Love, Lies, and Loyalty

Chapter 14: Unfinished Business

 The next few days passed in a blur. Mia and Ryan spent more time together, trying to find some sense of normalcy after everything that had happened. But no matter how much she tried to focus on the good moments, Mia couldn't shake the feeling that something was unfinished—something that still needed to be resolved.

Sarah.

Her absence weighed on Mia like a ghost that refused to disappear. They hadn't spoken since that night, and even though Mia knew it would be painful, she couldn't leave things the way they were. Ryan had told her to move forward, to focus on them, but how could she do that when the wreckage of her friendship with Sarah loomed so heavily over everything?

One evening, Mia found herself sitting on her bed, staring at her phone. She scrolled through her old messages with Sarah, seeing the traces of a friendship that had once felt unbreakable. Now, it was shattered beyond recognition.

Her thumb hovered over Sarah's name, and before she could second-guess herself, she sent a message:

Mia: Can we talk?

She didn't expect an immediate response, but a few minutes later, her phone buzzed.

Sarah: Where?

Mia blinked at the simplicity of the reply. She wasn't sure what kind of reaction she had expected—maybe anger, maybe silence—but Sarah's response left her feeling even more uncertain.

Mia: The park. Tomorrow after school?

Sarah's reply was almost instant.

Sarah: Okay.

The word lingered on the screen, carrying an unsettling weight. Mia felt her heart race as she realized what this conversation could mean for their future. Could they repair anything, or was it too late? The next day would decide everything.

The following afternoon, Mia walked to the park, her stomach twisted in knots. The autumn air had grown colder, the sky overcast, matching her somber mood. She spotted Sarah sitting on a bench, her face turned away, looking out over the park as the wind blew softly through the trees.

Mia approached cautiously, her heart pounding in her chest. "Hey."

Sarah didn't look at her right away, but after a moment, she turned, her expression unreadable. "Hey."

Mia sat down beside her, the tension between them thick and heavy. The silence stretched out, neither girl knowing how to begin.

Finally, Mia spoke, her voice soft. "I didn't come here to fight, Sarah. I just... I don't want to leave things like this between us."

Sarah let out a bitter laugh, her eyes focused on the ground. "How else can things be, Mia? You got everything you wanted. You won. There's nothing left to say."

Mia's heart clenched at her words. "It's not about winning, Sarah. I didn't want any of this to happen. I didn't want to lose you."

"You didn't lose me, Mia," Sarah said sharply, her voice cutting through the air. "You pushed me away. You always do. Every time something good happens to me, you're right there, taking it away without even realizing it."

Mia's throat tightened, guilt washing over her. "I never meant to do that. I didn't know you felt that way."

"How could you not know?" Sarah snapped, finally turning to face her, her eyes filled with anger and pain. "I told you how I felt about Ryan. I told you, and you still went for him. And guess what? He picked you. Just like always."

Mia swallowed hard, trying to hold back tears. "I didn't know, Sarah. I didn't know you felt like I was taking things from you. I thought we could both step back, but..."

"But he didn't step back from you," Sarah finished, her voice thick with emotion. "He chose you."

Mia's chest ached. "I know. I'm sorry, Sarah. For everything. For not seeing how much this was hurting you."

For a long moment, Sarah didn't say anything. She just stared at the ground, her hands clenched in her lap. When she finally spoke, her voice was softer, but no less raw. "I don't know if I can forgive you, Mia. Not right now."

Mia nodded, her heart sinking. She had expected this, but hearing it out loud made the reality harder to bear. "I understand."

Sarah let out a long sigh, her expression weary. "I never wanted to be this person. I never wanted to be the one who made everything worse. But I couldn't stand the thought of losing you... and Ryan."

"You didn't have to lose either of us," Mia said quietly. "We could have figured it out together."

Sarah's lips trembled, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "But now it's too late."

The silence that followed was filled with the unspoken pain of a friendship torn apart. Mia felt the weight of it pressing down on her, and for the first time, she realized that maybe some things couldn't be fixed. Maybe this was one of those times.

"I'll give you space," Mia said, her voice trembling. "But if you ever want to talk, I'm here. No matter what."

Sarah nodded, but didn't look at her. "I'll think about it."

Mia stood up, feeling the finality of their conversation. As she walked away, her chest felt tight, like a door had been closed that might never open again.

That evening, Mia sat with Ryan in his living room, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. She told him everything that had happened, every word exchanged with Sarah, and though he tried to comfort her, she still felt the hollow ache of losing someone she had cared about for so long.

"I'm proud of you for talking to her," Ryan said, kissing the top of her head. "I know it wasn't easy."

Mia leaned into him, her voice barely a whisper. "I just wish it didn't end like this."

Ryan didn't respond right away, but he held her closer. "Sometimes people just grow apart, Mia. And no matter how hard you try to fix it, some things just can't go back to the way they were."

Mia closed her eyes, feeling the truth of his words settle in. She had wanted to fix things with Sarah, to hold onto the friendship that had once meant everything to her, but maybe that wasn't possible. Maybe the best thing she could do now was let go.

As they sat in the quiet of Ryan's house, the future felt uncertain. But Mia knew that whatever came next, she would have to face it without Sarah by her side.

And for the first time, she began to accept that.