"You sure?" He stepped closer, his eyes locking with mine.
I swallowed hard, refusing to back down. "Don't be so funny, Fort," I said, staring back into those familiar eyes that I hated knowing so well.
It had only been a few days since that serious, yeah very serious kiss with Hector. We weren't exactly "official," but something was definitely happening between us. Our secret—intense, confusing, but somehow perfect—was something we'd both silently agreed to keep under wraps. Nobody knew, and that made it feel even more exhilarating.
"Of course, you'd have no clue what to wear," Hector teased, sitting comfortably on my bed.
"Thank you, oh wise fashion guru," I replied, rolling my eyes but smiling anyway.
He grinned, leaning back with that easy confidence. "Oh, so now you want my help? Yeah, not happening."
I held up a dress. "What do you think about this?"
"It looks great," he replied, almost too quickly. "Now hurry up, we've got a party to go to."
I went to the bathroom, changed, and came back, smoothing the dress down with a bit of nerves. "Well? How do I look?"
(Your dress)
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"Perfect." He looked me over approvingly and stood up. "Now, let's go."
We walked out of my room together, but before we could leave, I put a hand up to stop him. "Remember, tonight, there's no 'us' for them, alright?"
He nodded, his expression hard to read. "Right, got it."
"I'm heading out with Alex and Pedri. You go meet your Barca friends. Bye," I said with a little wave, turning away.
He chuckled. "Bye, Sophie."
The party was already in full swing by the time we got there. People filled the room, music thumping loud enough to vibrate the walls. Everything seemed like it was falling into place, and for a while, I actually forgot about my nerves. But then I caught Pedri scanning the room as if he were looking for someone. I turned to see who he was looking at, and there she was—Valentina, stepping through the door.
My stomach twisted. It had been a while since we last spoke, and things hadn't ended well. Just seeing her brought back this flood of unresolved feelings—anger, guilt, regret, and maybe even a bit of sadness.
Alex noticed. "You okay?"
"Yeah... I just saw Val," I admitted, feeling a bit exposed.
"Maybe you should talk to her," she suggested, a gentle nudge of encouragement.
"I don't know," I sighed. "I was angry with her, but it wasn't all her fault... I've been blaming her for everything, but I wasn't blameless either."
Alex gave me a reassuring pat on the back. "Look, I'll be over with Lamine if you need me, alright?"
She walked off, and I took a deep breath before making my way over to Valentina. Every step felt heavy, but I knew I couldn't avoid this forever.
"Uh, hey, Valentina," I said, my voice a little shakier than I wanted it to be.
She looked at me, and for a moment, I couldn't read her expression. "Hey."
I took a breath, diving in. "Look, I know things ended badly between us, and I realize it wasn't just on you. I'm sorry for putting all the blame on you. Tonight is about Pedri, so let's just... I don't know, have a good time without any tension, yeah?"
She raised an eyebrow, clearly a little surprised, but then her expression softened. "Yeah. I mean, we both said stuff we didn't mean. It's not easy, but... thanks, Sophie."
Relief washed over me. I managed a small smile. "I just want things to be neutral between us. No hard feelings."
She gave me a nod. "Sounds fair."
The conversation ended without any dramatic exit or harsh words, and that was a relief. Valentina simply headed over toward Pedri, and I was left standing there, feeling lighter than I had in ages.
Just as I was collecting myself, I felt someone grab my hand and pull me out of the crowded room into a quieter hallway. It was Hector.
"You alright?" he asked, his eyes searching mine before leaning in to give me a quick, gentle kiss. I felt myself relax, but I couldn't ignore the risk.
"Careful," I murmured. "If someone sees us—"
"Oops! Didn't mean to interrupt!" came a voice. Of all people, it was Valentina.
I froze, feeling my face heat up. Hector turned, unfazed. "It's fine, Val. You already saw."
She smirked a little, crossing her arms. "You two, huh? Well, guess I was right to think there was something going on there."
I looked at her, trying not to seem too rattled. "Val, please... let's keep this between us."
She raised her hands in a mock surrender. "Don't worry. I may have messed things up between us, Sophie, but I'm not out to make your life harder. It's safe with me."
"Thank you," I whispered, feeling a genuine gratitude for the first time in a long while.
She glanced between us one last time, then just nodded and headed back to the main room. Hector and I exchanged a look, a shared understanding passing between us. This thing between us—it was fragile, precious, and a little chaotic, but it was ours.
"Guess we should get back before anyone else notices," I whispered, managing a small grin.
He smiled back, reaching for my hand one more time before we went back to the party, each of us quietly savoring the secret we shared.
