and we fell

Chapter 51

SOFIA

It's almost eight o'clock in the morning and I am already up, packing my bags. I've slept two hours last night. The rest of the time I've spent crying.

There are opened suitcases on my bed and clothes all around. Nini, who slept as much as I did given the fact she wanted to be there for me, is helping me pack the bags.

„Are you sure you really have to leave?" she asks me, for the at least hundredth time now. I decided to leave to Cordelia last night. I already sent the school an email to ask them to let me continue classes online for this last month of the term. I've already written and passed all my exams, so that shouldn't be a problem.

„I'm sure. I can't keep being here, Nini. I can't see him. Not right now." I answer. It's true. Everything that happened is just so much, that the wounds on my heart are still fresh. I need a break.

"I'll miss you," she says, hugging me tight. I hug her back and allow myself to breathe, even if just for a few seconds.

"I'll miss you too, Nini. But I'll be back after the summer. And you can visit me whenever you want."

She looks at me with a faded smile, trying to be strong. A tear still rolls down her face.

"You'll text me everyday, right?" She asks me. I nod. Of course I'll text her.

We're still hugging as Nessie and Dia enter the room. They join the hug and start whispering how much they'll miss me. I nod thankfully and start crying. We all spend some time just letting the tears speak for us.

"You're making me cry too." We can hear another voice from the door. We look up and see April, who quickly joins the hug.

I already know I'm going to miss a lot about New York until autumn, but these girl are definitely on the top of my list.

After a while, April looks up at me and says: "Oh, by the way, Adam Cunnan is waiting in front of the door."

She said it so matter-of-factly, as if it were normal to have a CEO waiting at your door at eight o'clock in the morning.

"And what did you do?" I ask her, still shocked.

"Slammed the door in his face." April answers, in the same relaxed tone.

Oh my gosh.

Although I am not in the mood for talking to anyone rather than my best friends right now, and talking to my ex's best friend is definitely not on my list (since I still love my ex), I give up and make my way to the door. As I open it, I see that April was right. Adam is standing in front, looking more worried than I've ever seen him. He's wearing his usual tux making him look important. His ginger hair is messy however and his eyes are faded red. One can see he hasn't had much sleep. Adam's eyes are very similar to Alec's. They are also a dark brown and can cut like blades. The only difference is that the ones from Alec look more dangerous. There's something about them that gives you chills.

They used to give me butterflies.

Great, now I am thinking about Alec again.

"Adam," I greet him, feeling the urge to slam the door in his face like April.

"Sofia," he answers, looking at me feeling sorry for how sad I am. It doesn't take a genius to notice my red eyes and lack of life.

I invite him inside and make him a sign to follow me to my room. The girls, who used to stand there, immediately get lost and start working on anything. For safety measures, I close the door.

"Don't do this." He tells me, when we're facing each other.

"Don't do what?" I ask him, having no idea what he's talking about.

"Leave. Leave him. Leave New York. Don't run away." He answers, as if he were my new therapist.

"It's not your choice to make", I reply, hoping to end the conversation as soon as possible.

"He needs you", Adam continues saying, obviously having to bring Alec up.

"He broke up with me!" I say, louder than I should. Yet I can't keep it together anymore. And shouting is the one thing that keeps me away from crying.

"Because he was forced to." Adam answers, his tone in a whisper.

"What?!" I ask, not knowing what he meant with that.

"His mother forced him to break up with you, so that he can become CEO. Alec refused, obviously, since he loves you more than anything. Yet he had to pay a prize. How do you think the accident happened?"

Adam's voice is cold. Sharp. Almost wanting to kill Alec's parents for hurting his best friend.

"I don't think they...They couldn't...He's their son..." I mumble between tears.

"There is a reason Alec's grandfather, Lewis, got him out of that house." Adam replies, his tone even colder. It's the first time I've heard him talk about Alec's grandfather. He usually pays attention not to mention anything about his childhood.

I am quiet for a few seconds. Until I can't have it anymore.

"Thank you so much for helping, Alec. And for moving him in a private room. Do you want me to pay you back or something?" I ask. He is quick to shake his head.

"No, of course not. I have enough money, don't worry. And Alec is my best friend. It seriously was nothing."

I nod at him thankfully and continue packing my bags.

"So, you are honestly leaving?" He asks me with his eyebrow raised.

"There's nothing left for me. I can't move on knowing he's around me."

"But he wants you", Adam protests.

"That's not what he told me."

I close my bag and turn towards the exit. On the way, Adam stops me by calling out my name.

"Sofia!"

"Yes?" I answer, turning around to look at him.

"He really loves you. I've seen the way he looks at you. He really loves you. And he tells that to me. Every day. He sometimes texts me just to say how happy he is to have found you. Whatever he wrote you, it can't be true. He loves you too much for it."

I look at him serious, just to keep the tears inside.

"Sometimes, words cut deeper than a knife." I say, and go out through the door. As I'm heading to the car, I don't look back.

It's only inside the airplane that I allow the tears to roll down and pain me.