Fragments of a Broken Woman

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 7

The next day, I saw Stephan. He didn’t give me a chance to escape: he cornered me to talk.

We were in the Art room, completely empty.

—Sophie, please… talk to me. I don’t like this awkwardness between us.

—Are you mad at me? Do you think I took advantage of the situation?

I couldn’t look him in the eyes. I kept my gaze low and just shook my head.

—Then… why won’t you talk to me?

—BECAUSE I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO SAY! —I almost yelled.

—Shh… —he whispered—. Do you want everyone to hear us?

—No…

I answered, embarrassed. I lifted my gaze toward him, feeling my cheeks burn. Being so close made it impossible not to remember that kiss.

My eyes, traitorous as ever, landed on his lips.

What the hell is wrong with me?

I can’t mess this up.

I felt pathetic… or so I thought. No one had ever kissed me before, and being a hopeless romantic, it was obvious my mind would wander—as if that moment had meant something more for both of us.

But then he made it worse.

—Sophie… I’m sorry. I know neither of us can allow ourselves to dream about something like this. It would lead to nothing.

—First, because we’ve always been friends… and second, because our parents have us tied by the neck.

—And honestly, I’m so tired of all this… we deserve more. But it doesn’t matter.

—Sophie… your kiss was amazing. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since that night… but I don’t want this to make things awkward between us.

—I don’t want to lose you as a friend.

Damn… that word.

No matter how much it hurt, he and I could never be anything else. When did a simple kiss come to stir so much in my head?

I didn’t know if I really felt something for him… or if it was just because it was my first kiss. Maybe I was desperate to experience what they call love… or maybe, without realizing it, I had started seeing him differently.

But I had to be rational.

—I… I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have pulled away or made this harder. I should’ve talked to you from the start.

—Sorry…

I reached my hand toward him.

—Friends?

I gave him my best smile. He took it without hesitation.

—Friends.

My hand moved to his cheek, brushing it gently. He held my hand in his, tracing it with his fingers, and then placed a delicate kiss on my palm.

For both of us, it felt like sealing a silent agreement: that incident was behind us.

Well… at least we thought it was.