S O P H I A H O N E Y

THE APARTMENT feels cold and quiet as I open the door, and I know immediately - he's not back yet.

I slip inside, letting the door click softly shut behind me and make my way to the kitchen, my footsteps oddly loud against the stillness.

After having a full-on reality check from the girls about how I truly feel about Theo... I can't stop thinking about it.

Love.

All the feelings I've been carrying-every flutter in my chest, every warmth that spread through me when he smiled, every ridiculous racing heartbeat when he even glanced my way-it's not just a crush. It's not something small I can brush off.

It's love.

I like him... no, I love him.

The realization sits heavily but sweetly in my chest, and honestly, it scares me.

It feels so obvious now, like it's been stitched into every glance, every stupid argument, every stupid inside joke we've ever shared. How did I not see it before?

Opening the fridge, I rummage around and pull out some ingredients. I decide I'll make something for him when he gets back. It's almost six, so maybe-hopefully-he won't be too late tonight.

Wishful thinking, maybe. Usually, he doesn't come home until ten. But still... he always comes back. That's what matters. That's what I hold onto.

I decide to make a chicken salad- something simple yet delicious. I set the ingredients on the counter and put some music on from my phone, needing to fill the aching silence that feels louder with every minute.

Cooking gives me something to focus on-chopping, stirring, seasoning. For a little while, it almost feels normal. Like nothing's wrong. Like he'll walk through that door any second with that tired smile and those eyes that always find me first.

It doesn't take long before the salad is finished, sitting pretty in the bowl like a quiet offering. I wipe my hands on a towel and reach for my phone to text him - to ask if he's okay, if he's on his way, if he's eaten.

But before I can type anything, my screen lights up.

It's a message from Theo.

I'm really sorry, Sophie. Something came up so I'll be staying over at Logan's house today. I'll see you tomorrow morning.- THEO

I stare at the message for a long moment, my fingers frozen on the screen.

He's not coming home.

Not tonight.

The sadness sitting in my chest twists again, sharper this time. I clench my hands into fists, feeling my nails dig into my palms. He wants to leave me here alone? He's joking, right?

I grab my phone and dial his number without thinking, pressing it tightly to my ear. It rings once, twice, three times. No answer. I try again, this time jabbing the call button harder like it'll somehow force him to pick up. Again-nothing.

Anger flares hotter in my chest, burning away the hurt for a second. He's really doing this. He's really ignoring me. I call again, but it goes straight to voicemail.

I swear under my breath and throw my phone down on the couch, watching it bounce once before landing face down. Fine. If he doesn't want to answer me, I'll find another way.

My heart hammering, I snatch the phone back up, my fingers scrambling through my contacts until I find Lydia's name.

If he's with Logan, then Lydia would know. Logan's staying at her place - which means Theo is there too.

I barely hesitate. I tap on her name and hit call, pressing the phone to my ear.

I remember when she gave me her number - just in case I ever needed anything - and right now, I need answers.

It rings once.

Twice.

My whole body feels tense, like I might snap in half if someone even breathes wrong around me.

"Come on, Lydia," I whisper through gritted teeth. "Pick up. Please."

I'm not letting him just disappear on me. Not like this.

I've been patient enough. I've been understanding, good, and careful with him - and now he's doing this to me.

If he thinks he can make me fall in love with him and then just run away, he has another thing coming.

When Lydia finally picks up, I feel a wave of relief wash over me.

"Hey, Lydia," I say, trying to sound casual.

"Oh, hi Sophie. What's up?" she replies calmly.

"Uh, is Theo with you? He told me he's staying the night wity Logan tonight so I figured but they are both at your place, right?"

"Uh... yeah, they are. He just went to take a shower," she says after a brief pause. "He was hanging out with Logan not too long ago."

I realize then he probably didn't pick up my call because he was in the shower. Still, the ache in my chest doesn't ease.

"Is everything alright with you guys?" Lydia asks, and I hear the worry in her voice. "Is he still acting up since that day?"

So it wasn't just me who noticed.

"Yeah," I sigh, sinking onto the couch and staring blankly at the wall. "He's avoiding me."

She lets out a small sigh too. "I had a feeling he would. He wants to push you away. Please don't let him."

I don't respond. My throat tightens, trapping my words inside.

"He cares about you, Sophie. He really does. He's just..." She trails off.

"Scared," I finish for her quietly.

"More than scared. He's terrified. From what I've heard from Logan, his parents are really messed up. He thinks he doesn't have the right to love anyone because in his mind, love only leads to destruction. Soph, he feels like loving someone is wrong."

