Simply You(Ongoing)

CHAPTER 14

Yessenia's workday had been long and taxing, but she had finally packed up her things and was ready to head out. The office was quiet, the hum of the fluorescent lights the only sound as she approached the door. The promise of the evening ahead—a cozy dinner with friends and some much-needed relaxation—eased her steps as she moved toward the exit. But just as she was about to push open the door, a man stepped abruptly into her path.

He was unfamiliar to her, but his stern expression and the urgency in his stride made Yessenia pause. She opened her mouth to ask if she could help him, but her question was left unspoken when she saw who was behind him. Matheo's face was contorted with visible anger, a sight that startled Yessenia. The tension in the air was palpable, and she could feel a knot forming in her stomach.

"Yessenia," Matheo said, his voice tight with suppressed rage, "you need to understand why Daniel and I are no longer friends. It’s because of you."

Yessenia’s heart dropped. She had barely interacted with Daniel, Matheo's friend, and the idea that her actions could have led to such a dramatic fallout was both surprising and distressing. She turned her gaze to Daniel, who was standing a few steps behind Matheo. Despite his calm demeanor, there was a sadness in his eyes that spoke volumes. His smile was polite but didn’t reach his eyes, hiding an emotional pain that was becoming increasingly apparent.

Confused and anxious, Yessenia asked, “What are you talking about, Matheo? I don’t understand. How could I have caused this?”

Matheo’s anger was not easily dimmed, but he struggled to articulate the depth of his frustration. “It’s not just about you,” he said, his voice wavering slightly. “It’s about what happened between us all. Daniel tried to shield his friendship with me from the fallout, but it only drove a wedge between us.”

Yessenia's mind raced as she tried to recall her last encounter with Daniel. It had been a simple conversation, nothing out of the ordinary. “I am so sorry,” she said, her voice trembling. “I never meant to hurt anyone. I had no idea—”

Daniel, who had been silently observing the exchange, finally spoke. His voice was soft but laden with emotion. “It’s not about assigning blame,” he said quietly. “It’s about how words and actions can affect people deeply, even when we don’t realize it.”

The realization of the gravity of the situation began to sink in for Yessenia. Her interactions with Daniel, though seemingly trivial, had evidently been significant enough to impact his well-being and his friendship with Matheo. She felt a deep wave of guilt and remorse. “I never meant to cause this kind of pain,” she said, her voice breaking. “I’m truly sorry if my actions led to this.”

Seeing Yessenia’s distress seemed to shift something within Matheo. His anger wavered, replaced by a flicker of concern. He watched as Yessenia’s eyes filled with tears and her shoulders shook with emotion. The sight of her breaking down seemed to unsettle him, his own anger dissolving into a frantic, helpless feeling.

Without fully understanding why or how, Matheo stepped closer to Yessenia and pulled her into an embrace. The hug was awkward and uncertain, but it was filled with a genuine attempt to offer comfort. Matheo had always been more accustomed to confrontation than consolation, and the physical gesture came from an instinctive desire to alleviate her visible suffering.

Yessenia stiffened for a moment, surprised by the sudden contact, but then she relaxed into the hug. The warmth of Matheo’s arms, though not entirely comforting, offered her a sense of solace amidst her emotional turmoil. She cried openly, her tears soaking into Matheo’s shirt as she clung to him.

Matheo, feeling the weight of her tears against him, was overwhelmed by his own conflicting emotions. His anger had been replaced by a profound sense of guilt and panic. He patted her back awkwardly, unsure of how to handle the situation but determined to provide some form of comfort.

As Yessenia cried, Matheo’s panic grew. He wasn’t accustomed to dealing with emotional distress, especially when it was caused by his own actions. The sight of her pain made him feel helpless. He wanted to offer more than just physical comfort, but the right words eluded him.

Daniel, witnessing the scene, felt a pang of sympathy for both Yessenia and Matheo. The intensity of the moment highlighted the deep impact of the situation on all three of them. He took a cautious step forward, his voice gentle. “Maybe we should all take a moment to calm down,” he suggested. “There’s a lot to unpack here, and it might help if we talk things through.”

Yessenia slowly pulled away from Matheo’s embrace, her face flushed from crying. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, her breathing still shaky. “I truly am sorry,” she said, her voice filled with remorse. “I never intended to be the source of this conflict. If there’s anything I can do to make it right, please let me know.”

Matheo nodded, his own face reflecting a mixture of relief and concern. “We need to talk through this,” he said, his tone softer now. “It’s clear that there’s a lot more to this than just a simple misunderstanding. We need to understand how we got here and how we can move forward.”

Daniel agreed, his demeanor more relaxed. “Communication is key,” he said. “We need to address what happened and see if there’s a way to mend things between us.”

The tension in the room began to dissipate as the three of them stood together, the immediate storm of emotions giving way to a tentative sense of resolution. The journey ahead was still uncertain, but the willingness to address the issues openly was a step in the right direction.

As they walked together, the air between them was filled with a fragile hope. Yessenia, despite her lingering sadness, felt a renewed determination to make amends and find a path to reconciliation. The evening that had once promised relaxation now held the potential for difficult but necessary conversations.

The road to resolving the conflict would be neither quick nor easy, but Yessenia was ready to face it with sincerity and a commitment to understanding. The painful moments of the day had revealed the depth of the impact her actions had, and she was determined to make things right, one step at a time.