Khrysopos ✔

TWENTY THREE

- Lara's POV -

They were having lunch at some Pizzeria. The food was brilliant. But it wasn't the food that Lara was enamoured with.

Juliet had just finished ranting about her school and telling hilarious jokes about some boy named Cain, when she asked Lara, "so. How're you?"

"I'm good," Lara said, looking at Juliet's eyes. They looked happier. More twinkle-y and mischievous than they were before. "Job's great."

"Find anyone interesting?" Juliet waggled her eyebrows.

Lara laughed, secretly crying inside. I could never find anyone more perfect than you. "No. I haven't."

Juliet hesitated, and then said, "So..."

"So?" Was Juliet going to say something about them? Did she miss her?

"Maya is pregnant."

Lara blinked. "Your first girlfriend, Maya?"

She nodded slowly. "That very one."

"Who got her pregnant? Some random rich chap, I presume."

"Nikolai," Juliet said quietly.

Silence for a few seconds.

"Nikolai? The boyfriend from Russia who you were madly in lust with?"

Juliet nodded. "That very one."

"How did they even meet?" Lara asked incredulously.

Juliet shrugged. "Some ball. They met the very month I left Russia and broke up with Nikolai. It's been nearly four months and they are already sharing a dorm room together, I think."

Lara shook her head. "Wow. I would've never expected Nikolai to settle down. The way you talked about him suggested that he was your typical bad boy player who thought he was god's gift to women."

"He was," Juliet said. Corrected, "is. He is still like that."

"Then...?"

"His parents probably forced him to propose to her. It would be scandalous if their son went around impregnating girls and then not marrying them. I'm sure the wedding is going to be very soon." Juliet said drily, "Their parents will want to make it look like she got pregnant after the wedding. I think she's a month along?"

"Wow," Lara repeated. "That's...wild."

"Tell me about it."

"So," Lara said a little gingerly, "what about you? Did you find anyone 'interesting' yet?"

Please say no. I want to have a chance, Lara secretly begged. She missed Juliet so incredibly much.

Juliet hesitated for a split second and then said, "of course not."

But Lara saw the hesitation. Oh god. There must have been someone. Someone who attracted her attention.

Lara was crushed. She quickly said, "this food is amazing. I love it."

Juliet said, "agreed."

Lara stared at Juliet's face nearly the entire time they had spoken.

She was still as beautiful as ever.

But Lara didn't have a chance anymore.

And never would.

***