Of course he would feel that way.

His parents are fucked up and he deserves more than them.

So much more.

A tear slips down my cheek, and I quickly wipe it away, forcing myself to hold it together.

"Lydia," I say, standing up and gathering the plastic plate of food I had left out earlier. I slide it into the fridge, moving automatically.

"Yeah?"

"Could you tell me your address?" I ask, heading toward the front door and slipping on my sneakers.

"Oh, sure... but why?"

"Because I'm coming over."

◇◇◇

"Keep the change," I tell the taxi driver as I close the back door and start walking toward Lydia's apartment building.

She had mentioned over the call that it was a studio apartment, and she promised to wait for me outside since the building could be a little confusing.

I spot her almost immediately after stepping through the gate. She's standing at the entrance door, waving at me with a small smile.

Her hair is pulled back into a loose ponytail, and she's wearing a sweater similar to mine, probably because of the slight chill in the air.

"Hey," she says as she pulls me into a hug, and I hug her back, feeling a little steadier just from the familiar comfort. "Hope it wasn't too hard to find the place."

I pull away and shake my head, giving her a soft smile, even though my chest feels tight and I'm struggling to keep my breathing steady. "Oh, no, it wasn't."

She nods. "Good then. He's with Logan right now, and don't worry-Logan already knows you're coming. He's keeping Theo occupied on the rooftop. Let's go."

I follow Lydia toward the building, my steps slow and hesitant compared to her confident stride ahead of me.

As we step inside, the warm air of the lobby hits me, but it doesn't do anything to calm the anxious knot tightening in my stomach. Lydia walks a few feet ahead, glancing back once to make sure I'm still behind her. I nod quickly, but my mind is already spiraling.

What am I even going to say to him?

Oh God, I didn't think this through.

I swallow hard, my palms growing clammy. Every part of me screams to turn around, to run back outside and forget all of this. But I can't. I won't.

I'm here to get him-and whatever happens next, whether it's good or bad, I'm not leaving without him. He's coming home with me.

I take a shaky breath and force my feet to move, following Lydia deeper into the building. Each step feels heavier than the last, but my heart stays stubbornly loud, refusing to back down.

We take the stairs, Lydia moving quickly while I trail behind, feeling like I'm dragging my fear up each step with me. My mind races faster than my feet.

What if he gets mad?
What if he tells me to leave?

I grip the railing tighter, trying to steady myself. No matter what happens, I remind myself, I have to see this through. I have to fight for him. For us.

Lydia reaches the rooftop door first and turns back to me, her hand on the handle. She gives me a small, encouraging smile, like she knows exactly how badly my heart is hammering.

"You ready?" she whispers.

No.

Not even close.

But I nod anyway.

She pushes the door open, stepping aside to let me through first.

Cool night air brushes against my face as I step onto the rooftop. It's quiet up here, the city lights glowing softly in the distance, casting a dim glow across the concrete floor. My eyes scan the space-and then I see him.

Theo.

He's sitting on the low ledge with Logan a few feet away, laughing about something, completely unaware that I'm here.

For a second, I just stand there, frozen. All the anger, the hurt, the love-it all crashes into me at once, leaving me breathless.

This is it.

No running. No second-guessing.

He's coming home with me.

I square my shoulders and take a step forward, my heart pounding so hard it almost drowns out the sound of my footsteps.

Theo looks up at the sound, his smile faltering when he sees me.

His whole body stiffens.

For a long, heavy moment, we just stare at each other across the rooftop, like the world around us has fallen away.

I take another step toward him, my voice shaking but steady enough to speak.

"Hey," I mutter, my voice quiet, but I know he hears me.

Theo and Logan both stand up from where they were sitting. Logan gives Theo a look-serious, firm.

"Talk to her," Logan says, but it sounds more like a warning than advice. He pats Theo gently on the back, then walks toward me, offering a warm, relieved smile.

"Thank you," he says under his breath, like a huge weight just slid off his shoulders.

I nod, barely able to respond, because my eyes keep darting between him and Theo, who looks like he's ready to bolt at any second.

The rooftop door creaks and shuts behind Logan, leaving just the two of us in the cool night air.

Theo pulls the hood of his sweatshirt down and shoves his hands deep into his pockets. I can see it-how uneasy he is, how tense his whole body feels.

God, I want to hug him.

I want to close the distance between us and just hold on.

But I can't. Not yet.

I take a small step forward. "Hey," I say again, a little stronger this time, since he hadn't answered before.

