Chapter 4: Cracks in the Heart
2391 Words
The week leading up to the school festival was a blur of activity. Nathalie and I spent most afternoons brainstorming ideas for our bake sale booth, gathering ingredients, and making a mess of her kitchen as we tried to perfect our recipes.
“I think we nailed it this time,” Nathalie said, holding up a perfectly golden batch of brownies. “What do you think?”
I popped a piece into my mouth and nodded. “Delicious. These are going to sell out in no time.”
Nathalie grinned. “You’re too kind, Ellie. But you’re right—we’re totally going to crush this festival.”
As she spoke, I couldn’t help but glance at the door, hoping Lucas might walk in. He’d been busy lately, and I hadn’t seen much of him since our conversation in the living room.
“You’re doing it again,” Nathalie said, snapping me back to reality.
“Doing what?”
“Looking for my brother,” she said with a knowing smirk.
“I am not!” I protested, though my cheeks burned with guilt.
Nathalie rolled her eyes. “Ellie, you’re the worst liar in the history of liars. Just admit it—you’ve got it bad for him.”
I sighed, dropping my gaze to the countertop. “Fine. Maybe I do. But it doesn’t matter, does it? He’s with Mia.”
Nathalie’s expression softened. “Look, I get it. Lucas is… well, Lucas. But you’re my best friend, and I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“I’ll be fine,” I said, though I wasn’t sure I believed it.
---
The day of the festival arrived, bringing with it a whirlwind of excitement. The school grounds were transformed into a lively carnival, with colorful booths, music, and the mouthwatering smell of food filling the air.
Nathalie and I set up our booth near the main entrance, arranging our baked goods on a checkered tablecloth.
“Ready to make some sales?” Nathalie asked, tying her hair back with a ribbon.
“Ready,” I said, forcing a smile.
For the next few hours, we were swamped with customers. Nathalie charmed everyone who stopped by, while I handled the cash box and tried not to think about Lucas.
But, as if summoned by my thoughts, he appeared.
“Hey, girls,” Lucas said, walking up to the booth. He was holding hands with Mia, who looked effortlessly beautiful in a floral dress.
“Lucas!” Nathalie said, beaming. “You finally made it!”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” he replied, glancing at our spread. “You two did all this?”
“Yep,” Nathalie said proudly. “And we’re almost sold out.”
“That’s impressive,” Lucas said, looking at me. “Nice work, Ellie.”
“Thanks,” I said quietly, my eyes darting to Mia. She was smiling, but there was something in her gaze that felt… cold.
“Let’s grab something before it’s all gone,” Lucas said, reaching for his wallet.
“It’s on the house,” Nathalie said, handing him a brownie.
Mia took it, her perfectly manicured fingers brushing against his as she did. “Thanks, Nat. And nice job, Ellie,” she said, though her tone lacked sincerity.
As they walked away, I felt a knot form in my stomach.
---
Later that evening, after the festival ended, Nathalie and I cleaned up our booth and headed back to her house.
“You okay?” she asked as we walked.
“Yeah,” I said, though the truth was far from it.
“I saw the way you looked at Mia,” she said gently. “Don’t let her get to you. She’s… complicated.”
“What do you mean?”
Nathalie hesitated, as if choosing her words carefully. “Let’s just say she’s not exactly the nicest person. But Lucas doesn’t see that yet.”
I didn’t know what to say, so I stayed quiet.
---
Back at the Riveras’ house, Nathalie went to take a shower, leaving me alone in the living room. I was scrolling through my phone when Lucas walked in.
“Hey,” he said, sitting down on the couch across from me.
“Hi,” I replied, quickly locking my phone and setting it aside. My palms were already starting to sweat.
“You waiting for Nathalie?” he asked, leaning back, one arm draped lazily over the back of the couch.
“Yeah, she’s in the shower,” I said, my voice steadier than I expected.
He nodded, studying me for a moment. “You seem… quiet tonight.”
