Sophia sat in her room that evening, staring at the open textbook in front of her, but not really seeing any of the words on the page. Her mind was elsewhere on Ethan, on the brief yet meaningful interactions they'd shared, and on how he seemed to effortlessly see through her carefully constructed walls. It had been two weeks since they'd spent that evening together at the coffee shop, and since then, they'd kept in touch more often. Texts, small conversations between classes, and the occasional casual meeting in the library. Yet, each time they saw each other, the connection deepened. And with it came a rising sense of urgency in her chest, a quiet pull she couldn't explain.
She tried to focus on her studies, but the guilt gnawed at her. She was lying to her parents. She had been lying to Maya, too. Telling them that she was spending time with friends when, in reality, she was sneaking away to see Ethan.
Sophia knew she couldn't keep this up for long. The lies were small at first, innocent even. A slight omission here, a little white lie there. But now, they were beginning to pile up, and with each lie, a small knot formed in her stomach, tightening with the weight of what she was doing.
She glanced at her phone again, the screen lighting up with a new text message. *Ethan.*
*"Hey, I was thinking... Maybe we could meet tomorrow after class? Just a quick catch-up. I miss talking to you."*
Sophia's heart skipped a beat, her fingers hovering over the keys. *I miss talking to you.* It felt like the simplest, yet most sincere thing anyone had ever said to her. She couldn't remember the last time someone had made her feel so seen.
She typed out a response. *"I'd love to. But I can't tomorrow. Too much schoolwork."*
She stared at the message for a moment, then deleted it. *What was she doing?* She knew it was a lie. She didn't have too much schoolwork. She could easily spare an hour to meet him, but she couldn't risk it. Not with everything that was at stake. Not when she was already walking on a tightrope, balancing the lies she had told and the ones she was still trying to justify.
She sighed and typed a new message. *"I'll see you soon. Maybe later this week?"* She hit send before she could think twice.
Sophia leaned back in her chair, her eyes focusing on the ceiling, watching the faint shadows from the streetlight outside dance across the walls. The truth was, she wanted to see Ethan more than anything. She wanted to talk to him, to explore the connection they had, something that felt real, that made her feel alive. But every time she thought about the consequences, the lies, and the mess she was creating, a knot formed in her chest. She was too scared to face the truth. Too scared to admit that this was something real.
The next day, as she walked into the cafeteria, she was met by Maya, who was sitting at their usual spot by the windows. Maya didn't look up at first, her face buried in a magazine, but Sophia could tell she was waiting for her to approach.
Maya's gaze flicked up as soon as Sophia slid into the seat across from her. There was something sharp in her eyes today, a knowing look that made Sophia feel exposed.
"So, how's everything?" Maya asked casually, but Sophia could tell there was an underlying question hanging between them.
"Good," Sophia replied, forcing a smile as she grabbed her tray and began poking at her food. She wasn't hungry. She never seemed to be when she was with Maya, caught between the guilt of her lies and the pressure to keep things light. "Busy. You know how it is."
Maya raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Busy with what? You're barely ever at home. And you've been weird about your plans lately. What's going on, Soph?"
Sophia's heart skipped a beat, and she immediately froze. She hadn't thought Maya would notice. Of course, Maya noticed. She always did.
"I don't know what you mean," Sophia said quickly, her voice a little too high-pitched, a little too defensive.
Maya leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. "Come on, don't give me that. I know something's up. You're lying to me, and I can feel it. You've been sneaking around, and I don't like it."
Sophia's throat went dry. She couldn't keep up this charade any longer. But she couldn't bring herself to tell Maya the truth. Not yet. She wasn't ready for that conversation, not with everything else going on in her life.
"Okay, fine," Sophia admitted, lowering her voice. "I've been meeting with someone. But it's not like you think. It's just" She stopped herself, unsure of how to explain the tangled mess inside her heart. She was already too deep in the lies. It was too late to backtrack now.
Maya's eyes softened, but there was still a trace of suspicion in them. "Who?"
Sophia hesitated for a moment, her mind racing. *I can't tell her about Ethan. Not yet. She won't understand.*
"Someone I met," she said simply, not willing to go into more detail. She forced a smile. "It's nothing serious. Just someone to talk to. That's all."
Maya didn't look convinced, but she dropped the subject, at least for now. "Well, just don't forget who your real friends are, okay? I'm here if you need to talk."
Sophia nodded, but inside, she felt like she was being torn apart. Every time she lied, it felt like she was pulling herself further away from the people who cared about her. She wasn't sure how much longer she could keep this up.
That evening, as she sat in her room, Sophia found herself once again texting Ethan. This time, there was no hesitation. She had told herself she would be honest with him, that she would let the connection they shared be real, no matter the consequences.
*"I'm sorry I've been distant. I just… don't know how to balance everything right now."*
There was a long pause before Ethan responded.
*"You don't have to explain. I get it. I just want you to know I'm here when you're ready."*
Sophia felt a strange sense of relief wash over her. He wasn't angry. He wasn't pushing her away. He understood. And for the first time, it felt like someone finally saw her without judgment, without expectation. It felt like she could breathe again.
But as she read his message again, the weight of her actions settled back into her chest. She had been lying to everyone. To Maya. To her parents. And to Ethan, to some extent. She wasn't ready to face the truth. She wasn't ready to be honest with herself, let alone with him.
The lies were growing. And so was the guilt.
End of Chapter 7.
In this chapter, Sophia's emotional conflict deepens. The lies she's told to keep her secret relationship with Ethan are starting to weigh on her, and Maya's suspicions make her feel cornered. The tension between wanting to be truthful and not wanting to face the consequences of her actions continues to build, setting the stage for further emotional turmoil and inevitable decisions she'll have to make about the life she's been hiding.