It's always you. - Hector Fort

Chapter 14

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The evening at Pedri's place was already on the edge of chaos, everyone laughing louder than usual, voices overlapping and tangling. I sat on the couch, listening more than talking, half-heartedly letting their jokes fill the silence I kept inside.

"Hey! Don't forget about how they were standing when I interrupted!" Alex shouted, breaking out into one of her infamous laughs that sent the whole room into an uproar.

"Yeah, and you were laughing at her, while she just stood there, totally frozen," Lamine chimed in, chuckling as he glanced my way.

"Oh god," Pedri leaned forward, amusement flashing in his eyes. "Who would've thought we'd see them again... and like that?"

"Well, I came back, and there she was. Sweet surprise, right? Pedri and Valentina, of all things," I shot back, a hint of sarcasm hanging in my words.

Pedri looked at me seriously. "You should talk with her, y'know, accept my decision."

I shrugged, putting on my best casual smile. "I accept it, but I won't talk to her. I don't need to—Alex is my best friend now."

"Maybe so, but it would help if you did talk to her," Pedri said, standing up, his gaze steady.

I clenched my jaw, refusing to break eye contact. "Well, I don't think I should. And you guys—" I turned to Alex and Lamine, who were suppressing grins. "You told me to talk to him! And now you're laughing about him trying to kiss me!"

"But... you didn't exactly hesitate, did you?" Lamine raised an eyebrow, his eyes glittering with a mixture of amusement and curiosity.

I felt heat rise to my cheeks. "How would you know?"

"Because," Alex interrupted, snickering. "I was there. You don't have a comeback for that, so hush and let us gossip about this mess."

"Fine, you gossip all you want. I'm going for a walk." I grabbed my jacket, brushing off their laughter as I headed for the door.

"I bet she's going to meet Hector!" Alex called after me, with a playful wink.

"In your dreams." I threw a middle finger over my shoulder and closed the door behind me.

The evening air felt crisp, a slight chill biting against my skin, but I didn't mind. I needed it to clear my head. The path through Pedri's neighborhood was quiet, lined with old trees whose leaves were just beginning to fall. I lost myself in the rhythm of my steps, thinking about the mess of emotions back there, until—

I stumbled forward, bumping into a solid figure.

"Oh!" I stammered, instantly mortified. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

"No, it's oka—Wait. No, it's not."

I looked up and felt my heart drop. Of course. It was Hector.

"Great. You. Again," I muttered with a sigh, crossing my arms.

Hector smirked. "You can't avoid me forever. We'll see each other at Pedri's birthday party, so you might as well get used to it."

"Yeah, and I'll probably bump into you again," I shot back, a forced smile creeping onto my face.

"Like you did with that drink at the last party?" His eyes danced with laughter. "Good thing you're empty-handed this time, Sophie Delgado, or someone's outfit might end up soaked again."

"You're lucky," I replied, rolling my eyes.

"Look," he started, lowering his voice as he glanced around, "maybe we should go somewhere else. I doubt either of us would want to be seen together right now."

I tilted my head, curiosity piquing despite myself. "Where, then?"

"My place," he offered casually, shrugging as though it were the most normal thing in the world. "We need to talk."

There was a beat of silence, my thoughts racing. Every sensible part of me wanted to turn away, but something about the challenge in his eyes pulled me in. Against my better judgment, I nodded.

"Lead the way," I said quietly, and followed him into the cool evening.

At Hector's house

Hector's place felt colder than I'd expected, and yet, there was this undeniable pull keeping me from wanting to leave. I sat on his couch, watching him pace like he was searching for the right words—or maybe the right way to avoid saying anything at all. Typical Hector.

"So... this little 'talk' you wanted," I started, leaning back. "Did you plan to do anything but stare at me?"

He shot me a look, one eyebrow quirking up. "Maybe I was waiting for you to start, since you're the one always acting like you have all the answers." His smirk turned up a notch, but his eyes lingered, daring me to fire back.

I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms. "You wish. The only reason I'm even here is to clear up whatever drama you keep stirring up."

"Oh, so now I'm the one causing drama?" He leaned closer, his voice lowering just a notch. "Last I checked, you're the one who can't resist throwing little sarcastic remarks every time you see me."

"Maybe I just like giving you a hard time," I shot back, the corner of my mouth lifting involuntarily.

"Or maybe you just like me." His words came out smooth, and he leaned in, his gaze pinning me down.

I snorted, hoping to sound indifferent, though I felt heat rise in my cheeks. "Trust me, you're not that special."

"Could've fooled me." He tilted his head, his expression slipping for just a moment, a flicker of something else in his eyes—something softer, more vulnerable. "So what is it, Sophie? You don't like me, or you just don't know how to admit it?"

I held his gaze, refusing to be the one who blinked first. "I don't like you. I just... like keeping you in check."

"Is that so?" He reached out, brushing a stray hair from my face, his fingers lingering a little too long. "Because it seems like you don't want to keep me at a distance as much as you pretend."

My breath hitched, but I forced myself to stay calm. "Please. If I wanted to keep you close, I'd have done it already. I'm just here to let you down easy, spare you some heartbreak."

Hector let out a low laugh, shaking his head. "You're so full of it. Here you are, in my house, telling me all the reasons you supposedly don't like me... yet, you're still here. Doesn't add up, does it?"

"You think you've got me all figured out, don't you?" I scoffed, leaning in until our faces were inches apart. "Well, newsflash, you don't. Not even close."

"Maybe I don't," he murmured, his gaze dipping to my lips before flicking back up to my eyes. "But I think I'd like to."

My heart pounded, the tension between us so thick I could barely breathe. We sat there, locked in a silent standoff, the air crackling with something unspoken, both of us waiting to see who'd make the first move.

Finally, I tilted my head, defiant. "You talk a big game, Hector. But that's all it is. Talk."

He didn't answer. Instead, he leaned in, closing the distance, his lips brushing mine with a gentleness that surprised me. I felt my resolve slipping, melting into the warmth of his mouth, the taste of his breath.

I pulled back, just enough to breathe, eyes half-closed. "See? This is exactly why I don't like you."

"Oh yeah?" he whispered, a grin playing at his lips. "Then why'd you kiss me back?"

I narrowed my eyes, trying to keep up the facade. "Because I felt bad for you. You looked... desperate."

He laughed, pulling me closer. "Keep telling yourself that, Delgado."

And this time, when he kissed me, I didn't pull away.