My Girl ~ Alessia Russo

Sorry

Alessia sat at the edge of her couch, legs tucked up against her chest, staring blankly at her phone. The screen lit up, showing the time—9:17 AM—but it wasn’t the time that made her stomach churn with anxiety. It was the string of unanswered calls, each one feeling heavier than the last.

Hailey still hadn’t picked up.

It had been this way since last night, since she’d laid her heart bare in a way she never thought she would. Alessia had apologized. She had been honest. And for a moment, she thought it had made a difference. She thought she saw a flicker of something in Hailey’s eyes. But now, staring at the cold, empty screen of her phone, Alessia wondered if any of it had mattered at all.

She swallowed back the lump in her throat and let out a deep, shaky breath. It felt like she was on the edge of something she couldn’t control, and that terrified her. She reached for the phone again, her thumb hovering over Hailey’s name in her call log. Four missed calls, four unanswered messages. She’d told herself she wouldn’t call again. But every time she resisted, the temptation clawed at her harder.

Finally, she pressed the call button, the ringing filling the quiet apartment like a taunting echo. She counted each ring, hoping, praying for that familiar voice to pick up, to give her even just a moment to explain. But after what felt like an eternity, it went to voicemail—again.

Alessia closed her eyes, the weight of disappointment pressing down on her chest. It was the same sinking feeling she’d had since last night, the one that made her stomach twist every time Hailey didn’t answer.

She lowered the phone, her heart racing with a mixture of frustration and helplessness. Maybe she was doing this all wrong. Maybe she needed help—someone who understood both of them, someone who could help her bridge this widening gap.

With that thought, Alessia scrolled through her contacts and found the name she’d been avoiding for the past few days.

Lucy Bronze.

Lucy had been the one who introduced her to Hailey, back when everything had been light and easy. Alessia had always admired Lucy—her confidence, her unwavering support for her friends. But now, it felt like admitting defeat to call her. She’d messed up, and now she needed Lucy’s help to fix it.

Her finger hovered over the call button, hesitation gnawing at her, but before she could talk herself out of it, she pressed it.

The phone rang twice before Lucy answered, her voice light and casual. “Alessia? What’s up?”

Alessia froze for a second, trying to collect her thoughts. She didn’t know where to start, didn’t know how to explain the mess she’d made without sounding completely pathetic.

“Hey, um… I need your help,” Alessia admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

There was a pause on the other end, then Lucy’s tone shifted, a hint of concern creeping into her words. “What happened? Is everything okay?”

“No,” Alessia said, letting out a shaky breath. “I screwed up. With Hailey.”

Lucy was silent for a moment, probably trying to piece together what had happened. “You two seemed good, last I heard. What happened?”

Alessia’s mind raced back to the night before, the way Hailey had looked at her, that mix of confusion and hurt. “It’s… it’s complicated. I messed up with Kyra. I didn’t tell Hailey everything, and now it’s like she doesn’t want to talk to me. I’ve called her a million times, and she just… she won’t answer.”

Lucy sighed on the other end of the line. “You’ve got to give her some space, Less. Hailey’s not the type to rush back into things when she’s hurt. But… if you want her back, you need to show her you’re serious.”