The Space Between

Chapter 39 : A distraction

Sophia had been on edge all day. Paranoia clung to her like a shadow, and the weight of her thoughts pressed down relentlessly. Unable to take it anymore, she finally picked up the phone and called her dad. The familiar warmth in his voice gave her a sense of comfort she’d desperately needed.

“Hey, Dad,” she began, trying to keep her voice steady but failing. “I just… nothing’s going right. I really like this guy, and now everything’s a mess.”

Her dad listened quietly, letting her pour out her worries. When she finally paused, he spoke with his usual calm reassurance. “Sophia, if it’s meant to be, things will work out. You both deserve each other, and if that’s the case, you’ll find your way back together. Have you tried talking to him?”

Sophia sighed, wiping at the tears that threatened to spill over. “He’s busy with the tournament, and now there’s this whole engagement rumor…”

“Give him the benefit of the doubt,” her dad suggested. “Talk to him when he’s free. Misunderstandings happen, but if you communicate, you can work through them.”

After hanging up, Sophia felt a little better, but the uncertainty still gnawed at her. Unable to hold back her emotions, she ended up calling Graham. The moment he picked up, she blurted, “Graham, everything you said… it’s all true, isn’t it?”

Graham, sensing the distress in her voice, immediately invited her over. When Sophia arrived, she found Graham, Val, and Tara having a mini-party. They were lounging around, sipping beers, trying to lift the heavy mood that hung in the air. Graham handed her a drink, offering a weak smile. “Maybe this’ll help take your mind off things.”

Sophia hesitated but eventually took the beer. One drink turned into several, and before she knew it, the room was spinning, her thoughts blurring into the background noise. She drank too much, far too quickly, and eventually, the alcohol pulled her under. She didn’t even remember passing out, lost to the haze of drunken oblivion.

Morning arrived like a sledgehammer. Sophia groaned, squinting against the bright light filtering into the room. As she fumbled for her phone, she noticed a slew of missed calls. Her heart leapt at the sight of Matteo’s name on the screen, but there were no messages from him, no texts explaining or apologizing. She stared at the call log, confusion twisting in her chest. Why hadn’t he tried harder to reach her?

Shaking off the lingering effects of the alcohol, Sophia decided he was probably still caught up in his tournament duties. She shot him a quick text: “Whenever you can, it’s important. I need to talk to you.” Then, she tried to push it out of her mind and move on with her day. Classes, assignments—she focused on anything that could distract her from the pit in her stomach.

Later, as she was about to head back to her dorm, she spotted Bianca approaching. The sight of Bianca made her freeze, every nerve on edge.

“Sophia,” Bianca greeted with a smug smile. “I guess you’ve seen the news about Matteo and me. The engagement is finalized. We spent time together after the tournament—everything is perfect between us.”

Sophia’s heart dropped, her chest tightening painfully. “What? But that—”

Bianca didn’t let her finish. “I just came from seeing him. He’s been having a great time, and he didn’t seem to miss you at all.” She paused, her eyes narrowing as she added, “You should stay away, Sophia. Matteo and I are together now.”

Bianca’s words cut deeper than Sophia expected, and before she knew it, tears were streaming down her face. She didn’t wait to hear more. Turning on her heel, she fled back to her dorm, her vision blurred by tears. Once inside, she collapsed onto her bed, burying her face in her pillow as sobs wracked her body. The weight of Bianca’s words, the uncertainty of Matteo’s actions, and the crushing doubt that maybe she’d never really known him at all overwhelmed her completely.