Between Us

☆ part thirty nine ☆

Larks pov

Indi sat in the passenger seat of my car, scrolling through her phone and glancing at Sophie in the rearview mirror with a sly grin. I had the windows cracked open, letting the breeze flow through the car as we headed to Kitty's party. Sophie sat quietly in the back, fidgeting with the hem of her dress. She looked gorgeous, but she'd gone quiet ever since Indi started poking at her. "So," Indi began, drawing out the word as she turned to face Sophie. "How's it going with you two? Like, I know you're together and all, but... how far have you gone?"

Sophie immediately turned beet red, her wide eyes darting to me as if I could shield her from Indi's relentless curiosity. I couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of me, partly at Indi's bluntness and partly at the way Sophie clammed up like a deer caught in headlights. "Oh, come on, Indi," I said, glancing at her before returning my focus to the road. "Don't grill her like that. You're making her nervous."

"I'm not nervous!" Sophie squeaked from the backseat, though the way she buried her face in her hands said otherwise.

I smirked, stealing a glance at her in the rearview mirror. "Sure, you're not," I teased, my tone light and playful. "Totally calm and collected, Blondie."

Indi cackled, spinning in her seat to face Sophie fully. "You're adorable when you're shy, you know that?" she said, clearly enjoying the way Sophie was squirming. "But seriously, you two have been all over each other lately. So, when's the big hard launch? You know, the Instagram post, the matching profile pictures, all that stuff?"

The question hung in the air for a moment, and I caught the subtle shift in Sophie's posture. She sat up straighter, smoothing out her dress with trembling hands. When she finally spoke, her voice was quieter than I'd expected. "Yeah, um... I don't know," she said, staring out the window instead of at Indi or me. "I kind of like it being just between us. I don't know if I want other people to know just yet."

Her words were measured, careful, and they hit me harder than I thought they would. I kept my face neutral, forcing a small smile as I nodded along. "Yeah," I said softly, my voice steady. "We're going at Sophie's pace. I'm just happy to be here." But that wasn't entirely true, was it?

Indi didn't seem to pick up on the weight of Sophie's words, her gaze darting between the two of us as if trying to decipher some unspoken code. "I mean, fair enough," she said with a shrug, leaning back in her seat. "But you know people are going to figure it out eventually, right? You guys aren't exactly subtle."

Sophie chuckled nervously, but I could tell she was uncomfortable. Her gaze flicked to me in the mirror, and I gave her a reassuring smile, even though my chest felt tight. The truth was, I wasn't happy about it. At least, not entirely. I wasn't mad at Sophie—not even close. I understood her hesitance, her fear of what people would think, of what her parents might say. But it still hurt. I felt like a secret. Something she was hiding, something she wasn't ready to take ownership of. And that stung.

I kept my hands steady on the wheel, my expression calm as we pulled into Kitty's driveway. The house was already buzzing with music and laughter, the kind of chaotic energy that made you feel like you were stepping into another world. "You ready?" I asked, glancing at Sophie as I turned off the engine.

She nodded, her smile small but genuine. "Yeah. Let's do this."

Indi hopped out first, already pulling her phone out to take pictures of the party. Sophie slid out next, smoothing her dress as she stood by my side leaning in close so only she could hear me. "You sure you're okay?" I asked, my voice low.

She looked up at me, her blue eyes soft and vulnerable. "I'm okay," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Thanks for... you know. Being patient with me."