Love, Lies, and Loyalty

Chapter 7: The Weight of Silence

The days after Mia and Sarah's conversation at the coffee shop were heavy with a kind of silence that Mia wasn't used to. On the surface, things between them seemed fine. They still laughed at the same jokes, texted each other throughout the day, and sat together at lunch. But underneath it all, Mia could feel the weight of what was left unsaid pressing down on them.

Mia had thought that talking about their mutual crush on Ryan would make things easier. But now, it just felt like they were tiptoeing around something fragile, both of them pretending that it wasn't there. Sarah had promised that they would be okay, but Mia wasn't sure if she believed that anymore. Every time Ryan's name came up, a small knot twisted in her stomach, and she could feel the tension build between them.

That Friday after school, Mia sat at her desk, trying to focus on her homework, but her thoughts kept drifting. She couldn't shake the image of Ryan and Sarah together, laughing at some inside joke Mia wasn't part of. She hated that her mind kept going there, but now that she knew Sarah liked him too, it was impossible to ignore. What if Ryan liked Sarah back? What if, despite all of Mia's feelings, she was the one on the outside looking in?

Her phone buzzed on her desk, breaking her out of her spiraling thoughts. It was a text from Sarah.

Sarah: Want to hang out tomorrow? We can watch movies and eat junk food.

Mia smiled a little, appreciating the gesture. Sarah always knew when she needed a distraction. But the thought of spending more time with her, pretending everything was fine, made Mia feel exhausted.

Still, she didn't want to push Sarah away. They had always been inseparable, and Mia wasn't ready to let this crush drive a wedge between them.

Mia: Sure. Sounds good.

The next day, Mia showed up at Sarah's house, a bag of popcorn and candy in hand. Sarah greeted her at the door with her usual bright smile, and for a moment, everything felt normal again. They settled in on the couch, surrounded by snacks, and picked a random rom-com to watch.

As the movie played, Mia found herself getting lost in the storyline, thankful for the escape. But halfway through, Sarah paused the movie and turned to Mia with a serious expression.

"Mia, I've been thinking," Sarah started, her voice soft but firm.

Mia's heart skipped a beat. She knew that tone—Sarah was about to bring up something important. Mia braced herself, unsure of what was coming next.

"I don't want this thing with Ryan to come between us," Sarah said, her eyes searching Mia's for reassurance. "I know it's been weird, but I don't want to lose our friendship over some crush."

Mia nodded, her throat tight. She had been feeling the same thing, but hearing Sarah say it out loud made the reality of the situation even clearer.

"I don't want that either," Mia replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I don't know how to stop feeling the way I feel."

Sarah smiled sadly. "Me neither. But I was thinking... maybe we should both take a step back. From Ryan, I mean."

Mia blinked, surprised by the suggestion. "What do you mean?"

Sarah sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I just think it's too complicated right now. I don't want us to end up resenting each other or feeling weird every time he's around. Maybe if we both... I don't know, took a break from trying to figure out what we feel for him, it would give us some space to figure out what's really important."

Mia sat back, her mind racing. The idea of stepping back from Ryan felt impossible—she had been crushing on him for so long. But at the same time, she couldn't deny that things between her and Sarah had changed. Maybe Sarah was right. Maybe they needed to put their friendship first, before things got even messier.

"I don't know if I can just stop liking him," Mia admitted, her voice shaky. "But I don't want to lose you, Sarah."

Sarah's smile softened. "You won't. I promise. We'll get through this together."

For a moment, the tension between them seemed to ease, and Mia felt a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, they could figure this out. But deep down, Mia wasn't sure if stepping back from Ryan was something she could actually do. Every time she saw him, her feelings only grew stronger, and now that she knew Sarah felt the same way, it made everything that much more complicated.

The next week, Mia tried to keep her distance from Ryan, just like she and Sarah had agreed. It wasn't easy—especially when they shared the same classes and walked in the same friend circles. But she did her best to avoid lingering too long around him or getting caught up in the small moments that made her heart race.

Ryan, however, seemed to notice the change. One afternoon after class, he caught up to Mia in the hallway, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Hey, you've been kind of quiet lately," Ryan said, falling into step beside her. "Is everything alright?"

Mia forced a smile, hoping it didn't look as fake as it felt. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just been busy with school and stuff."

Ryan studied her for a moment, not seeming convinced. "You sure? You and Sarah have both been acting a little... off."

Mia's heart raced at the mention of Sarah. Had he noticed something between them? Was it that obvious?

"Yeah, we've just had a lot on our minds," Mia said quickly, trying to brush it off. "Nothing to worry about."

Ryan gave her a small, crooked smile—the kind that always made her stomach flip. "Alright. Just let me know if you need anything, okay?"

Mia nodded, trying to ignore the flutter in her chest as he walked away. She hated how much she still liked him, even when she was trying so hard to take a step back.

That night, as Mia lay in bed, she couldn't stop thinking about Ryan's words. He had noticed that something was off between her and Sarah. And if he had noticed, how long would it be before everything came crashing down?

Mia stared up at the ceiling, feeling the weight of the silence between her and Sarah grow heavier by the day. They were both pretending to be okay, both trying to push aside their feelings for Ryan, but it was clear that neither of them could completely let go.

And as much as Mia wanted to believe that their friendship would survive this, she couldn't shake the feeling that the real test was still to come.