Chapter 1: Three words
1280 Words
Kayla's POV
I had rehearsed those three words for almost two years.
I love you.
Simple.
Just three words.
But somehow, saying them had never been easy.
They had stolen my sleep more times than I could count.
Every time I decided I was finally going to tell George how I felt, fear would creep in and convince me to wait a little longer.
But tonight was different.
Tonight, I was finally going to say it.
I stood outside the Carlos Grand Hotel, staring at my reflection through the glass doors.
My palms were sweaty, and my hands felt cold.
I took a deep breath.
"You can do this, Kayla."
I whispered the words to myself.
What if he laughed at me?
What if he didn't feel the same way?
What if I embarrassed myself?
I quickly pushed the thoughts away.
I had already waited almost two years. If I went home tonight without telling him, I knew I would regret it.
I looked down at my dress and adjusted it with my hands.
"Please don't let me embarrass myself," I murmured.
I almost laughed.
Why was I this nervous over three simple words?
For a moment, I actually considered going back home.
Maybe tonight wasn't the right night.
Maybe I should wait a little longer.
But how much longer?
I had been waiting for almost two years already.
I took one more deep breath and pushed the hotel door open.
The first thing that caught my attention was how beautiful the hall looked.
The lights reflected off the glass decorations hanging from the ceiling. Soft music played in the background while guests talked and laughed over their drinks.
Waiters moved from table to table, carrying trays of food and drinks.
Everyone looked so confident.
So comfortable.
So... rich.
I suddenly became aware of my dress again.
For a second, I wondered if I even belonged there.
Then I reminded myself why I had come.
I wasn't here for the party.
I was here for George.
I had fallen for him slowly.
It wasn't because of his money or the Carlos name.
It was the little things.
The way he greeted people politely.
The way he listened whenever someone spoke to him.
The way he sometimes looked at me and made me feel like he actually noticed me.
Maybe I had misunderstood his kindness.
Maybe Lily was right.
Maybe George actually liked me.
My best friend had spent the entire week trying to convince me of that.
"What if he doesn't feel the same way?" I had asked her.
"Then you'll never know unless you tell him," she replied.
"He notices you more than anyone else, Kayla."
I wanted to believe her.
So tonight, I was finally going to find out.
Then I saw him.
George Carlos.
He stood near the front of the hall in a perfectly fitted blue suit, surrounded by a few men who were talking to him about business.
He looked calm.
Confident.
Like he belonged in a room filled with people like this.
A few women nearby kept stealing glances at him.
I couldn't blame them.
He looked really good.
My heart started beating faster.
Would someone like him ever notice someone like me?
I shook the thought away.
I had come this far.
I wasn't turning back.
I adjusted my hair and started walking toward him.
Every step made me more nervous.
I'd imagined this moment so many times.
Maybe after I told him, he would smile and tell me he felt the same way.
I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't notice a woman passing beside me until she accidentally spilled some water on my dress.
"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry!"
"It's okay," I said quickly.
She apologized again before walking away.
I looked down at my dress and sighed.
Of all the nights...
I looked up again.
George was looking at me.
Our eyes met.
He smiled.
That small smile immediately made me forget about the water on my dress.
I smiled back and continued walking toward him.
When I finally reached him, I cleared my throat.
"George... can I talk to you?"
He turned fully toward me.
"Of course."
He looked at my face for a moment.
"Is everything okay?"
"I... I'm fine."
I knew I wasn't convincing.
He smiled slightly.
"You look nervous."
"I am."
I let out a small laugh.
He chuckled.
"How is school going, by the way?"
"School is fine. Just the normal stress."
"That's good."
He nodded.
Then he looked around the hall before turning back to me.
"So why did you come here alone?"
I opened my mouth.
Nothing came out.
How was I supposed to tell him?
Hello, George. I've been in love with you for almost two years.
Just thinking about it made my face feel hot.
He noticed my silence.
"Don't worry," he said. "Whatever it is, you can tell me."
His words gave me a little courage.
I took a deep breath.
"Actually, there's something I've wanted to tell you for a very long time."
His expression changed slightly.
"What is it?"
I looked down at my hands.
"I..."
His phone vibrated.
He glanced at the screen.
"One second."
I nodded.
He pulled out his phone and unlocked it.
At first, I didn't think anything of it.
Then I noticed his expression change.
The smile disappeared from his face.
He read whatever was on the screen again.
His brows pulled together.
I watched him quietly.
Something was wrong.
"George?"
He didn't answer.
He kept staring at his phone.
My stomach tightened.
"Is everything okay?"
He finally looked up.
But the warmth that had been in his eyes a few seconds ago was gone.
I followed his gaze and noticed a woman standing a short distance away.
She was looking directly at us.
Then she smiled.
I frowned.
Who was she?
Why was she looking at me like that?
The woman started walking toward us.
George glanced at her.
Then back at his phone.
"I got your message," he said.
I looked at him in confusion.
What message?
The woman stopped beside him.
Neither of them said anything.
I looked between them.
"Sir... is everything alright?"
George looked straight at me.
"Is this true?"
I blinked.
"What?"
His eyes remained fixed on mine.
"Are you going to tell me the truth?"
My confusion only grew.
"I don't understand."
He looked at the woman beside him.
Then back at me.
"Do you know her?
I stared at the woman.
There was something about her face that seemed familiar, but I couldn't remember ever meeting her.
"No."
I shook my head.
"I've never seen her before."
The woman didn't say anything.
She simply watched me.
Something about her silence made me uncomfortable.
George slowly raised his phone.
My eyes dropped to the screen, but I couldn't see what was on it from where I stood.
"Then explain this."
My heart dropped.
"Explain what?"
He didn't answer.
He looked at the phone one more time before locking it.
Then he looked at me again.
There was disappointment in his eyes.
I couldn't understand it.
A few seconds ago, I had been standing in front of the man I loved, trying to gather the courage to tell him how I felt.
Now he was looking at me like I had done something terrible.
"George..."
"Save your explanation."
His voice was cold.
I froze.
"Young woman," he added quietly, "because whatever you're about to say..."
He paused.
"...I'm not sure I want to hear it."
I stared at him, completely confused.
What had I done?
What explanation could he possibly want from me?
- Writer