"Hey," he finally says back, his voice rough. "What... what are you doing here?" he asks, but there's no harshness, only confusion.

I shrug, trying to keep my heart from jumping out of my chest. "What do you think I'm doing here?" I say softly. "I'm here to get you."

"Get me?" he repeats, tilting his head slightly, his eyebrows pulling together in confusion.

"Yes," I say, moving closer again, not letting him retreat. "You've been avoiding me, so I'm here to get you."

His eyes widen, and for a second, I catch a flicker of something-hope. It's so raw and real that it punches the air out of my lungs. But then he blinks it away, shaking his head like he's trying to force himself back into that cold, distant shell.

"I'm fine here," he mutters, glancing away. "We can talk tomorrow."

"No," I say firmly, crossing my arms over my chest, planting my feet like I'm rooting myself to the ground. "We're talking now."

"Sophia-" he starts, his voice low, almost pleading.

"Stop that!" I shout, and he flinches like I physically struck him. "Stop calling me that. It's Soph. It's always been Soph to you."

My voice breaks, my heart slamming so loud against my ribs I can barely hear myself think.

"Stop..." My voice cracks even more. "Stop doing this to me, Theo. It's not fair and you know it."

Theo's jaw tightens. His hands are still jammed into his pockets, his shoulders tense like he's fighting himself just to stay standing here with me.

He doesn't say anything.

He just looks at me, and it hurts. It hurts how much he's trying not to care, when I know he does.

I move closer again. "Stop pushing me away."

"I'm not," he says.

"You are."

"I'm not!" he shouts, then freezes like he didn't mean to raise his voice. He lets out a rough sigh and runs his hand through his hair before looking back at me. "This can't work out, Soph," he says, his voice sounding tired, like he's already given up.

"Why?"

"It just can't."

I let out a bitter laugh. "You're a fucking liar."

"I'm not lying!"

"Then look at me and say it," I challenge.

He hesitates, but after a few seconds, he lifts his eyes and looks at me. "This can't work-"

"Not that," I cut him off, stepping closer. He falls silent, waiting. I swallow hard. "Look at me and tell me you don't miss me like I miss you."

He says nothing. His mouth opens like he wants to, but he just looks down at the floor.

"Look at me," I push, my voice cracking a little, "and tell me you're not scared of losing me like I'm scared of losing you."

He still doesn't answer. His hands are deep in his hoodie pocket now, like he's trying to hold himself together.

"And look at me," I whisper, "and tell me you don't love me."

His head snaps up like he can't stop himself.

"Don't," he says, his voice almost breaking. "Please don't."

"Don't what?" I ask, stepping even closer. He shifts back, but I copy his movement, not letting him get away from me.

"Say what I think you want to say," he says quietly. "Please... don't."

Now I'm just mad.

"You really think it's only you feeling this?" I ask, my heart pounding so loud it feels like he should hear it. "You think it's just you drowning in this? Answer me, Theo."

He stares at me, breathing hard, and for the first time, I see it - all of it. The pain. The fear. Everything he's been trying so hard to bury.

"It's not possible," he whispers, but I hear it clear as day.

"Oh, it's possible," I say. "It's possible because for the last two weeks... two weeks of not being around you, not seeing you, not even hearing your voice, it's been hell. So yeah, Theo. It's possible. I feel the same."

He opens his mouth, but I keep going, the words finally pouring out of me.

"I didn't think I'd even feel like way either. Honestly, you're my first... and all of this? It's new to me, too."

He blinks. "What?"

I nod slowly, feeling like something is finally breaking through that wall he's built.

"You're my first," I say quietly. "The first guy I've ever kissed. The first to make me feel safe... wanted. You're the first person who's ever really seen me. The first one I ever wanted to trust with everything."

"Soph-"

"So if we're being honest, you're my first everything," I say, my throat tight. "And I don't regret a second of it. But if you do-"

"I don't," he says quickly, shaking his head. "I never did."

Warmth blooms in my chest, and before I can stop it, I'm smiling.

"Then if you feel this too," I ask, stepping even closer, "why are you pushing me away instead of holding me, Theo?"

I stand right in front of him, waiting for his response, my heart racing.

"You don't regret it, right?" I ask softly, my voice barely a whisper.

He shakes his head, eyes filled with so many emotions I can't even name.

"Then hold me," I say, my voice steadier than I feel. "I'm right here, Theo."

I smile at him, fighting back the tears, because I need to keep going. I need him to understand.

"I'm..." He hesitates, his gaze locked onto mine, searching for something, but he doesn't look away. "I'm scared, Soph."

"Of what?" I breathe, my voice catching in my chest.

"I'm scared of losing you, Soph." He says it all at once, his words spilling out like a confession he's been holding inside. "I'm scared that if I have you, you'll see too much of me, and you won't like it. Soph, you've seen my parents... they got together, and yet they tore each other apart."

"We are not them," I say, my voice firm, more certain than I've ever been.

"I know." He nods, his expression softening, but the doubt still lingers. "We aren't."

"Then what's stopping you from saying you love me?" I ask, my heart aching with the words I'm putting out there, hoping he hears them.

"Nothing," he says, his voice soft but firm. "Nothing is stopping me."

"Then say it." My hand reaches up to his cheek, and he holds it instantly, like he's been dying to touch me.

His fingers are warm, his touch gentle but desperate, pulling me closer. As he wraps his arms around my waist, I feel the heat of his body, the familiar warmth I've missed more than I realized.

His hands press against me, pulling me in, like he's afraid I might slip away if he lets go. He rests his forehead against mine, his breath mingling with mine, and for a moment, it feels like everything else fades away.

"Tell me you love me, Theo."

"I love you."

He says it, and I feel my heart swell. "I love you, Soph." He repeats it, his voice thick with emotion, and suddenly, I can't breathe. "How can I not love you, Soph? You're perfect."

I pull back, shaking my head. "I'm not, you are."

He laughs, soft but sincere. "I'm far from that, but you..." He reaches up and cups my cheeks, his touch warm and tender. "You are perfection itself, sent to this imperfect guy to create a chaos I never saw coming, but definitely the chaos I needed in my life."

Tears begin to spill down my cheeks, and he wipes them away gently. "Forgive me. I've hurt you badly. I'm so sorry."

His hands tighten around my face, guilt and shame written all over him. "I made you cry. I'm so sorry, Soph, please forgive me. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," I whisper. "You were hurting."

He clenches his jaw, visibly fighting his own demons. "That doesn't make it okay. I hurt you, Soph. I hurt you." More tears spill from my eyes, and he wipes them away with shaking hands.

"Seeing you in tears is worse than any pain my parents have caused me. I can handle whatever they throw at me, but if it hurts you... God, you don't know what it does to me," he continues, his voice cracking. "I can take everything else, Soph. I can survive the chaos, the pain, the messed-up world I grew up in. But seeing you like this, feeling you hurt because of me... it breaks me in ways I didn't even know were possible."

He closes his eyes for a moment, like he's trying to gather himself, but when he opens them again, they're filled with something deeper than I've ever seen. "You're everything to me, Soph. You've always been everything. I never thought I could let someone in, not this much, but you... you make me feel things I don't even know how to explain. You've shown me a kind of love that I didn't think existed, and now that I know it, I can't imagine my life without you in it. You make me better, even when I don't deserve it."

His forehead touches mine again, his hands gently sliding down to rest on my shoulders, holding me close like he never wants to let go.

"I was scared. So fucking scared that I'd mess everything up. But now, seeing you here, I know I would be lost without you, Soph. I need you. I need you more than I've ever needed anything in my life, and I'll spend every damn day showing you just how much I love you."

I can feel his heartbeat against mine, each pulse steady, as if trying to reassure me. "You're the best part of my life, Soph. The only part that matters."

Hearing his words, feeling the truth of them wrap around me, I can barely keep myself standing.

My heart is pounding so hard, it feels like it's trying to reach for him too.

His love, his confessions - they heal every crack he left in me, filling them with something so much deeper, so much stronger than I ever thought I could have.

"Theo," I whisper, my voice trembling with all the emotion swirling inside me.

"Yes, my love," he says without hesitation, his smile breaking across his face like sunlight after a storm. His dimples show, and his eyes - God, his eyes - they sparkle with so much pure, raw love that I know, without a doubt, I have him now. His heart is mine.

"Kiss me," I breathe, leaning in so close that our lips brush with the softest, most desperate kind of touch. "Kiss me like you say you love me."

And I feel him shudder slightly, like he's been waiting forever for this moment. His hands tighten around me, and then, without another word, he captures my mouth in a kiss so deep, so soul-shattering, that it steals every last breath from my lungs.

It's not just a kiss - it's everything.

It's his apology.

It's his love.

It's his promise that he's mine and he's not going anywhere.

And I kiss him back with everything I have, because he's mine too - and I'm never letting him go.

He's back.

My Theo is back.

Finally.