Love, Lies, and Loyalty

Chapter 9: A Bold Decision

Mia sat cross-legged on her bed, staring at the scattered books and papers around her. She had tried to focus on her studies, but her mind kept drifting back to Ryan—his smile, his laughter, the way he made her feel seen. She was still wrestling with her feelings, the pull between wanting to be there for Sarah and wanting to follow her heart.

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts, and Sarah peeked through the door, her expression serious. "Can I come in?"

"Of course," Mia replied, sitting up straight. "What's up?"

Sarah stepped inside and closed the door behind her. She took a deep breath, her hands fidgeting in front of her. "We need to talk."

Mia's heart raced. "About Ryan?"

"Yeah," Sarah said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "I've been thinking a lot about us and about how we're handling all of this."

Mia felt a lump form in her throat. She wasn't sure where this was going, but she braced herself for the worst. "What do you mean?"

"I mean... I think we're both trying so hard to protect each other, but it's making everything more complicated." Sarah looked directly at Mia, her eyes searching for understanding. "We both like Ryan, and we can't just keep pretending it's not there."

Mia swallowed hard. "So what are you saying?"

"I think we should be honest with each other," Sarah said. "Not just about our feelings, but about what we really want. If we're both interested in Ryan, then maybe we should just go for it."

Mia's heart sank. "But what about our friendship? I don't want to hurt you, Sarah. I don't want to compete for him."

Sarah shook her head, her expression firm. "This isn't about competition. It's about being real with each other. We can both like him. We're not betraying each other by wanting the same thing. I just think we need to stop dancing around it and be upfront about our feelings."

Mia stared at her, trying to process what Sarah was saying. It was a bold move, one that could either bring them closer or tear them apart. But deep down, Mia felt a flicker of hope. If they both admitted their feelings, maybe they could find a way to navigate this together.

"What if he chooses one of us?" Mia asked softly, her voice trembling.

"Then that's how it goes," Sarah replied, her eyes steady. "But at least we'll know we tried. I don't want to keep holding back and wondering 'what if.'"

Mia took a deep breath, the weight of the decision hanging in the air. "So you really think we should both go for him?"

"Yeah," Sarah said, her enthusiasm bubbling to the surface. "Let's be honest about our feelings. We can talk to him together and see where it goes. If nothing else, we'll know we gave it our best shot."

Mia nodded slowly, her heart racing at the thought. It felt risky, but there was something exhilarating about the idea of facing Ryan together. They would be honest with him—and with each other. No more secrets.

"Okay," Mia finally said, a smile breaking through her uncertainty. "Let's do it."

Sarah grinned, relief washing over her. "Great! I'll text him and see if he's free to hang out soon."

As Sarah pulled out her phone, Mia's stomach fluttered with a mix of excitement and anxiety. They were taking a leap into unknown territory, but for the first time in a long while, Mia felt like they were in this together.

They would face whatever came next—together.