Sophia returned to her room, her thoughts drifting to her talk with Ellie. She recalled how her words seemed to hang in the air like fragile glass, ready to fall and shatter.
"I love him."
I wanted to ignore it, to hide it somewhere safe so it wouldn't unravel everything we were. But her eyes were too vulnerable and genuine, and the truth was already shared between us.
"Ellie..." My voice quivered despite trying to stay calm. "Do you understand what this might mean for us?"
Her face turned pale. "Sophia, please…"
"No," I said more sharply this time. I stood and crossed the space between us, my heart pounding. "You're not hearing me. This isn't just about you and Tristan. This is about us. About the family. About me."
Her tears shimmered in the dim light, but she held my gaze, unflinching. "I know. And I hate myself for it. But I can't stop what I feel."
I paced the length of the room, running my hand through my hair. The walls felt too close, and the air too heavy. "You're my best friend, Ellie. You've been my safe place since we were kids. And now you're telling me you're in love with my brother, who carries half this family on his shoulders, who has secrets you can't even begin to imagine."
She flinched, and guilt pierced me, but I kept going.
If anyone finds out, it won't just be messy. It could tear everything apart. Tristan doesn't get to fall in love without consequences, and neither do you.
Ellie's voice quivered as she asked softly, "So you're implying I should leave?"
The question hit me hard. I wanted to scream yes, to demand she choose me, our friendship, over this impossible love. But seeing her now, how her whole body trembled from the effort of her honesty, the words wouldn't come out of my mouth.
"I'm saying…" I faltered, my throat tightening. "I'm saying you need to understand the cost before you make a choice you can't take back. Because if you go down this path with him, there's no pretending it never happened. And if it all falls apart, I don't know if I can pick up the pieces for either you or for him."
Her tears streamed freely now, and my vision blurred, though I struggled to hold them back.
Silence lingered between us, thick with unspoken words.
Finally, I sat down again, my voice just above a whisper. "I don't hate you, Ellie. I really couldn't. But I must ask, is he truly worth all of this?"
Ellie suppresses her sobs, steadies her voice, and softly confirms, "Yes. He is." Just then, the sound of footsteps outside the door breaks their moment.