Just friends?

a series of unfortunate encounters

After yet another demanding practice, tension was high as Sara and Kris avoided looking at each other while sitting in awkward silence. Throughout the practice session, Bojan had remained remarkably silent, his penetrating stare remaining on Sara and Kris with a mistrust that made them shudder.

When Bojan finally could take the oppressive atmosphere no more, he cleared his throat, an accusing tone underscoring his words. "Something's been going on between you two, hasn't it?"

As Sara glanced nervously at Kris, her thoughts raced, trying to come up with some convincing answer, her heart clenching in her chest. Her voice revealed her nervousness as she stuttered, "What do you mean, Bojan?"

Bojan said, "Don't play dumb with me, Sara," as his annoyance flared. "I've seen the way you look at each other, the way you sneak around when you think no one's watching."

Kris squirmed uneasily in his chair, his gaze flickering to the ground as a twinge of remorse tore at his conscience. "Bojan, it's not what you think," he started, but as Bojan scrutinised him relentlessly, his words stumbled.

Bojan's hurt and rage combined to stiffen his jaw and narrow his eyes. "Kris, save it. With a betrayed tone, he spat, "I can't ignore what's right in front of me, even though I may not have wanted to believe it."

With shaking in his voice, Bojan said, "I don't want to hear it, Sara." "I thought I could trust you, but it's clear that you've been lying to me all along."

Sara and Kris were left to deal with the implications of their actions in the deafening quiet that followed as Bojan stormed out of the room with a heavy heart. Watching her brother's fleeing figure, tears pricked at her eyes as the weight of his displeasure settled like a stone in the pit of her stomach.

As they sat in the aftermath of the conflict, Kris stretched out and hovered his palm over Sara's shaking shoulder. He said, "I'm sorry, Sara," his voice heavy with regret. "I never wanted to hurt him."

But when Sara saw how much harm their secret had caused, she could only shake her head, regretting everything in her heart. With tears in her voice, she said, "It's too late for apologies now." "We've already lost his trust."

Watching the agony flash over her brother's face made Sara's heart sink; the weight of her deceit was breaking her. She begged, "Bojan, please, you have to understand—" but her words were ignored as Bojan shoved his chair back on the floor with a harsh scrape.