𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 | 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲

𝐓 𝐖 𝐄 𝐍 𝐓 𝐘 - 𝐍 𝐈 𝐍 𝐄

Camden

I sat in the doctor's office, feeling like I was floating through a fog as he explained that I had a bad cold and needed to rest, drink plenty of water, and take it easy for the next few days. The exhaustion that had been weighing on me these past weeks must have finally caught up to me, and now here I was, sitting in a doctor's office with my mom, listening to him go over basic recovery instructions as if I hadn't heard them a hundred times before.

I nodded along, barely paying attention, my mind drifting to how quickly everything had unraveled in my life. Everything about my relationship with Sofia, everything I'd held so dear and real, it was gone, like a sandcastle washed away by the tide.

On the drive back, my mom kept glancing at me with that worried look she always had when she thought I was going through something I didn't want to talk about. She finally broke the silence. "Camden, honey, are you okay?"

"I'll be fine." I muttered, leaning back against the headrest, feeling the ache in my chest that wouldn't go away. The cold air from the vents blew across my face, doing little to cool the feverish burn behind my eyes.

As we neared home, I took a deep breath. "Hey, Mom, could we stop at Blue Café? I could really use an iced coffee and a piece of cheesecake."

My mom gave me a gentle smile, nodding. "Of course, sweetheart." She pulled into the parking lot, stopping in front of the café. Before I could open the door, she looked at me. "Do you want me to come with you?"

I forced a smile, waving her off. "Nah, Mom, I got it. I can go in alone." I knew she was worried, and I didn't want her to feel like she had to hover over me, especially not here. She nodded, understanding, and then handed me her card.

"Get me a black coffee, okay?" she said, patting my hand.

"Sure, Mom." I took the card and slipped out of the car, hoping that maybe a little caffeine and sugar would lift my spirits, even just for a moment.

As I walked into the café, the familiar aroma of coffee and pastries hit me, usually comforting, but today it felt hollow. I put in my order at the counter, then leaned back against the wall to wait, letting my eyes wander absently over the café. That's when I saw it.

My stomach twisted, anger and hurt immediately bubbling up like a tidal wave that hit me so hard I almost felt dizzy. There, just twenty feet away from me, sat Sofia with Mateo in a booth, completely wrapped up in each other. Sofia was leaning into him, her head tucked against his shoulder as he whispered something into her ear. She giggled, her face lighting up with that sweet smile that had once been only for me.

It felt like someone had taken a sledgehammer to my chest. She looked so happy, so carefree, as if nothing had happened, as if she hadn't completely shattered me just a week ago. She was over there, laughing and cuddling with Mateo like she hadn't ripped my heart to pieces.

The sight crushed me, but it also made me furious. How could she just... move on so easily? How could she sit there, laughing with him, like I was nothing? Like I didn't even matter?

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down before I did something stupid, something I'd regret. I couldn't let her see how much she was affecting me, couldn't let her see that I was still hurting. I had to keep it together.

The barista called my name, snapping me out of my daze, and I walked up to the counter to grab my order. I could feel Sofia's eyes on me, and against my better judgment, I glanced her way one last time. Our gazes met, and for a second, the air felt thick with tension. Her expression was stone cold, completely unreadable, but mine... mine was full of hurt and anger. I couldn't hide it, not from her.

For a brief moment, I thought I saw something flicker in her eyes, an emotion I couldn't pin down. Regret? Guilt? I couldn't be sure, and honestly, I didn't have the energy to try and figure it out.

I turned away, clenching my jaw and heading out the door without a word. As I climbed back into the car, my mom looked over at me, her expression soft with concern. "Camden, are you okay?"

I forced a small smile, though it felt hollow and weak. "No." I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "But... I will be."

My mom nodded, reaching over to squeeze my hand, a gesture that reminded me that even in this mess, I still had people who cared. And maybe, just maybe, that would be enough to get me through this.

————————————————————————————————————

~ R