Finding Love Again

Chapter 38

For three days, Natasha had been thinking and rethinking Steve's confession to her. He needed an answer, but she was lost in what she should do. She would think about agreeing to a relationship with him, but as soon as she did, she would doubt herself. One minute, she would feel that it was time for her to move on, but the next, she would be telling herself that it was too soon. A part of her was saying that Steve was nothing like Alexi while the other part was saying that he would hurt her worse than Alexi ever did. She finally had enough and decided to ask a friend for advice. Now, she's sitting in her car at the driveway of her friend's house. She knows she needs to go in and talk, but she was having second thoughts about whether or not she should. Deciding that her mind wouldn't be put at ease until she did, she forced herself out of the car. She knocked on the door as soon as she walked up the porch steps so that she wouldn't chicken out. The door was immediately opened.

"Hi, Tasha, I was beginning to think something happened to you. I was about to call Clint to track you down."

"Hey, Maria. I was just collecting my thoughts in the car for a few minutes after I arrived," said Natasha.

"Come on in. I'll get you a cup of coffee, and we can talk," Maria told her as she stepped inside. Maria disappeared into the kitchen, and Natasha entered the living room as soon as she took off her coat.

Maria walked in a few minutes later and found Natasha staring off into space. She set the coffee cups, sugar, and creamer on the table in front of Natasha and sat down beside her. "So you going to tell me what's on your mind, or are you going to prepare your coffee first?"

Natasha didn't answer. Instead, she absent-mindedly prepared her coffee. Maria had already prepared hers, so she just waited for Natasha. Natasha finished preparing her coffee and scooted backward and angled so that she could see Maria. Maria also angled slightly.

Maria was waiting for Natasha to start, but there was only silence on her end as she stared at the cup in her hands. "Come on, girl. You're starting to worry me. Did something happen? Did one of Alexi's acquaintances find you?"

Natasha shook her head. "No, it's not that."

"Then?" Maria prodded.

"You know Steve Rogers, the guy that came in before the ballet school opened, and you rudely sent away?"

"Yes, I do. What about him?"

"He's the father of one of my ballet students. I've talked to you about Livy before, right?"

"When have you not? You talk about her more than your other students."

"Yeah, I guess I do," Natasha said as she smiled a little.

"Wait, you said Steve is her father?" Maria asked.

Natasha nodded her head.

"Oh, I know who she is now. But this isn't about Livy, so what about this Steve?"

"Well, over the course of the months, we've gotten to know each other, and now, we're friends. I'm not sure at which moment, but I started falling for him. It seems like he fell for me as well. While he was still with his girlfriend, he kissed me, twice. I pushed him away after the second time because what he was doing was not right. I thought it was pure lust, but Christmas night, he told me he's falling in love with me and wants me to be his girlfriend," Natasha said quietly.

"Girl! You've been keeping a lot from me over the past few months, and I thought I was your best friend!"

"I know, and I'm sorry. I just knew that I couldn't do anything about how he was feeling because of his girlfriend. But when he told me he broke up with her, those feelings I buried and tried so hard to forget crept back up."