Obsessed With You

chapter 17

Mattia

I sit back in the chair, watching her face go through a whole storm of emotions-shock, embarrassment, anger-everything hits her at once. Sophia stands up, pacing until she's right in front of me.

She asks again, her voice shaky but trying to sound stronger than it is. "Mattia, did you really the one that I kissed ?"

I stare straight into her eyes. "Yeah, Sophia."

Her hand flies across my face before I even register what's happening. The sting burns, but I don't flinch. "You're fucking disgusting," she spits out. "How could you take advantage of me when I was drunk?"

I breathe in slowly, keeping my cool, but damn, it's hard. "Did you even notice it was you who kissed me first? Not the other way around."

She glares at me, practically shaking with rage. "But you didn't stop me! You were fucking sober!"

"Goddammit, I tried!" I snap back. "But you were pulling me closer. You think I could just-" I pause, trying to keep the frustration from exploding, but it slips out anyway. "You think I could just push you off when you wouldn't let go? Jesus, Sophia."

She stares at me, her chest heaving, but I see that moment of realization, that crack in her anger. It was her move first, but I wasn't exactly innocent either. This whole thing-fuck, it's messed up.

And now we're standing here, in this fucked-up situation, neither of us willing to back down.

She steps closer, her eyes burning with disgust. "There's no fucking excuse for what you did, Mattia. I don't care if I started it." Her voice shakes with both rage and something else-hurt. "I swear, if I ever wanted to kiss someone, it sure as hell wouldn't have been you."

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut, and for a second, I'm speechless. I want to say something, anything, but I can't. She's breathing hard, her eyes locked on mine, like I've broken something she thought was unbreakable.

"You're not the kind of guy I'd ever fucking choose. Not someone I'd be proud of."

The weight of her words hangs heavy in the air, settling like a dark cloud over me. I look down for a moment, feeling this knot of regret tightening in my chest. I know I need to say something, to make her understand.

"Listen, Sophia," I start, my voice shaky. "I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have kissed you. I also apologize for not being the kind of guy you can be proud of. I never wanted to disappoint you like this."

I glance up at her, and I see her expression shift a little, the anger in her eyes softening. She takes a deep breath, and for a moment, it feels like the air between us is charged with something else-something vulnerable.

"I'm sorry too," she replies quietly, surprising me. "I shouldn't have kissed you either."

I furrow my brows, confusion creeping in. "Wait, what? You're sorry for kissing me?"

She nods, and I can see her frustration melting away. But before I can react, I shake my head, trying to brush it off. "Look, I'm not upset about you kissing me. I don't want you to think that. I just... I don't want you to see me as someone you regret."

Her eyes meet mine, and for the first time, I see a flicker of understanding. It's a small moment, but it means everything.

"Why have you started treating me like this?" I asked, leaning against the doorframe, my arms crossed. I could see the irritation flicker in her eyes, and honestly, it felt good to push her buttons.

"It's just my way," Sophia shot back, tossing her hair over her shoulder like it was the most casual thing in the world.

"Your way has changed since I told you about Nick," I retorted, my heart racing as I watched her expression shift.