Invisible Hearts

Here's to the Truth

The rest of the day felt like a blur.

I kept thinking about Chris and how I was still hiding this huge part of my life from him. Every time I saw him laughing or joking around with the guys, my stomach twisted. I didn't want to hurt him, but the secret was eating away at me. The only thing that helped me push it to the back of my mind was the thought of seeing Kevii later, playing basketball with Chris.

After school, S'Nae and I met up at the court. Kevii was already there, stretching and laughing with Chris, who was showing off his moves, as usual.

S'Nae: "Okay, girl, you better not be acting all shy when you get over there. You know Chris ain't stupid."

Vannah: sighs "I know. I just—I don't know how to bring it up. It feels like I'm betraying him, even though I know I'm not."

S'Nae: "You ain't. You're allowed to have a life outside of Chris. He'll get it."

We walked up to the guys, and Kevii immediately flashed me that smile that made my heart race. Chris waved, but there was something in his eyes that made me feel like he was already onto something.

Chris: "Yo, Vannah, you ready to lose to me today?"

Vannah: "You wish."

I smiled and tried to act natural, but S'Nae was right. Chris wasn't buying it. As we started playing, the tension between us felt like it was building. Every time I glanced at him, I caught him looking back at me, like he was waiting for something. I couldn't keep this up for long.

After a few rounds, Kevii pulled me aside for a quick breather.

Kevii: "Everything good, babe? You seem off."

Vannah: laughing nervously "I don't know. I feel like Chris is about to figure it out."

Kevii: "Well, if he does, he does. Just be honest. Don't stress over it."

Just then, Chris came over to us, wiping the sweat off his face with a towel. He raised an eyebrow at me, like he could see through all my fake smiles.

Chris: "Yo, Vannah. We need to talk."

I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. S'Nae shot me a look, and Kevii stepped back, giving us space.

Chris: "Don't think I haven't noticed how weird you've been acting today. You can't hide it forever, you know."

Vannah: looking down "Chris, I... I didn't want to hurt you. But I guess you're right. I've been keeping something from you."

Chris: smirking "I knew it. What's going on, Vannah?"

I took a deep breath and glanced at Kevii, who gave me a supportive nod. This was it. No more running.

Vannah: "I'm... I'm dating Kevii."

Chris's face went from curious to blank in a split second. He didn't say anything at first, and I couldn't read him. It was like the air around us had gone still.

Chris: softly "I had a feeling."

Vannah: "I'm sorry, Chris. I didn't mean to keep this from you. I just didn't know how to tell you."

Chris: looking at Kevii "You two... you've been hiding this for a while, huh?"

Kevii: nodding "Yeah, we've been keeping it low-key."

There was a long pause before Chris finally spoke again, but his tone was more serious than usual.

Chris: "I'm not mad. I just... didn't expect it, I guess. But hey, as long as you're happy, Vannah. That's all that matters."

I let out a breath I didn't even realize I'd been holding. I had expected anger, or worse—silence. But he wasn't mad. He was... okay with it.

Vannah: "Thank you, Chris. You don't know how much that means to me."

Chris: "Just don't forget who your best friend is, alright? No matter who you're dating."

I smiled, relieved, and gave him a quick hug. He clapped me on the back like he always did, then turned to Kevii.

Chris: "Alright, enough of the emotional stuff. Let's finish this game."

As we went back to playing, everything felt a little lighter. The weight of the secret was gone, and even though things between Chris and me might change, I knew we'd be okay.

But I couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning.