It had been four months.
Ellie was still living in the same house, but it didn't feel the same anymore.
With her and Bella working on different schedules, the place felt quieter than ever.
There were no more late-night chats, no casual laughter echoing through the kitchen—just quiet mornings, silent nights, and polite small talk.
A quick nod.
A "Hey."
Maybe a "Good night."
Then they'd go their separate ways.
Bella had gone back to work. Ellie was busier than ever with the restaurant.
Life kept moving, and with it, so did the space between them.
Ellie didn't know exactly when things had started to change.
Maybe it was after she finally confessed what she felt.
Or maybe it was already shifting before that—quietly, without either of them noticing.
But now, she could feel it clearly.
The distance.
The awkwardness.
And all the feelings she still hadn't figured out how to deal with.
She'd catch herself wondering about Bella sometimes.
Was she okay? Was she feeling lonely too? Had she met someone new?
But Bella never really said much.
And Ellie never asked.
Maybe she didn't ask because deep down, she was afraid of the answer.
At the same time, something else had started growing inside her.
A bunch of questions she'd avoided for years.
Why didn't it ever work out with the guys she dated?
Why did it always feel like something was missing—even when everything looked perfect on the surface?
Why did holding Bella's hand feel more real than kissing any man she'd been with?
She used to think she was just picky.
Or maybe just not ready.
She dated. Smiled. Kissed. Did what everyone else did.
But it always felt like she was pretending—like she was fitting herself into a role that didn't belong to her.
She had always believed she was straight.
That's what people assumed, and she never questioned it.
But maybe… she was wrong.
That evening, Ellie just needed some air.
She didn't want to think too much.
She told herself she'd just go for a short walk.
Downtown was noisy and alive—restaurants with clinking glasses, bars spilling out music, people laughing in groups.
Then she saw it.
A small neon sign.
Bright pink, glowing in the dark.
Two silhouettes of women inside a heart.
She stopped.
Something stirred in her chest.
Not fear exactly. Just… uncertainty.
She stood there for a moment, then exhaled.
And walked in.
Inside, the music was loud.
The lights flashed across the room.
Women were dancing, laughing, some kissing like they didn't need to hide.
No one was watching.
No one was judging.
It was messy and crowded, but for some reason, Ellie didn't feel out of place.
If anything, it felt oddly safe.
So this is what freedom looks like.
She made her way to the bar.
"Tequila," she told the bartender.
The glass felt cold in her hand.
She took a sip, trying not to think too much.
Just… be here. Just for tonight.
Then, someone came over.
A girl she'd never seen before—confident, easygoing.
"Hey," the girl said. "You here alone? Mind if I join you?"
Ellie glanced at her.
"Sure," she replied, short and casual, sipping her drink again.
The girl leaned closer, gently touching Ellie's fingers.
"You've got really tempting hands," she said with a playful smirk, then lifted Ellie's hand and brushed her lips against it.
Ellie smiled a little.
She could already feel the buzz from the tequila.
Maybe she just wanted to try—see if something inside her could shift.
Maybe if I play along, I can feel something. Like how I felt with Bella.
So she leaned in too.
Her hand slid around the girl's waist, pulling her a little closer.
She brought her lips near the girl's ear.
"You wanna try?" Ellie whispered.
But then—something caught her eye.
Two women sitting on a couch near the bar.
Her smile faded.
Her chest tightened.
It was Bella.
And beside her—Alice.
Their eyes met.
For a second, neither of them looked away.
Just locked in place, across the room.
Ellie froze.
What is she doing here? With her?
Before she could think more, the girl next to her leaned in and kissed her.
Ellie didn't stop her.
She let it happen.
Maybe because she was still in shock.
Maybe because this was part of the "game" she had started.
Across the room, Bella kept staring.
Not blinking. Not moving.
Alice turned to her.
"You okay?" she asked.
"I'm fine," Bella replied softly.
"Can we leave now?"
Alice frowned. "Why? We just got here."
"I feel a bit dizzy."
Alice tilted her head, her tone sweet, but a little pushy.
"Aww, come on. Just stay a bit longer. It's been forever since we went out like this. I really need this—after all that hospital drama, you know?"
Bella didn't say anything.
Her eyes were still on Ellie.
And Ellie…
Still didn't know what to do