Rays of Hope

Bitter Misunderstandings

Silas's POV

I paced back and forth in my room, the carpet worn from my restless footsteps. I ran my hands through my hair, frustration boiling just beneath the surface. "What did I do wrong?" I muttered to myself for the hundredth time. Every interaction with Ria played through my mind like a broken record, but I couldn't pinpoint any moment that could have caused this sudden cold shoulder.

"Was it something I said?" I questioned aloud, my voice bouncing off the walls of my empty room. "Or something I did? What changed?" I sat on the edge of my bed, my head in my hands, trying to piece together the puzzle.

No matter how hard I thought, I couldn't come up with any reason why Ria would start ignoring me. Her clipped responses, the way she avoided my gaze—it all felt like a bad dream. "She looked fine the before yesterday," I reasoned. "We were fine."

I stood up abruptly, determination replacing my confusion. I glanced at the clock; it was almost noon. "I need to figure this out," I decided. Without another thought, I grabbed my jacket and headed for the door.

The ride to the cafe felt longer than usual, my mind racing with possibilities. As I parked my bike and approached the entrance, I steeled myself for whatever was about to happen. I had to know what had gone wrong, and I wasn't leaving until I got some answers.

As I stepped into the cafe, I immediately spotted Ria behind the counter. She looked busy, but I didn't let that deter me. I marched up to her, determined to get to the bottom of things.

"Ria," I said, my voice firm but not unkind.

She glanced up briefly, her expression guarded. "Silas," she replied, her tone clipped.

I hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to proceed. "Can we talk?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

She didn't meet my eyes, focusing instead on wiping down the counter. "I'm busy right now," she said curtly.

I sighed, feeling a pang of frustration. "Please, Ria," I pleaded, desperate for some kind of explanation. "I don't understand what's going on. Did I do something to upset you?"

Her hands stilled, but she still didn't look at me. "I'm just doing my job, sir," she replied, her voice icy.

I felt a knot form in my stomach. This wasn't like her at all. "Ria, come on," I said, my tone softening. "We were friends, weren't we? Can't we at least talk about whatever's bothering you?"

She finally looked up, her eyes meeting mine for the first time since I'd arrived. There was a flicker of something in her gaze—pain, maybe, or regret—but it was gone before I could decipher it.

"Fine," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. "Let's talk."

I sat across from Ria, my heart pounding in my chest. I couldn't bear the thought of losing her, of not knowing what had caused this sudden rift between us.

"Please, Ria," I pleaded, my voice low. "I need to know what happened. I can't stand this distance between us."

Ria remained silent, her expression unreadable and stoic. She seemed lost in her own thoughts, distant and detached.

"Ria, I..." I hesitated, unsure if I should say the words that I had only just admitted to myself a few days prior. But I had to, anything to make her stay.

"I like you, Ria," I blurted out, the words tumbling from my lips before I could stop them. "I really like you."

Ria's eyes widened in surprise, her gaze meeting mine. But before she could respond, I rushed to continue.

"I know things have been weird between us lately, but I can't shake this feeling," I confessed, my voice trembling with emotion. "I care about you more than I've cared about anyone in a long time, and I just... I need to know if there's a chance for us."

Then I heard her laugh, loudly. "You did a wonderful job confessing that you like me, I almost, just almost, fell for it."

My eyes welled up with tears. "You don't believe me, do you, Ria?"

"You were nothing to me, Silas. Never were, never will be. So walk yourself out of this cafe." Her eyes fierce but sad.

"You're lying. Princess, please don't push me away," I pleaded.

She scoffed, her chair scraping across the floor. "Get out, Silas."

I stood up too, but I didn't walk away. Instead, I grasped her hand and pulled her flush into me. "You're not going anywhere, princess." And then I connected my lips to hers.

The kiss was slow, hesitant. Her lips were softer than anything I'd ever known, and she tasted sweet like honey. At that moment, everything else faded away, and I could only feel her, completely consumed by her presence. It was a beautiful, serene moment, and I couldn't help but pull back slightly, searching her face for any signs of hesitation.

Her breaths were ragged, her chest heaving, her cheeks adorned with a sweet pink flush. Her lips were full, and her eyes darkened with desire with each passing second. Before I could say anything, she pulled me back in, her hunger evident in the way she kissed me fiercely, biting my bottom lip as she sought dominance.

I wasn't about to let her take control, I grabbed her by the base of her neck and pulled her closer. I bit her lip back, feeling a metallic flavor in my mouth as our passion intensified. When we finally pulled back, I whispered softly, "Princess, I think you like me too."

But before she could reply, the sound of whistling and chuckling filled the air, drawing our attention to the people around us. I felt a flush of embarrassment creeping up my neck as I realized we were the center of attention.

Ria's gaze hardened as she glanced around, her lips forming a thin line. Without a word, she leaned in close, her breath hot against my ear. "Get out before your girlfriend finds out," she whispered, her voice low and threatening.

My heart sank at her words, confusion swept over me, and I furrowed my brow, trying to understand what she meant. "Girlfriend? Ria, I don't have a girlfriend," I protested softly, hoping to clear up the misunderstanding.

But Ria's expression remained unchanged, her focus unwavering on her work as if she didn't hear me. The weight of her words hung heavy in the air, and I knew that trying to talk to her again would only lead to more frustration.

With a resigned sigh, I turned away and made my way out of the cafe, the eyes of the other patrons following me as I left, their curious glances felt like a spotlight highlighting my inner confusion.

Misunderstandings had a way of complicating things. It dawned on me that Ria's icy demeanor started from a misinterpretation— she believed I had a girlfriend, accusing me of betrayal and manipulation. Such assumptions couldn't be further from the truth.

I'd never had a girlfriend, never mind cheated on one. The very idea was absurd to me. Yet, somehow, Ria had gotten it into her head that I was some kind of heartless playboy, incapable of genuine feelings. It was a bitter pill to swallow, knowing that the person I cared about saw me in such a light.

I realized I could do nothing to clear our misunderstanding if she didn't listen to me. Until then, all I could do was give her the space she clearly needed and pray that she would come to her senses.

"Princess, I think it's not just like anymore; it's love," I murmured to myself, a soft chuckle escaping my lips.