The First Time

Alessia thinks Rob is cheating on her

Later that evening, while Rob and the rest of the group were out celebrating their anniversary without her, Alessia found herself scrolling through social media on her phone. She was trying to distract herself, but when she stumbled upon a video that had been posted by one of their classmates, her heart sank.

The video showed Rob and Lotte leaning in for a kiss, laughter ringing out from their friends in the background. Alessia felt her blood run cold as she watched it replay in her mind. Anger surged within her, mixing with a sense of betrayal that she couldn’t shake off.

When Rob returned home later that night, he found Alessia sitting on the couch, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. She didn’t even look at him.

“Alessia,” he began, his voice cautious, “can we talk?”

“What’s there to talk about?” she snapped, glaring at her phone. “I saw the video.”

Rob’s heart dropped. “I can explain—”

“Explain what?” she interrupted, her voice rising. “That you were out having a great time, and instead of just being friends, you kissed her? It looked like more than just friends to me!”

Rob took a step closer, trying to reach out to her. “It was a friendly kiss! I promise. I was feeling stressed, and Lotte was just trying to cheer me up. It didn’t mean anything.”

Alessia shook her head, fighting back tears. “I don’t care what it meant to you. You could have told me. Instead, I find out this way.”

“I’m sorry! I should have said something,” Rob pleaded, his eyes wide with concern. “I didn’t think it would get recorded.”

“Why don’t you sleep on the sofa tonight?” Alessia suggested coldly, turning away from him.

“Alessia—”

But before he could finish, Lotte walked in, sensing the tension. She immediately noticed the strain in Alessia’s expression and the hurt in Rob’s eyes.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Lotte asked, her voice gentle.

“Just leave, Lotte,” Alessia said sharply. “You’re the last person I want to see right now.”

Lotte stepped closer, her expression softening. “No, really. I need to explain. I was helping Rob because he was feeling a bit overwhelmed, and I suggested we take a walk. That kiss... it was just a friendly gesture. I could never bring myself to steal Rob from you.”

Alessia looked at Lotte, searching her face for any sign of deceit. “You expect me to believe that?”

Lotte nodded earnestly. “I swear. I care about both of you. I would never want to come between you. Rob loves you, Alessia. I promise.”

Rob chimed in, “Please, just listen to her. It really was nothing more than a quick peck. It was a stupid mistake.”

Alessia’s anger slowly began to wane as she listened to Lotte’s sincerity. “Then why didn’t you just tell me?” she asked, her voice quieter now, more vulnerable.

“Because I didn’t want you to worry,” Rob admitted, looking down at the floor. “I thought it would just blow over. I didn’t think—”

Alessia interrupted him again, her emotions still raw. “You didn’t think what? That I might care about how it looks? How it feels?”

Rob took a deep breath. “I get it, and I’m really sorry. Can we please talk about this? I don’t want to fight with you over something that wasn’t even meant to be anything.”

“Fine,” Alessia finally said, her expression softening. “But I need time to process this.”

Lotte stepped back, sensing the tension easing a bit. “I’ll leave you two alone,” she said quietly, stepping out of the room.