The evening stars

It's not that simple

The next morning, Sophie woke up with a feeling of happiness that she had never experienced in her life. Everything around seemed brighter and lighter, as if the world had been filled with new colors. She quickly got herself ready, putting on an elegant beige suit that accentuated her slim waist.

Sophie stepped out of the house, her steps light and a smile never leaving her face. On her way to school, she took out her phone to check for new messages. The screen lit up, and Sophie saw a message from Alex:

"Good morning!" "I already miss you."

Sophie smiled, feeling her heart fill with warmth.

However, her joy was overshadowed when she noticed yet another notification — 13 missed calls from Rachel. The heart tightened with anxiety. She quickly opened the messenger and saw a message from Rachel:

"Sophie, call me back as soon as you can." "This is important."

Sophie paused for a moment, feeling a sense of unease. Her gaze darted from the phone screen to the road ahead. She was about to find out what had happened.

Sophie called Rachel.

— Rachel, hi, sorry for suddenly disappearing yesterday. I probably overdid it with the alcohol and didn't want to ruin your evening, so I went home.

— Hi, Sophie. I was so nervous! Oliver said that you are not feeling well. I thought something serious had happened.

— Yes, but I'm already fine, so don't worry. You said you had something important?

— Yes, Alex didn't pick me up from the bar. I felt very uncomfortable. I thought something had happened, and I couldn't reach him.

— Really? Perhaps he has work-related matters to attend to. Or maybe he got delayed for some reason?

— You won't believe it, but he told me the same thing. I think he has someone. And you know, that worries me.

— Come on, how can that be? He is always working and spending time with you. I am sure that it's just a coincidence.

— I don't know, but I have a feeling that something is off. I just can't shake off this feeling.

Sophie, feeling awkward, decided to steer the conversation towards a lighter topic.

— How did your evening end?

— To be honest, it's great. That guy Ray turned out to be very nice. He works as a surgeon and has a son named Charlie, whom he raises alone. He is so caring and attentive!

— Wow, you learned a lot about him!

— He asked me out on a date. — Rachel hesitated a bit, and there was a tremor of excitement in her voice. — I was so surprised, but I agreed.

— Are you joking?

— I'm shocked myself. I don't know how it happened. It's because of Alex. It was as if I wanted to do something to respond to his coldness, and it happened.

— And what do you plan to do? Sophie felt anxious for her friend but tried to remain supportive.

— I'm just going to grab a coffee with him, purely as friends. But please, don't tell anyone, Sophie. I don't want anyone to find out about this.

— Of course, I won't tell anyone. Don't worry.

— Thank you, Sof.

— Alright, I've already arrived at the school, so see you soon. Try not to worry too much, okay?

— See you, Sophie. Thank you once again.

Sophie, in shock, locked her phone and entered the classroom, where her students were already seated at their desks. In class, everyone was drawing their family, and Sophie walked around the room, observing the process.

When she stopped behind Sam, her eyes stung from the impending tears. In the drawing, Sam depicted Rachel, Sam, and Alex holding hands, their faces illuminated by smiles.

Sam turned to Sophie and asked:

— Do you like my drawing?

Sophie struggled to hold back her tears and replied:

— Yes, very beautiful, Sami, you did a great job.

She turned and felt tears fall from her eyes as soon as she blinked. Sophie realized that she could not destroy the world of this little one; she understood that what she and Alex had done was wrong, even though it felt wonderful. Her heart was filled with anxiety; she took a deep breath to calm herself and continued watching the children, trying not to think about what had happened.

In the evening, Sophie decided to spend time in the cozy company of Sky. She brewed her favorite herbal tea, which always helped her relax, and settled on the bed, wrapping herself in a warm blanket. Sky snuggled up next to her, curled up like a little ball. Sophie turned on a new episode of "Only Murders in the Building," hoping to distract herself from anxious thoughts and simply enjoy the evening.

The sudden ring of the doorbell made Sophie alert. She froze for a moment, trying to comprehend who could possibly come at such a late hour. Without expecting anyone, she felt a slight anxiety that disrupted her cozy evening. Sky, sensing her anxiety, cautiously lifted her head. Sophie got out of bed, threw on a cozy cardigan, and headed to the door, not knowing who was waiting for her on the other side.

Sophie opened the door and saw Alex.

— What are you doing here? — she asked, trying to hide her surprise.

— You didn't reply to my messages all day.

— Is that a reason to come over to my place in the evening?

— Yes, because I care about you.

Sofia fell silent, not knowing what to say to him. Silence hung between them like an unresolved question.

— Why are you silent? — Alex asked, breaking the silence.

— Because I can't kiss you at night and smile during the day at your daughter, who is drawing a happy family, — Sophie replied sharply, tears already welling up in her eyes.

— Her father will not stop loving her, even if her mother and I separate. She doesn't lose her parents.

— Yes, but she is losing her family.

— She loves you, I don't think you'll come off as the villain in this story.

— In which story?

— In ours.

Alex stepped closer and embraced Sophie tenderly, as if he feared that this frightened little bundle might run away and hide from him at any moment.

Sophie stood still while Alex embraced her, feeling his warmth penetrate through her walls of doubt and fear. Her heart raced, and conflicting thoughts swirled in her mind. She understood that the situation was complicated, that lives were at stake not only for them but also for little Sam, whose innocence and belief in a happy family could be shattered.

She still couldn't bring herself to respond to him, realizing how deeply all sides of this story were affected. Sophie felt tears slowly streaming down her cheeks, and with each new drop, the pain in her heart became more and more palpable.

— Alex, — she finally whispered, her voice trembling with suppressed emotions, — I'm afraid we're making a huge mistake...

— Maybe, but what if this is the mistake we need to make? — his voice was soft, yet full of determination.

Sophie wanted to believe him, but the feelings of guilt and fear wouldn't let her go. She knew that their feelings were real, but the consequences could be devastating. And yet, standing in his embrace, she felt for the first time in a long while that she was finding understanding and comfort.

— I don't want to lose you, — Alex quietly added, slightly pulling away to look her in the eyes. — But I understand if you're not ready...

Sophie sighed, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on her shoulders.

— We need time, Alex. I can't make a decision right now.

— I will wait as long as it takes, — he whispered, gently touching her cheek.

She nodded, knowing that the decision would not come easily. But at that moment, despite the complexity of their situation, Sophie felt that she had finally found the support she had been so lacking.