The Space Between

Chapter 24 : The Unspoken Bonds

Derek's POV

I knocked on Sophia’s dorm room door, my heart racing. I needed to talk to her, but no one answered. I sighed, turning to look around when I saw Bianca approaching.

“What are you doing here?” Bianca’s tone was icy. “Sophia’s not around.”

“Do you know where she is?” I asked, trying to keep my voice calm.

" I saw her leaving with the luggage yesterday. I hope she has left college for good.” Bianca said, a smirk playing on her lips. “I guess you missed her by a mile.”

I felt a pang of disappointment. “I need to talk to her. It’s important.”

Bianca’s expression shifted slightly. “Look, Derek, I invited you to a party and you couldn't even face her friends and make a scene just like I asked. Now she is unavailable thats your fault. She deserved more than this and you couldn't even taint her image in front of Matteo. He still hates me!”

“That wasn’t my intention,” I said, trying to keep my composure. “I used you to get close to Sophia, but I never meant to hurt anyone. I just want to explain things to her, to make amends.”

Bianca crossed her arms. “It’s too late for that. Looks like we both burnt the bridges we wanted to pass. You are worthless to me now so i guess see ya later!”

I narrowed my eyes. “You better watch your tone. I’m not here to play games. If you continue to cause problems, I’ll make sure everyone knows who really started this mess.”

Bianca’s eyes widened in fear. “Fine, fine. I won’t say anything. Just… don’t make things worse.”

I watched as she hurried away, relieved that I’d managed to get her to back off. I made my way to the cafeteria, hoping to find Emma.

When I found Emma, she was with a group of friends. I approached her, trying to remain calm despite the turmoil inside me.

“Emma,” I said, “I need to speak with Sophia. Can you tell me where she is?”

Emma looked concerned. “Derek, she’s not here right now. She’s already in Canada, and honestly, there’s a lot going on. You’re not helping things by pursuing her right now.”

“I just want to give her something,” I said, trying to explain. “I found a diary my sister left for her. I want to let her know that my family and I have forgiven her and that there’s no need for guilt.”

Emma’s expression softened slightly. “If it’s just that, then I’ll talk to her and let her know. But you need to understand, she’s already facing a lot of judgment and pressure from everyone here.”

“I understand,” I said. “I just want to clear things up and make sure she knows that I never meant to hurt her.”

Emma nodded. “I’ll make sure she gets the message. For now, you should probably head out. Give her some space.”

I left the campus, feeling a mix of hope and sadness. I hoped that when Sophia read the diary, she would understand my intentions and find some peace. Maybe, after all of this, we could find a way to be together again, even if it meant transferring to a different university.

I got a call from my mom later, informing me that Sophia had already visited and apologized for everything. My heart lifted at the news. It seemed like there was still a chance for us to resolve things. Maybe now, with everything out in the open, we could start fresh and find a way to be together, just like we’d always dreamed.