.
"Can I ask you something?"
Mark glanced up.
"Sure."
The question sat heavily in her chest.
For a moment, she nearly changed her mind.
Instead, she forced herself to continue.
"What do you think about Sarah?"
The room suddenly felt much quieter.
Mark paused.
Only briefly.
But she noticed.
"She's great."
The answer arrived easily.
Too easily.
Angela smiled.
A small, painful smile.
"Yeah."
She already knew that.
That wasn't the problem.
Walking home later that evening, Angela replayed the conversation.
Not because Mark had said anything wrong.
Because he hadn't.
That was the problem.
Nobody had done anything wrong.
Not Sarah.
Not Mark.
Not her.
Yet somehow her heart still hurt.
She had spent years believing she might eventually have a chance.
Years imagining possibilities.
Years of hoping.
Now, for the first time, she wasn't sure.
The realization felt like losing something she never actually had.
And somehow that made it even harder.
Meanwhile, Sarah sat on her bedroom floor reviewing the duet music.
The upcoming performance was only days away.
She should have been focusing on the lyrics.
Instead, she found herself thinking about the people around her.
The choir.
The friendships.
The growing sense of belonging.
The family she never expected to find.
Her gaze drifted toward the group photo from the retirement home.
Mrs. Henderson had sent copies to everyone earlier that week.
Sarah smiled.
It wasn't a perfect picture.
Several people were blinking.
Carlo looked ridiculous.
Joshua appeared exhausted.
Yet somehow it captured everything she loved about the group.
A family of strangers.
A collection of different voices somehow creating harmony together.
For the first time in a long while, Sarah felt genuinely happy.
She didn't realize that happiness was about to complicate everything.
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