I swallowed hard. How could I tell him the reason I was quiet was sitting right in front of me? Instead, I shrugged. “Just tired, I guess. The festival was a lot of work.”
“Yeah, I saw how busy you and Nat were,” he said, smiling. “You two did great, though. Those brownies were amazing.”
“Thanks,” I murmured, lowering my gaze.
The silence that followed was unbearable. I fiddled with the edge of the couch cushion, praying Nathalie would finish her shower soon.
“You know,” Lucas said, breaking the quiet, “it’s been nice seeing you around more lately.”
My head snapped up, and I blinked at him in surprise. “What do you mean?”
He shrugged, his smile turning sheepish. “You and Nathalie. You’re always here. Feels like you’re part of the family or something.”
Part of the family. The words should have made me happy, but instead, they felt like a knife twisting in my chest. That’s all I was to him—a little sister figure, just like Nathalie.
“Thanks,” I said, forcing a small smile.
“You’re good for her,” he continued. “Nathalie’s always been a bit… wild. But you keep her grounded.”
“She’s good for me too,” I admitted. “She’s the first real friend I’ve ever had.”
Lucas tilted his head, his brow furrowing slightly. “Really?”
I nodded. “I was always kind of a loner before. Nathalie’s the one who pulled me out of my shell.”
“Well, she’s lucky to have you,” he said, his voice soft.
I looked away, unable to handle the intensity of his gaze. My heart was pounding so loudly I was sure he could hear it.
---
Just as the silence was becoming unbearable again, Nathalie appeared in the doorway, her hair wrapped in a towel.
“What are you two talking about?” she asked, flopping onto the couch beside Lucas.
“Nothing much,” Lucas said, standing up and stretching. “Just complimenting your baking skills.”
Nathalie grinned. “Of course you were. I’m a genius in the kitchen.”
Lucas laughed, ruffling her damp hair before heading toward the stairs. “I’m heading to bed. Night, Nat. Night, Ellie.”
“Goodnight,” I said, barely managing to get the word out.
Once he was out of earshot, Nathalie turned to me, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. “What happened?”
“Nothing,” I said quickly.
Her gaze didn’t waver. “Ellie, you look like you just saw a ghost.”
“I’m fine,” I insisted, standing up and grabbing my bag. “I should get going. It’s getting late.”
Nathalie frowned but didn’t push me. “Okay. But you’re telling me everything tomorrow.”
---
As I walked home that night, the cool breeze did little to calm my racing thoughts. Lucas’s words replayed in my mind over and over: Feels like you’re part of the family.
Part of the family.
No matter how much I cared for him, that’s all I would ever be to him. And yet, I couldn’t stop myself from hoping for something more.
The walk home felt longer than usual, every step weighed down by the echoes of Lucas’s words. Part of the family. No matter how much I tried to twist them into something more, they settled in my heart like cold, hard truth.
When I got home, Mama Eleonora was sitting at the kitchen table, sewing a tear in Ethan’s school uniform. Papa Bernie was flipping through a newspaper, his glasses perched at the tip of his nose.
“Good evening, Ellie,” Mama said without looking up. “How was your day?”
“It was fine,” I replied, setting my bag down on the chair.
Papa peeked over the edge of the paper. “Still helping the Riveras, huh? I hope you’re not neglecting your own schoolwork.”
“I’m not,” I assured him.
Mama glanced up, her sharp eyes catching mine. “You’ve been spending a lot of time there. Is everything okay?”
“Of course,” I said quickly. “Nathalie’s my best friend, and we’re working on a lot of projects together.”
She didn’t look entirely convinced, but she let it go. “Dinner’s on the stove if you’re hungry. Make sure Ethan eats when he gets back from basketball practice.”
I nodded, retreating to my room. The moment I closed the door, I leaned against it and let out a long sigh. The warmth of home usually comforted me, but tonight, it felt like the walls were closing in.
---
The next day at school, Nathalie cornered me at our lockers.
“Okay, spill,” she said, crossing her arms.
