𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐊𝐈𝐍

𝑬𝒑𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒅𝒆 23: "𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒔𝒊𝒏"

୨୧
France, Paris
Church
B.G.C.
──── ୨୧ ────

The car ride to church was unbearable. Shawn gripped the steering wheel with a tension that mirrored the tightness in my chest. Blue sat in the backseat, her earphones on, oblivious to the unspoken conflict between her parents. I could feel the air thickening with every passing minute, a pressure building up, threatening to burst.

I leaned over slightly, my voice barely above a whisper. “You could at least pretend to care about how this looks,” I hissed.

Shawn glanced at me, his jaw tightening. “And you could at least stop pretending you’re some saint,” he shot back, his voice low but cutting.

I rolled my eyes, trying to keep my composure. Blue didn’t need to hear this, and neither of us wanted a public scene at church. “You always do this, Shawn. You’re always trying to start something when I’m just trying to get through the day.”

He snorted, his knuckles white against the steering wheel. “Maybe if you’d stop acting like I’m the enemy, we wouldn’t be fighting all the time.”

I bit back the retort on the tip of my tongue. We weren’t going to solve anything here. Not in the car, not in hushed tones before we had to face the congregation and pretend we were a united front. The truth was, the strain between us was more than just cracks—it felt like a canyon growing wider by the day.

We pulled up to the church, the large white building towering over us, a beacon of peace that felt so far out of reach. As soon as the car came to a stop, I exhaled sharply, relieved to be done with the suffocating silence.

I turned to unbuckle my seatbelt when something, or rather someone, caught my eye.

There, across the parking lot, was Onika, her presence hitting me like a ray of sunlight on a stormy day. She wore a stunning red sundress that flowed down to her ankles, and those pink and red Louboutins I had bought her. The sight of her hair, in soft waves cascading down her back for the first time, made my breath hitch. She was talking to someone, an older woman I vaguely recognized from around the church, but her gaze shifted to mine.

The moment our eyes met, Onika’s face lit up, her whole expression brightening like the first glimpse of dawn after a long night. It was impossible not to feel my heart stutter in response. I felt a shy smile tug at my lips, my face flushing slightly. What is this girl doing to me?

Onika mouthed the words, “Let’s leave,” her playful grin only making my stomach flutter more.

I glanced at Shawn, who was busy pulling out his phone, clearly already disinterested in anything involving me or the church. Good.

“I’m going to head home,” I said quickly, the lie already forming as I opened the car door. “I’m not feeling well.”

Shawn barely glanced up. “Whatever, just take the car. I’ll come back with Blue later.”

“Fine.” I grabbed the keys, not waiting for a second longer as I slipped out of the car. I didn’t need to fake my relief. The thought of escaping from the heavy atmosphere between Shawn and me was enough to give me wings.

I settled into the driver’s seat, watching the crowd around the church slowly funnel inside. I glanced at the rearview mirror, my eyes searching for Onika. Moments later, she jogged from behind the building, her lavender scent hitting me as she slid into the passenger seat. She smelled like something sweet and comforting, a smell that wrapped around me like a warm hug.

“You look gorgeous, sweetheart,” I said, the words slipping out before I could stop them. I couldn’t help it—she really did.

Onika blushed, her cheeks turning the softest shade of pink. “Why, thank you,” she said, her voice teasing but shy.