- The Se

city alive around her but feeling like a distant hum. She adjusted her jacket, pulling it tighter around her body as if it could shield

ilt twisted her stomach as she glanced down a

all she felt was the dull ache of obligation. She could still feel Ethan's hands on her skin, his lips against hers. Ev

. How much longer could she keep this up? She couldn't deny that being with Ethan made he

all space that suddenly felt suffocating. The silence was too much. She neede

, and this time it wasn

up? Need

strained. Mia had been pulling away, and she knew Sophie had noticed. How could she tell her best friend that the reas

esponse: "Yeah, I'm

hie's reply came in

to face Sophie, especially not after what just happ

. Come

ew something? What if she had seen Mia and Ethan together? Mia shook t

meetings with Ethan. And Sophie, who Mia had been dodging for w

s crossed, looking more serious than usual. Sophie was always the life of the party, alway

stepping inside wit

h knotted. "H

s through her hair. "I... I need to talk to you

to Sophie, her mind spinning with worst-case scenarios. "You can tell me

an expression that made her insides twis

roat. Did Sophie know? Could s

, her voice shaky despite he

her hands. "Mia, something happened. I don't

reezing in place. The words hit her like a punch to the gu

ng to process what she had

while ago, before you and Liam got together. I didn't want to tell

as stare at Sophie, the truth unraveling in front of her like

onths-the man who made her feel like she was the

ears welling in her eyes. "I didn't me

bled in her lap as the room seemed to close in on her.

te," Mia stammered, backing away from the couch. She could feel her pulse pounding in her

"I didn't know how to tell yo

f emotions she couldn't untangle. She need

jacket and rushing toward the door, barely able to

stumbled down the steps of her apartment building, her thoughts racing in a million different directions.

e had he

her mind replaying Sophie's confession over and over again. She had been so sure of Ethan,

nd she glanced down to see Ethan

ready?" the

t. She wanted to throw the phone, to scream, to forget that any of this had ever happened. Bu