Heartbroken in love

I love you...

Nat POV:
(30th April 2021)

(so guys I decided to change the age of Nat and Victoria bc of future chapters and I just don't think it fits but im also too lazy to rewrite the previous chapters so Victoria just turned 25 a few chapters ago but let's make that 23 so she just turned 23. And Nat is not 27 anymore she's the one who's 25 and will turn 26 in 2021 so keep that in mind please!!)

Victoria: 18th April 1998, 23
Natasha: 3rd December 1995, 25

For the past couple of hours, we've been hiking up this hill, chatting away as we navigate the rocky path. We're all excited because soon we'll be heading down into the woods. Our final destination a supposedly breathtaking waterfall hidden deep in the forest.

Taking a breather, Vic turns to me with a grin and hands over the water bottle. "Want a sip too?" Her thoughtful gesture always surprises me, showing how much she cares. I take the bottle with a smile, grateful for how she always includes me.

If you had told me five years ago, when I was 20, that I would be in a relationship, I would have scoffed at the idea. But ever since I moved into the tower five years ago and Victoria moved in two years later, I've become soft. Initially, I was terrified when I discovered my feelings for her, but now I have no regrets. "Love is for Children", but if this is what love feels like, then I can't wait to experience more of it.

I give her a thankful nod and hand back the bottle after taking a sip, watching as she stashes it in her backpack. As we keep hiking, I can't help but laugh about Victoria's as she snaps random photos of our group. I sneakily snap a few pics of her in return, amused by her obliviousness to my own undercover photography.

—-

"I'm starving!" Carla complains, plopping down on the ground in a playful manner. Irmina promptly joins her, earning laughter from the rest of us. "Quit your whining and get moving, there's a perfect spot about 30 minutes away on one of those huge rocks where we can have lunch," James chuckles, handing them each a half-full water bottle, which they promptly empty but remain seated. I glance at Victoria and from the mischievous glint in her eyes, I can tell she's about to pull off something stupid.

"Come on, babe, don't even think about sitting down, you know you won't want to get back up," I say with a hint of seriousness in my voice. She pouts for a moment, but then nods in agreement and lends a hand to help Clara up, while Mark does the same for Irmina. The two of them groan as they rise to their feet, but soon join the rest of us as we prepare to move on. James quickly collects the empty water bottles and stashes them in his backpack before leading the way to our lunch spot.

"Hey, anyone up for music?" Victoria asks, a hint of boredom evident in her voice. I chuckle at her question before catching up to her and playfully intertwining our hands. "Sure, why not? Music's always a vibe," Antonio quips with a laugh as he retrieves his phone and looks up a random playlist. I have to admit, he's got good taste because the opening notes of 'Brutal' fill the air, causing Victoria to burst into laughter. The rest of the group looks at her in confusion, and I can't help but stifle my own laughter, trying to hide it behind my hand.

"Yo, you good?" Mark chuckles, raising an eyebrow at Victoria. She bursts into laughter, trying to catch her breath before exclaiming, "That's my song!" Her words are punctuated by giggles, and the group looks surprised. "OMG, you're Victoria Steel?" Isabella shouts, her eyes widening in disbelief. Victoria doubles over in laughter, nearly collapsing to the ground. "How did you not recognize me when you listen to my music and my face is literally on the album cover?" she manages to say amidst her laughter. The group joins in, chuckling at the slightly awkward expressions on Isabella and Antonio's faces as they process the news.

"I- I have no clue, sorry. I never really pay attention to album covers, and I totally forgot on what you look like," Isabella complains. Victoria stands up, clutching her stomach from laughing so hard. "You're good, you're good girl," she reassures, still chuckling. We carry on our way, turning it into a spontaneous karaoke session. Everyone joins in singing the random songs, and I can't help but smile as I gently stroke Tori's hand with my thumb.

—-

"Check it out, guys!" Clara exclaims excitedly as we finally arrive at the cliff's edge, surrounded by massive boulder stones. In the distance, the majestic waterfall graces the view, our goal to reach the base by 1 pm. Glancing at our watches, it's only 11:30 am. We drop our backpacks and begin to scramble up the cliff. The sun is shining brightly, casting a warm glow over the landscape as we make our way up, the sound of rushing water from the waterfall in the background.

"Hey, Vicky, can you take a pic of us?" Isabella calls out, pulling her closer as she quickly grabs her smartphone and frames the shot, capturing them posing in front of the breathtaking waterfall. "You look amazing!" Victoria cheers, boosting their confidence as they share a laugh, Vicky flashing a sly grin as she snaps a few more shots before settling down beside me for our lunch break.

"Be right back, babe, just gonna grab some water," I murmur, planting a quick kiss on her cheek before carefully climbing down the rock to retrieve the water bottle from our backpack.

As I make my way back up, I notice the girls and guys sitting in distinct groups, yet still close to one another. My eyes immediately seek out Tori, who is seated with the girls, and I approach her with a mischievous grin.

"Babe," I call out, catching her attention. She looks up. Without hesitation, I snap a picture before she can even react, capturing her in a moment of unguarded vulnerability. Tori lets out a playful whine as I settle down beside her, chuckling at her mock annoyance.

"Hey, that's for all the pictures you take of me, babe," I tease, playfully draping my arm around her shoulders and letting out a chuckle. "Ugh, you're the worst," she mutters, but still snuggles closer, resting her head on my shoulder. "Oh, come on, you know you love me," I tease, planting a soft kiss just above her ear, unaware of what I had just let slip.

Victoria's body tenses slightly at my words. "Love?" she questions, and I furrow my brows in confusion before the realization hits me like a ton of bricks. "Oh, gosh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to say that, darling, I'm really sorry..." I stumble over my words, desperately hoping I hadn't just ruined everything with my slip-up. However, instead of being upset, she breaks into a smile, leaving me speechless.

"I really do love you," she murmurs softly, causing my heart to skip a beat. "Seriously?" I blurt out, hoping she's being genuine, and she nods in confirmation. "I love you, Natalia Alianovna Romanov," she whispers with a smile, and I can't help but feel overwhelmed with emotion. Gently cupping her cheeks, I draw her in for a tender kiss, pouring all my love into that moment.

"I love you too," I whisper as we pull away, resting my forehead against hers. "It feels so right to say it out loud," she smiles, and I nod in agreement, a smile spreading across my face. "Absolutely," I reply, giving her a quick kiss before we both return to our meal, lost in the euphoria of our newfound love confession.

"I'm going to head down and rest," Isabella announces, beginning her descent down the rock. Meanwhile, we finish our meals, enjoying the view. I sense Tori leaning against me, prompting me to wrap my arm around her waist, drawing her close.

—-

short chapter sorrryyyyy and nobody really answered my question in the last chapter so imma just do what feels right and if you don't like it idk🤷‍♀️