Sun-Kissed Hearts (girlxgirl)

Prologue

Leah stood frozen as Charlotte's words washed over her, the anger in her voice cutting through the air like a knife. She had known this confrontation was coming, had dreaded the moment when Charlotte would discover the truth about her feelings for Michael. But nothing could have prepared her for the raw fury that now burned in Charlotte's eyes.

"How could you do this, Leah?" Charlotte's voice shook with emotion, her fists clenched at her sides as she glared at Leah with accusing eyes. "How could you break my brother's heart like that?"

Leah opened her mouth to speak, to offer some feeble explanation for her actions, but the words died on her lips as Charlotte's anger reached a fever pitch. She watched in silence as Charlotte's composure crumbled, her cries of anguish echoing through the room as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Please, Charlotte, I'm sorry," Leah pleaded, her own voice choked with tears as she reached out to comfort her friend. But Charlotte recoiled at her touch, her eyes flashing with betrayal as she pushed Leah away.

"Don't you dare touch me," Charlotte spat, her voice dripping with venom as she took a step back, her chest heaving with emotion. "I trusted you, Leah. I thought you were my friend."

Leah felt her heart shatter into a million pieces at Charlotte's words, the weight of her betrayal crushing her like a ton of bricks. "I am your friend, Charlotte," she insisted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I never meant to hurt you."

But Charlotte would hear none of it, her anger unrelenting as she continued to lash out at Leah with all the pent-up fury of a storm unleashed. And as Leah stood before her, her heart breaking with each blow, she couldn't help but wonder if their friendship would ever be able to withstand the weight of her betrayal.

It was only when Paige burst into the room, her eyes wide with concern, that the torrent of emotions finally came to a halt. Rushing to her sister's side, Paige wrapped her arms around Leah, shielding her from Charlotte's rage as she pleaded for calm.

"Charlotte, please," Paige implored, her voice soft but firm as she gently guided her sister away from Leah. "She's hurting too."

But Charlotte would have none of it, her eyes blazing with fury as she turned to face Leah one final time. "Stay away from Michael," she spat, her voice cold and distant as she delivered her ultimatum. "And stay away from me."

And with that, she stormed out of the room, leaving Leah to collapse into Paige's arms, her tears flowing freely as the weight of her actions finally came crashing down around her.