Exception

Chapter 9

A few days after her conversation with Marima, Charlotte felt a little spark of determination. She promised herself she would talk to Engfa, but as the days passed, she found herself hesitating. Engfa kept popping up in her thoughts, and every time they were together, Charlotte felt the heavy weight of her unresolved feelings. It was hard to express what she was really thinking.

One evening, while Charlotte was at home, her phone buzzed with a message from Engfa: *"Can we talk? I feel like you've been avoiding me."*

Charlotte's heart raced. She knew she couldn't put it off any longer. She texted back, suggesting they meet up at their favorite café. As she made her way there, her stomach churned with anxiety. What if she messed this up?

When Charlotte arrived, she spotted Engfa sitting at a corner table. Her expression was a mix of concern and frustration, which made Charlotte's heart sink a little. Engfa looked up, her eyes narrowing slightly as Charlotte approached.

"Hey," Charlotte said softly, sliding into the seat across from her.

"Hey," Engfa replied, her tone a bit curt. "So, what's going on with you?"

Charlotte took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts. "I've just been... thinking a lot."

Engfa's eyes flashed with impatience. "Thinking? Or avoiding? Because it feels like you've been pulling away from me for days."

Charlotte felt a pang of guilt. "I'm not trying to avoid you. It's just... everything is so confusing right now."

"Confusing? Or just hard?" Engfa leaned forward, her tone sharper. "If it's hard, you can't just shut me out. I care about you, Charlotte. I don't understand why you won't let me in."

The frustration in Engfa's voice made Charlotte's heart race. "I know, and I appreciate that. But it's not easy for me to talk about what I'm feeling. I don't want to mess things up between us."

"By not talking, you're already messing things up," Engfa shot back, her eyes flashing. "It feels like you don't trust me, like you're afraid to show me what you really feel. And it's hurting me."

Charlotte flinched at the truth of Engfa's words. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm just scared. Scared of what it means if I admit how I feel. I don't want to lose you."

Engfa's expression softened slightly, but there was still a fire in her eyes. "You're not going to lose me just because you're figuring things out. But if you keep this up, you might push me away for good. I need to know where we stand."

Charlotte looked down, fighting back tears. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to put you in this position. It's just... I've never felt this way about anyone before, and it terrifies me."

Engfa sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I get that, I really do. But you can't expect me to just sit here and wait while you figure it all out. I need you to talk to me, to be honest about what's going on in your head and heart."

"I want to," Charlotte said, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I'm scared of saying the wrong thing and ruining everything."

Engfa leaned back, her expression serious but softening. "Look, I'm not asking for perfection. I just want to know where you're at. We can work through this together, but you have to meet me halfway."

Charlotte nodded, the weight of her emotions pressing down on her. "You're right. I've been so focused on my own confusion that I didn't think about how it was affecting you."

Engfa sighed again, this time with a hint of relief. "I just want you to feel safe enough to share your feelings with me. I care about you, and I don't want this tension between us."