“What?” I asked innocently.
“Don’t ‘what’ me,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “Something’s been up with you ever since last night. Did Lucas say something to you?”
“No,” I said quickly, avoiding her gaze. “We just talked a little, that’s all.”
Nathalie groaned. “Ellie, you’re killing me. I know you like him, but you’re torturing yourself. Why don’t you just tell him how you feel?”
“I can’t,” I said, slamming my locker shut.
“Why not?”
“Because he doesn’t feel the same way!” I snapped, my voice louder than I intended. A few heads turned, and I quickly lowered my voice. “He’s with Mia, Nat. And even if he wasn’t, I’m just… me. I’m nothing special.”
Nathalie grabbed my shoulders, forcing me to look at her. “Don’t you ever say that. You’re one of the best people I know, Ellie. If Lucas can’t see that, then that’s his loss.”
Her words were kind, but they didn’t erase the doubt gnawing at my heart.
---
Later that afternoon, Nathalie and I were sitting under the shade of a large tree near the school courtyard, going over notes for an upcoming test.
“I can’t believe Mr. Ramos expects us to memorize all this by Friday,” Nathalie groaned, flipping through her notebook.
“I think he enjoys torturing us,” I said with a small smile.
Nathalie laughed, but her smile faltered when she looked over my shoulder. “Uh-oh.”
“What?” I asked, turning around.
Lucas and Mia were walking across the courtyard, holding hands. Mia was laughing at something Lucas had said, her hair catching the sunlight like strands of gold.
I quickly turned back around, pretending to be engrossed in my notes.
“They’re just passing by,” Nathalie said gently.
“I know,” I whispered, my throat tight.
But they didn’t just pass by. Lucas stopped in front of us, pulling Mia to a halt.
“Hey, Nat. Hey, Ellie,” he said, his tone warm and casual.
“Hey, Lucas,” Nathalie said, her voice neutral.
Mia gave us a polite smile, though her eyes lingered on me for a moment too long. “Hi, Nathalie. Ellie,” she said, her voice syrupy sweet.
“Hi,” I said, forcing a smile.
Lucas glanced at the notes spread out in front of us. “Studying?”
“Unfortunately,” Nathalie said with a dramatic sigh. “Mr. Ramos is trying to kill us.”
Lucas chuckled. “Good luck with that. Anyway, we’re heading to the café. See you later.”
“Bye,” I said quickly, keeping my eyes on my notebook.
As they walked away, Nathalie let out a low whistle. “She’s definitely staking her claim, isn’t she?”
“What do you mean?”
“She doesn’t like you,” Nathalie said bluntly. “Mia. I can see it in the way she looks at you.”
“That’s ridiculous,” I said, though the thought made my stomach twist. “Why would she care about me?”
Nathalie gave me a pointed look. “Because she sees what you don’t. That you and Lucas have a connection, whether you realize it or not.”
I shook my head, unwilling to entertain the idea.
---
That evening, I found myself at the Riveras’ house again, helping Nathalie with another school project. Lucas was in the kitchen, making himself a sandwich.
“Want one?” he asked, glancing at me.
“No, thanks,” I said, focusing on the papers spread out in front of me.
He walked over, plate in hand, and sat down across from me. “You’ve been quiet lately,” he said, his tone casual but his eyes searching.
“I’ve just been busy,” I said, not looking up.
“Ellie,” he said, his voice softer.
I finally met his gaze, and the concern in his eyes made my heart ache. “What?”
“Is something wrong?” he asked. “You can tell me, you know.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but the words wouldn’t come. How could I tell him the truth? That every moment I spent around him was both heaven and hell?
Before I could say anything, Nathalie walked in, saving me from having to answer.
“Lucas, stop distracting my study partner,” she said playfully, shooing him away.
He laughed, standing up and ruffling her hair. “Alright, alright. I’ll leave you two to it.”
As he walked away, I couldn’t help but wonder if Nathalie was right—if maybe, just maybe, there was something between us after all.
- Writer
