The Ring

EIGHT

[ADRIAN'S POV]

Susan and Harris skid off in their car as Sophie and I take our seats in mine. I put on my seatbelt, and start the car. We drive quietly in my car, and I am enjoying the silence Sophie was giving me. That is until her hand reaches slowly for my shoulder.

"Adrian, look I don't want you to think I'm a bad person, okay? Ingrid is my best friend, but you are too. And I want what's best for you." Her hands travel from my shoulder to my cheek.

"What's your point?" I ask with a frustrated sigh. I can't believe she's capable of arousing me with just a touch of her hand. I try my best not to jerk off.

"I love you, Adrian. I've tried my best but I just can't control my feelings for you. I've really tried telling myself that you belong to someone else but something just draws me back to you. We have a cosmic connection, Adrian. You should understand that."

"I don't want to have this conversation right now, Sophie. I just offered to drive you home, that's all." I say to her. She looks piteously at me and takes her hand off me.

"So you're not going to do anything about me?" she asks with a shrug, making me look despicable.

"Sophie, just as you can't control your feelings for me, I also can't do so for Ingy. I love her, she loves me, and that's why I can never be with you. It's really simple. Please understand."

"What about me, Adrian?"

"I'm not responsible for your feelings, Sophie. Even if I am, I don't know what to do about it. You should try to control it. Adjust to the circumstances and forget about me. I'm sorry, I really love Ingy. And I want to stop hurting her. We have been having an affair behind her for years now and I have decided to do what is right. I suggest you do same."

"So all this is about Ingrid?" Sophie winces at me. "Adrian, you think Ingrid still loves you after all what we've done to her? Do you even see the way she looks at me? She's fooling you, Adrian. She is just planning revenge in her head."

"Unlike you, she loves me enough to forget about the past and forgive me." I snap at Sophie.

"She took off her engagement ring, Adrian. Did you forget that? She doesn't value anything you give her."

I sigh. "Ingy took it off because she her ring got tight and got a sore. She wants to be with me despite everything and I love her for that. So please stop trying. Nothing will ever happen between us."

"Adrian..."

"I trust her and I'm not listening to you." I pull the brakes, stopping the car.

"Why would I lie? Why don't you check her finger again? I'm sure that'll be proof enough."

"I'm sick of you already. Get out of my car, Sophie." I say with my commanding tone.

"Adrian..."

"We're at your house. Get out. It's late and you need rest."

Sophie finally looks out the window and realizes that we're at her house. She then turns back to me, stares at me for a while, reaches for my nape and kisses me unexpectedly.

I don't kiss her back, I just remain in my seat, pissed and frustrated. But I don't push her away, because if I do that with all the frustration running in my veins, she'll hit really hard and get injured.

"Goodnight." She tells me, with a glint in her eyes.