𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 | 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲

𝐓 𝐇 𝐈 𝐑 𝐓 𝐘 - 𝐅 𝐈 𝐕 𝐄

Sofia

In my room, the air felt stifling. Mateo sat there, lounged back in my desk chair, his arms folded as he looked at me with that twisted smirk that always made my skin crawl. I forced myself to keep my voice steady as I pointed to the door.

"Get the hell out of my room, Mateo." I snapped, wanting nothing more than for him to just disappear from my life entirely.

His smirk deepened, his dark eyes narrowing in a way that chilled me. "You really should be careful how you talk to me, Sofia." he said, his tone dripping with a threat he didn't even bother to hide.

I clenched my fists, feeling the frustration and helplessness boiling up inside me. But I knew yelling at him would only make things worse, so I took a deep breath, my voice forced to a calmer tone. "Just... please leave. Get out of my house, Mateo."

He rolled his eyes like I was some kind of nuisance, standing up slowly from the chair and making his way over to me. I stepped back, but he didn't stop, and soon he was right in front of me, his face only inches from mine. He leaned in, his voice dropping to a dark whisper.

"Remember who you belong to, Sofia. If you so much as breathe a word of this to Camden, or anyone else..." His lips twisted into a cruel smirk. "That tape is going public."

My stomach twisted painfully at his words, my heart dropping like a stone. He was threatening me with the sex tape. The one I hadn't even known he was recording. I still couldn't believe he'd done that, and that he was using it as leverage to control me. And for what? Just because he knew how I felt about Camden?

I glared at him, disgust and fury battling inside me. "You're pathetic, Mateo."

But my words didn't faze him. He just gave a little shrug, his hand suddenly gripping my waist tightly, bruisingly. Before I could push him away, he crushed his lips against mine, his kiss hard and possessive, stealing my breath and making my skin crawl. I pushed at his chest, finally managing to shove him off.

He looked at me with that same twisted smirk, like he enjoyed seeing me suffer. "Remember, Sofia. You belong to me." he said, before finally heading toward the door, leaving my room as if he hadn't just destroyed whatever trust, whatever fleeting warmth, had ever existed between us.

The moment he was gone, I felt my knees buckle, collapsing onto my bed as the tears began to fall. I buried my face in my hands, muffling the sobs that ripped from my chest. How had it come to this? How had I let someone like him into my life, let him get close enough to hurt me like this?

And now, because of his threats, I was trapped. Stuck in this twisted excuse for a relationship, forced to pretend, to smile and act like everything was fine... all because if I didn't, he'd destroy me. And he'd ruin any chance I had with Camden.

My heart ached at the thought of her, at the idea that I couldn't even talk to her, couldn't tell her the truth. She'd hate me if she knew. Or worse, she'd pity me. I wanted her to see me as strong, as someone who could handle anything. Not as someone weak enough to be manipulated by someone like Mateo.

But right now, I couldn't even feel strong. All I could feel was trapped, hurt, and so, so alone.

Lying on my bed, I stare up at the ceiling, feeling the weight of everything crashing down on me. My pillow is soaked with tears, and no matter how much I try to stop crying, the tears just keep coming. It's like my heart is breaking and mending itself over and over, only to break again. I clutch the pillow tightly, trying to silence the sobs that seem to rip right out of my chest.

Camden's confession keeps playing in my mind, her words echoing like a melody I can't forget. I love you. I remember the way her voice softened, the way her eyes searched mine, vulnerable and hopeful. I was so stunned, so overwhelmed. I hadn't been ready. I didn't know how to handle the feelings she stirred inside me, feelings I'd buried for so long. And instead of facing them, I ran away. I thought that dating Mateo would make it easier, that maybe I could push those feelings for Camden aside if I tried hard enough. I told myself I needed someone like him, that it was safer, simpler.

But that was a lie. I realize now, with a painful clarity, that it was all a lie. Mateo wasn't the solution; he was a mistake, a choice I made in desperation and confusion. That night he dragged me to the club, getting me so drunk that everything felt like a blur, I thought I could trust him. I thought he cared about me. But waking up beside him the next morning, feeling exposed and betrayed, I realized he'd taken advantage of my vulnerability, of my need to escape. I feel sick just thinking about it.

And now, he's using that night against me, threatening me with a tape I didn't even know he recorded. The thought of anyone seeing that video fills me with shame and horror, but what terrifies me the most is Camden finding out. I don't know what she would think of me, or if she'd even look at me the same way again. The idea of her disgusted, disappointed... it's more than I can bear.

I roll onto my side and grab the small Polaroid on my nightstand. It's a photo of Camden and me from last summer. We're at the beach, arms wrapped around each other, grinning like idiots. She's so beautiful in the picture, her smile so radiant, and I look... I look happy. I look like someone who isn't drowning in secrets, someone who isn't haunted by mistakes. In that moment, I was free, and I was with the person who mattered most to me in the entire world. My best friend. The one person who always understood me, always made me feel safe.

I run my thumb over Camden's face in the photo, my chest aching. I miss her so much. The way she used to laugh at my dumb jokes, the way she'd pull me into these tight, warm hugs that felt like home. I miss her more than I've ever missed anyone. But it's more than that... I love her. I'm in love with her, and I've only realized it now, when it might be too late.

My stomach twists when I think about Sage. I know Camden and Sage aren't together, not officially, but I can see the way Camden looks at her. There's something there, something real, something I should've seen when Camden looked at me. And it kills me. It kills me to think that I could've had that if I hadn't been so scared, if I hadn't let Mateo get in the way. I want Camden to be happy, but I can't stand the thought of her moving on without me. I don't know if I could handle that.

The problem is... I don't know what to do. Mateo has me cornered, threatening to ruin everything if I even try to talk to Camden. I want to believe that my mom could help me, that she could protect me, but I'm scared. What would she think if she found out? If I tell her the truth, I'll have to admit what I've done, the mistakes I made, and I'm not sure I'm ready for that. I'm scared of what she might think of me, what she might say.

But I can't keep living like this, hiding in the shadows, letting Mateo control me. And if I don't do something soon, Camden might slip away, might find happiness with someone else. And I'll be left with nothing but regrets.

I take a shaky breath, clutching the Polaroid to my chest as I stare up at the ceiling, trying to gather the courage I know I need. "I'm so sorry, Camden." I whisper, my voice trembling. "I'm so sorry I messed everything up. I... I love you. I just... I didn't know until it was too late."

The words hang in the silence of my room, and for a brief moment, I feel a strange kind of peace, like I've finally admitted the truth to myself. But the fear is still there, clawing at my insides, reminding me that I have a choice to make, a choice that could change everything.

I close my eyes, holding Camden's photo tightly, wishing more than anything that I could go back, that I could fix all of this, that I could tell her how I feel without all the secrets and lies. But I know that won't happen. The only way forward is to be brave, to face Mateo, to fight for what I want. For the person I love.

For Camden.

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~ R