Exception

Chapter 8

A few days later, Charlotte was walking through a quiet part of the city, trying to clear her mind. Things with Engfa were still strange, and even after their conversation, she didn't feel any closer to figuring out her feelings. It was like this thick fog in her brain that refused to lift. Lately, she had been distracting herself with other things, hoping the confusion would just go away, but it hadn't worked. Everything about Engfa still felt heavy, and Charlotte didn't know how to fix it.

As she turned a corner near a café, she unexpectedly bumped into Marima.

"Charlotte!" Marima said with a bright smile. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey!" Charlotte tried to smile back, but it didn't feel completely real. "Just... walking. What about you?"

"I'm grabbing a coffee," Marima said, holding up the cup in her hand. She tilted her head, studying Charlotte's face. "You look like you've got a lot on your mind."

Charlotte sighed. She knew she couldn't hide how she was feeling from Marima. "Yeah, it's been a weird couple of days."

Marima frowned a little as she started walking alongside Charlotte. "Weird how?"

Charlotte hesitated. She hadn't really talked to anyone else about what was going on with Engfa. It felt like such a big mess that she didn't know where to start. But Marima was always easy to talk to. There was something comforting about how she listened.

"It's... complicated," Charlotte said after a pause. "It's about Engfa."

Marima's expression softened. "I figured. Are things still feeling off?"

Charlotte nodded, letting out a frustrated breath. "Yeah. I've been trying not to think about it, but that's not really working. I don't even know how to act around her anymore."

Marima looked over at her, clearly concerned but patient. "Do you want to talk about it? Maybe I can help."

Charlotte shrugged, unsure. "I don't know. It's just... confusing. She's been great, really patient with me. But even after we talked, things still feel weird. I told her I'm confused, but I'm not any closer to figuring it out."

"Confused about what exactly?" Marima asked gently. "Is it about how you feel about her?"

Charlotte gave a small, almost sad laugh. "Yeah. I mean, I care about her a lot. But I'm scared. What if it's more than just friendship? What if I ruin everything between us by admitting that?"

Marima nodded, walking slowly beside her. "It sounds like you're afraid of what happens if you take that step and things change."

"Exactly," Charlotte said, feeling a bit of relief that Marima understood. "We have this really great connection, and I don't want to mess it up. But what if I'm wrong? Or worse, what if I do feel something more, and it ruins everything?"

Marima stopped and turned to face Charlotte. Her voice was calm but serious. "You're not going to ruin anything by being honest. Hiding how you feel is probably making things harder for both of you."

Charlotte bit her lip, thinking about what Marima said. "I've been avoiding it because I don't want to deal with the consequences."

"I get that," Marima said softly. "But feelings don't just go away because you ignore them. If Engfa cares about you as much as you care about her, being honest could help. You both seem confused. Maybe talking about it openly, even if it's hard, will make things clearer."

Charlotte crossed her arms, hugging herself as a light breeze blew by. "It's just... scary. She's already said she's there for me no matter what, but I know she's waiting for me to figure things out. I don't want to keep her waiting forever, but I'm not ready to decide anything yet."

Marima smiled a little and gave Charlotte a reassuring look. "You don't have to decide everything right now. But maybe being honest with her about where you're at will help. You're both in this together, right? You don't have to figure it out alone."

Charlotte looked down at the ground, chewing on her bottom lip. Marima's words were starting to make sense, but they didn't take away the fear. It was still there, deep inside, whispering all the things that could go wrong.

"I don't even know where to start," Charlotte admitted quietly. "I'm scared of what it means to admit how I feel."

Marima's smile grew a little. "Being scared is normal. But if Engfa means that much to you, isn't it worth the risk? You don't need to have all the answers. Just be honest about where you are right now."

Charlotte sighed, feeling the weight of her thoughts. She knew Marima was right. She couldn't keep avoiding her feelings, no matter how confusing or scary they were. Engfa deserved honesty, and maybe in being honest, Charlotte would finally understand her own feelings better too.

"I think you're right," Charlotte said, feeling a small wave of determination wash over her. "I need to stop avoiding this."

Marima's smile widened, and she gently patted Charlotte's arm. "You've got this. And remember, it's okay to be unsure. Just take it one step at a time."

"Thanks, Marima," Charlotte said, her voice more sincere this time. "I really needed to talk about this."

"Anytime," Marima said with a friendly grin. "And if you ever need to talk again, you know where to find me."

As they parted ways, Charlotte felt a little lighter. She still didn't have all the answers, but she knew what she had to do. It was time to talk to Engfa again, this time with a little more honesty and a little less fear.

A/N: Please do vote my story. I hope you like it!