Beneath the Surface

chapter 25: the woman

Months passed... 

One morning, Sarah sat quietly in the corner of the lounge in Tristan's office, nervously waiting for Tristan. Her mind raced with thoughts of their complicated relationship and the reasons that had kept her away for so long. As she watched the door open, her heart skipped a beat when Tristan finally walked in. But what happened next shattered her expectations.

Tristan entered the lounge,  a woman rushed toward him, her voice filled with affection.

Woman: (giggling running towards Tristan)I miss you, babes...

Tristan: (smiling warmly at the woman) Hey, you! I missed you too.

Woman: (embracing Tristan tightly) It feels like forever since I've seen you.

While Sarah is at the corner trying to compose herself though her heart is breaking of the scene unfolding... (feeling a mix of emotions, but trying to stay composed) ...

Tristan: How are you? 

Woman: ( the woman kissed Tristan) missing my boyfriend...

As Tristan and the woman entered his office, the atmosphere shifted from the lightness of their earlier interaction to something more serious. The woman, Lia, a colleague he had been seeing for a few months, glanced around the office before turning her attention to Tristan, who was already settling behind his desk.

Lia: (smiling, but sensing Tristan's distraction) "You seem lost in thought. Everything okay?"

Tristan: (pausing before answering) "Yeah, just... work stuff. You know how it is."

Lia took a seat across from him, studying his face. She was perceptive enough to know when something was bothering him.

Lia: (softly) "Is that all? You don't have to keep things bottled up, Tristan."

Tristan leaned back in his chair, rubbing the back of his neck. He knew what Lia was referring to, but part of him hesitated. He had always been clear with the women in his life—he wasn't ready for anything serious. Yet lately, the simplicity of his relationships was beginning to feel... hollow.

Tristan: (sighing) "Lia, you know how I am. I told you from the start, I'm not the relationship type."

Lia's smile faltered, but she nodded, already familiar with this conversation.

Lia: "I know. And I've never expected anything more from you. I'm just... worried that you're not as okay with all of this as you make it seem."

Tristan's gaze drifted to the window, where the city lights flickered in the growing dusk. He wasn't sure what to say. He didn't want to hurt Lia, but at the same time, he was trying to navigate his own emotions—feelings that were often confusing and conflicting.

Lia: (continuing after a pause) "Tristan, do you ever think about what it would be like to let someone in? Really let them in?"

Her question hung in the air, delicate but piercing. Tristan shifted in his seat, unsure of how to answer. His mind briefly flashed to Sarah. He thought about how she'd been a good friend, a classmate,  someone who was always there, yet he'd never allowed himself to go beyond that one night... That he spoke frankly of her not to fall for him... It was safer that way, or so he had convinced himself.

Tristan: (after a moment) "I don't know, Lia. Maybe I'm just not built for that kind of connection."

Lia: (nodding slowly) "I understand. I guess... I just don't want you to miss out on something real because you're too afraid to try."