Heart Over Heels

Chapter 9

It was a bright Saturday morning when I stirred from my sleep, sunlight streaming through the thin white curtains of my small bedroom. My eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the soft golden glow of the room.

I stretched lazily under the covers, savoring the rare luxury of a day off. The weight of work and office politics could take a backseat for once. Today, I and Sophie have plans to unwind.

As I slipped out of bed, I felt a rare sense of peace. Our apartment, cozy and lived-in, was a sanctuary. The soft pastel tones of the living room greeted me as I padded down the hall to the kitchen.

The scent of fresh coffee hung in the air, and I smiled when I found Sophie, already awake and seated at the small round table. Sophie's auburn hair was tousled from sleep, but her eyes were bright with anticipation.

"Morning, sleeping beauty," Sophie teased as she handed me a mug of coffee. "You finally decided to join the land of the living."

I rolled my eyes playfully, accepting the mug with a grateful smile. "Barely. I can't believe you're up already."

Sophie shrugged, her grin widening. "I'm too excited to sleep in. We've got a lot to do today."

I raised an eyebrow, sitting across from my friend. "Like what? Our plans involved watching TV in pajamas and eating leftover pizza."

"True," Sophie agreed, "but now we're adding 'girl talk' and possibly shopping into the mix. And-" Sophie's grin turned mischievous as she sipped her coffee, "we need to talk about Jake."

At the mention of Jake, my curiosity piqued. I had sensed there was something going on between Sophie and him, but Sophie had been playing coy all week.

I leaned forward, my tiredness evaporating. "Okay, spill. What's going on with you two?"

Sophie giggled, hiding her face behind her mug before lowering it and giving me a conspiratorial look. "Well... we've been seeing each other."

I blinked in surprise. "Wait, seeing each other? Like, on actual dates?"

Sophie nodded, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Yeah. Ever since that kiss, things have been different between us. At first, we were both kind of awkward, but then he asked me out for dinner, and... it just felt right, you know?"

I smiled warmly at her , feeling a surge of happiness for her. "I knew it! I had a feeling you guys were heading that way."

Sophie's smile turned shy. "I didn't expect it to happen so fast. But I like him, Emma. He's not just the office flirt-there's more to him than that. He's thoughtful, funny, and when it's just the two of us... he's actually really sweet."

I couldn't help but tease her. "So, are you two like... officially dating now? Or still testing the waters?"

Sophie shrugged, though the giddiness in her expression gave her away. "I think we're on our way to something official. We've only been on a few dates, but... it feels good."

"I'm happy for you, Soph," I said sincerely. "You deserve someone who makes you feel that way."

Sophie's smile softened, but then she leaned forward, her tone suddenly more serious. "But what about you? You and Max have been spending a lot of time together lately. Is there anything... going on?"

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of Max. I quickly shook my head, though I could feel a slight flush creeping onto my cheeks. "Max and I are just friends," I said, a little too quickly.

Sophie gave me a knowing look, resting her chin on her hand. "Come on, Emma. I see the way he looks at you. And don't pretend you haven't noticed."

I bit my lip, my thoughts drifting back to the small moments I had shared with Max. The way his gaze lingered on me sometimes, the soft tone he used when he spoke to me, the thoughtful gestures-like the sundress he had bought for me, standing by my side in the office.