Sophie's Life

Chapter 38: The Heartbreak (2 in 1)

3rd person Pov

A few days later, Sophie found herself at the park with the whole gang. The weather was cool, leaves drifting down around them, and the open space made the tension among friends less stifling—or so she hoped. She spotted Daniel by the swings, laughing with Aiden, who was animatedly talking about some science theory he'd picked up in class. Their easy banter made her smile. Aiden and Daniel had this effortless vibe that was rare, and their friendship was something she genuinely valued.

Sophie walked over, feeling Daniel's eyes on her as she joined them. "Mind if I interrupt the bromance?"

Aiden grinned, nudging Daniel's shoulder. "Ah, Sophie, you're just in time. I was explaining to Daniel here that my theory could revolutionize how we approach energy storage, but he's insisting it sounds like sci-fi."

Daniel chuckled, giving Aiden a playful push. "It's not that I don't believe you, dude. Just saying, you've got quite the imagination."

"Don't I always?" Aiden replied, throwing an arm around Daniel's shoulders, and with mock dramatic flair, pulled him closer. "You know you love it."

Sophie shook her head, smiling as she watched their banter, feeling momentarily at ease. She could tell that the two of them had something unique—a bromance that was both lighthearted and solid. There was something endearing in the way they playfully flirted without a hint of seriousness.

But Daniel's gaze softened as he turned his attention to Sophie. Aiden noticed it too and, catching on, gave Daniel a nudge and a sly smile. "I'll leave you two to it. I can tell when I'm not wanted." He shot Sophie a wink and walked off, calling out to Riley and Kenji nearby.

Once Aiden was gone, Daniel took a step closer, his voice dropping. "Hey, Soph. I wanted to talk to you."

She nodded, crossing her arms. "What's up?"

Daniel rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes a bit uncertain. "I know things have been a bit... weird between us. I didn't mean for that. I guess I just wanted to be honest about something."

She raised an eyebrow, her heart thudding a bit. "Honest about what?"

"Mia," he said simply, his gaze steady. "I like her. I didn't want it to come off as me not caring about our friendship, or leading you on in any way. I value what we have, Sophie. I just... felt like you deserved to know where I stand."

Sophie's lips parted in surprise, and for a moment, she felt a pang of something close to hurt, though it wasn't quite heartbreak. It stung, but in a way that she hadn't expected. She'd known, on some level, that things with Daniel weren't going to turn into anything more. But hearing him say it made it real.

"It's okay," she managed, offering a small smile. "I kind of figured. I mean, you and Mia... you seem to have something, you know?"

"Yeah," Daniel replied, looking genuinely relieved, though he still studied her face, perhaps looking for any sign of pain. "Thanks for being cool about it. I was worried it might mess things up."