Through the Cracks - Cairo Sweet X Pip Fitz-Amobi

Chapter 3

POV: Pippa Fitz-Amobi

Pippa’s days had turned into a delicate balancing act. She was trying to focus on her studies, immerse herself in the quiet peace of university life, but Cairo Sweet had become a constant, disorienting presence.

Everywhere she went, it seemed like Cairo was nearby—sometimes in the background, sometimes just a few steps away. It was never quite enough for Pippa to call her out, but enough to unsettle her, to make her feel as though she was being watched, tested.

It was hard to believe it had only been a couple of weeks since Cairo had first approached her. Yet in that short time, Cairo had managed to slip into her thoughts, her routine, her very sense of being.

No matter how much Pippa tried to push her out, the other girl lingered, like a shadow she couldn’t shake.

And it wasn’t just Cairo’s presence that was unsettling. It was what she represented.

Cairo had made it clear from the beginning that she saw Pippa as a puzzle to solve, a challenge to unravel. Pippa had spent years perfecting the art of keeping people at a distance, of maintaining control over her life and her emotions. But Cairo wasn’t just interested in observing from the sidelines—she wanted to tear that control down, brick by brick.

Pippa couldn’t afford to let that happen.

She had come to university to escape the chaos of her past, to start fresh, to leave behind the nightmares of Little Kilton.

Cairo was dangerous.

She was drawing Pippa back into the web of intrigue, mystery, and uncertainty she had spent so long trying to escape.

And yet, despite everything, Pippa couldn’t quite bring herself to cut Cairo out completely. There was something about her that was... compelling. Infuriating, yes. But also compelling.

It was during one of her criminology seminars that Pippa realized how much space Cairo had started to occupy in her mind.

The professor was going over a case study, a complex murder investigation from the 1990s, but Pippa could barely focus.

She kept glancing to the side, where Cairo sat, her pen lazily tracing patterns in her notebook as if she wasn’t paying attention. But Pippa knew better. Cairo was always paying attention.

When the seminar ended, Pippa gathered her things quickly, determined to leave before Cairo could say anything. She was halfway to the door when she heard the familiar voice.

“Fitz-Amobi.”

Pippa froze. She considered ignoring Cairo, walking away without acknowledging her. But she knew that would only provoke Cairo more.

With a sigh, she turned around.

Cairo was leaning against one of the desks, her dark eyes glittering with amusement. “Running away again?”

Pippa crossed her arms, her expression guarded. “What do you want, Cairo?”

Cairo pushed off the desk and took a step closer, her smirk fading into something more serious. “I want to know why you’re so afraid of me.”

Pippa’s heart skipped a beat, but she kept her face neutral. “I’m not afraid of you.”

“Oh?” Cairo’s voice was low, a challenge. “Then why do you keep running?”

Pippa clenched her jaw, her fists tightening around the strap of her bag. “I’m not running. I just don’t have time for your games.”

Cairo tilted her head, studying her for a long moment before speaking again. “You keep saying that. That I’m playing games. But I’m not the one hiding, Pippa. You are.”