Between Us

☆ part twenty ☆

Larks pov

The moment Sophie pulled away, her wide, panicked eyes boring into mine, I felt my heart crack in two. She didn't say anything—just stumbled off the branch and all but ran back toward the group. I didn't stop her. How could I? I sat there, frozen, staring at the spot where she had just been, my lips still tingling from the kiss. It had been everything I'd imagined—soft, warm, perfect—and yet it had ended in disaster. Because of course, it had. What else could I have possibly expected?

As soon as she was out of sight, the weight of what I'd done crashed down on me. My chest tightened, and I let out a shaky breath, burying my face in my hands. "God, what's wrong with me?" I whispered to no one.

The branch swayed slightly beneath me, the only sound the gentle rustling of the wind and the faint ripple of the lake below. I clenched my fists, digging my nails into my palms, trying to ground myself, but it didn't help. The tears came anyway, hot and relentless, slipping down my cheeks and dripping onto the bark beneath me. Why did I do that? Why couldn't I just keep it together? I wiped at my face furiously, as though I could erase the evidence of my weakness, but it didn't stop the tears. They just kept coming, each one heavier than the last, like they were trying to drown me in my own regret.

Sophie was my best friend. She had been the one constant in my life, the one person who made everything feel a little less unbearable. She had this way of making the world seem brighter, of making me feel like I wasn't so alone. And now... now I'd ruined it. I sniffled, pressing my knuckles against my lips to stifle a sob. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. Hell, it wasn't supposed to happen at all. I'd spent months—years—telling myself that these feelings didn't matter, that they were just a phase or a fleeting crush or some other excuse I could cling to so I didn't have to face the truth. But the truth had a funny way of catching up with you.

I stared out at the lake, the sunlight glinting off the surface in a way that was almost too bright, too cheery for the storm raging inside me. My fingers itched to grab my notebook, to scribble down the mess of thoughts and emotions clawing at my insides, but I didn't. What was the point? Words couldn't fix this. I'd kissed her. The thought hit me like a punch to the gut, and a fresh wave of tears spilled over. What the hell had I been thinking? She had a boyfriend. Liam. My brother. The guy who had been nothing but supportive and kind to me even when I didn't deserve it. And Sophie loved him. Of course, she did. I laughed bitterly, the sound harsh and grating. "God, you're such an idiot," I muttered to myself.

I had ruined everything—my friendship with Sophie, my relationship with Liam, the fragile balance I'd been trying so hard to maintain. And for what? A stupid, impulsive moment of weakness? No, not weakness. Honesty. That was the worst part. The kiss hadn't been a mistake. It had been real, raw, and completely, utterly honest. It had been the culmination of every stolen glance, every lingering touch, every unspoken word I'd buried so deep I thought they'd never see the light of day. And now it was out there. Sophie knew. She knew, and she ran.

I wiped at my face again, my hands trembling. What did I expect her to do? Kiss me back? Laugh and say she felt the same way? No. That wasn't Sophie. She was kind and thoughtful and loyal to a fault. She wouldn't betray Liam like that, no matter what she felt. If she felt anything at all. The thought twisted in my gut like a knife. Maybe I had imagined it, the way she leaned in, the way her breath hitched when our lips met. Maybe I had projected my own feelings onto her and saw something that wasn't there. And now, I'd lost her forever.

I let out a shaky breath, leaning back against the trunk of the tree. The bark pressed into my spine, grounding me just enough to keep the tears from overtaking me again. It was stupid. I was stupid. I should have just kept my mouth shut, kept my feelings locked away where they belonged. Because now, I had nothing. No Sophie. No Liam. Just this empty ache in my chest and the knowledge that I'd screwed up the best thing I ever had. I stared out at the lake, the water so calm and still it felt like a cruel joke. How could the world look so peaceful when mine was falling apart?