Through the Cracks - Cairo Sweet X Pip Fitz-Amobi

Chapter 5

POV: Pippa Fitz-Amobi

The next few days were a blur of conflicting emotions, but for the first time in a long while, Pippa wasn’t just running away.

She found herself thinking about the kiss—about Cairo—and what it all meant for her. She had let her guard down, something she swore she wouldn’t do. And yet, she didn’t regret it.

Pippa had spent years shielding herself from vulnerability, from letting anyone get close enough to hurt her. But that kiss… it had felt different. It wasn’t just about the physical connection—it was about something deeper. Cairo saw through her, and as much as it terrified her, it also felt like a relief. She was tired of pretending to be someone she wasn’t. Tired of pushing people away.

But what now?

Pippa spent her days avoiding Cairo, not because she was scared, but because she didn’t know how to handle what came next. They had crossed a line, and now there was no going back.

But what did that mean for them? Could she really let someone like Cairo into her life, into the mess of her past? Pippa wasn’t sure.

On Friday afternoon, Pippa found herself sitting in the library, her criminology textbook open in front of her but her mind a million miles away. She couldn’t focus, couldn’t shake the memory of Cairo’s lips against hers, the way her heart had raced in that brief moment of connection.

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. She needed to talk to someone, but who? Her friends back in Little Kilton wouldn’t understand. They didn’t even know half of what she had been through.

But Cairo did.

Cairo understood in a way that no one else could.

With a deep breath, Pippa pulled out her phone and stared at the screen. She had been avoiding Cairo’s texts for the last few days, but she couldn’t keep doing that forever. She couldn’t keep running. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard as she typed out a quick message.

Can we talk?

She hesitated for a moment before hitting send, her heart racing as she watched the message disappear into the void. She didn’t know what she expected—maybe that Cairo wouldn’t respond, that she would pretend nothing had happened between them.

But less than a minute later, her phone buzzed with Cairo’s reply.

Whenever you’re ready.

Pippa stared at the message for a moment, her mind spinning. Cairo was giving her control, letting her decide when and how they would talk. It was the first time in a long time that Pippa felt like she had a choice.

She quickly typed another message, her fingers trembling slightly as she hit send.

Meet me in the library in 15 minutes.

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POV: Cairo Sweet

Cairo sat on a bench outside the library, her phone in hand, waiting for Pippa. She wasn’t used to waiting for anyone, but for Pippa, she made an exception. Their kiss had been a turning point—Cairo could feel it in the way Pippa had responded, the way she hadn’t pulled away. But she knew Pippa needed time. Pippa wasn’t like anyone Cairo had ever met. She was complicated, guarded, and scared. And Cairo understood that better than anyone.

She hadn’t expected Pippa to reach out so soon, but when the text came through, Cairo couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at her lips. She had been worried she’d pushed too hard, that Pippa would retreat into herself again and shut her out completely. But this—this was progress.