The evening stars

Nice to meet you

Their evening continued like a whirlwind of events and emotions. Sophie, lost in the music, moved smoothly and effortlessly, as if all the weight of the past few days had suddenly evaporated. The dance allowed her to lose herself, and she enjoyed that rare feeling of freedom.

— I'll bring us something to drink. What will you have? — Steven asked, leaning close to her ear to shout over the music.

— Same as you! — Sophie shouted back, continuing to move in time with the rhythm.

— Alright, I'll be back soon, — Stephen winked and headed to the bar, making his way through the crowd.

The music did not fade, and Sophie, left alone, continued to spin, her eyes closed, allowing the sounds and light to immerse her deeper into this moment. At that moment, she felt a complete harmony with the world around her, even if it was temporary.

Meanwhile, Alex entered the club. This place was unfamiliar to him. The noise, the sweaty bodies of dancing people, the flashing lights — all of this created an atmosphere of chaos. His steps were quick, his gaze focused on searching for a single figure in the crowd. He wasn't sure how to find her, but something inside him suggested that she was somewhere nearby.

As he moved through the dense rows of dancers, he could smell alcohol, hear laughter, and loud conversations, but his thoughts were solely focused on Sophie. Her image stood before his eyes, and the closer he got to the dance floor, the more his excitement grew. He knew he had to find her.

And suddenly, in the center of the dance floor, his gaze caught sight of a familiar figure. It was her — Sophie. She moved so smoothly, almost weightlessly, as if she had completely dissolved into the music. Her eyes were closed, and in that moment she looked so happy and carefree, just as Alex hadn't seen her in a long time.

Alex, without much hesitation, decisively approached her. His hands gently rested on her waist, and for a moment he felt her warmth. But at that moment, Sophie, smiling, whispered a name that Alex couldn't hear over the deafening music.

— Steven...

She thought it was Steven who had come back to her with drinks. A smile touched her lips, and she turned to meet him. But when her eyes opened and she saw not Steven, but Alex in front of her, her heart stopped.

— Alex? — she whispered, her smile disappearing instantly. In her gaze, confusion and surprise flickered.

— What are you doing here? — Sophie, trying to find a foothold in this whirlwind of emotions, asked Alex a question. His sudden appearance stunned her.

— I have returned to you, Sophie, — his voice was firm, but there was something deeper hidden behind those words. Perhaps it was a plea.

— Have you made up your mind about your family? — she tried to speak coldly, although her heart was pounding so loudly that it seemed it could burst from her chest.

Alex lowered his eyes slightly, realizing that he didn't have the answer she was waiting for.

— No, — he honestly admitted, looking her in the eyes again. — But I realized that all of this is unimportant. It's not as important as you are.

These words hung in the air, as if trying to find their way to her heart. Sophie stood silently, her inner world tearing apart. She wanted to believe him. I wanted all of this to be true. But could she just let it all go?

— And you will just leave it as it is and forget? — she couldn't believe that it was possible. The situation with his family couldn't be resolved so easily.

— Yes, for you, yes, — Alex stepped closer, taking her hands in his. His touch was gentle yet firm.

Sophie felt her defenses crumbling. She has always been strong, always in control of her emotions. But now, when he was here, when he held her hands, her inner barriers weakened. She was faced with a dilemma — to leave the past behind and take a risk again or to defend herself, as she was used to.

— It's not that easy, Alex, — she finally said, trying to hold his gaze. Her voice trembled with a mix of emotions—hurt, doubt, and deep attachment.

Alex stepped closer, their faces just inches apart.

— I know, — he said quietly, almost in a whisper. — But all I need is you. And I will fight for us, no matter the cost.

Sophie hesitated, her thoughts wavering between what was right and what her heart was telling her. At that moment, Stephen approached them, carrying two glasses.

— Hey, there you are! — Steven said with a smile, but noticing the tense atmosphere, his smile faded. — What is happening here?

Sophie locked eyes with Steven. A flicker of misunderstanding and perhaps a hint of jealousy crossed his eyes. He didn't know that Alex had returned, didn't know that it was all so complicated. She felt awkward about the situation, about how everything unfolded.

— Steven, this... this is Alex, — she took a step back to avoid further collision. — Alex, this is Steven. We work together... I'll tell you everything later.

Stephen, realizing that something important was happening here, coldly handed one of the glasses to Sophie, keeping the other for himself.

— Nice to meet you, — he said, but his gaze was not directed at Alex, but at Sophie, as if he were seeking an explanation for her actions.

Alex, keeping his eyes on Steven, reached out his hand to Sophie.

— Let's get out of here, — he said quietly, but his voice sounded like a command.

Sophie knew that the conversation had to take place. All this time she had missed Alex, wanted him back, but now that he was here, everything seemed so complicated. She needed to think, to sort out her feelings, but at the same time, she knew they had to talk, and now was the moment.

She looked at Steven, who stood silently holding his glass. Sophie placed her hand in Alex's, looking at Steven with a hint of regret.

— Sorry, — she said softly, handing him the glass.

Steven said nothing, just nodded, letting her go. He understood that their evening had come to an end.

Sophie and Alex left the club. The cold evening air sharply contrasted with the stuffy atmosphere of the dance floor. They silently got into Alex's car and drove to her home. Inside her, emotions were still raging, but she knew that ahead lay a conversation that could change everything.