Previously:
Her chest tightened. She stared at the words, thumb hovering over the keyboard.
She typed, deleted, typed again. Finally, she wrote:
"I'm okay. How are you feeling?"
The reply came quickly:
"Better… I guess. I just keep thinking about you. "
Bella's stomach twisted. She wanted to answer, to reassure, but part of her hesitated. She didn't want Alice to think she was opening the door again.
Bella walked home alone after work. The air was cool, the road still wet after the evening rain.
When she stepped inside, the house was quiet too quiet. She dropped her bag on the floor and sat on the couch, letting out a soft sigh.
Her phone screen lit up.
A message from Alice.
She didn't open it right away. The last one still sat there: "Alice
Bella stared at it for a few seconds, then put the phone face down on the table.
A few minutes later, the door opened. Ellie came in, shaking off her jacket, smelling like rain and the outside air.
"You're home early," Bella said quietly.
Ellie smiled. "Restaurant was quiet. So I thought I'd come back and feed you instead."
Bella gave her a look but didn't protest.
Ellie peeked into the fridge. "What do you want for dinner?"
"I can cook myself," Bella said.
Ellie turned to her with a grin. "You said that yesterday. You still ate toast."
Bella rolled her eyes. "Fine. Anything's okay."
"Good answer," Ellie said, and started cooking.
The sound of chopping and the smell of garlic filled the air. Bella watched from the couch, trying not to stare too much. There was something peaceful about seeing Ellie move around her kitchen — like she belonged there.
Dinner was quiet but warm. They talked a bit, shared small smiles. It almost felt like everything was normal.
Until Bella's phone buzzed.
The screen lit up with one name.
Alice - "Why are you ignoring me?"
Bella's stomach tightened. She grabbed the phone quickly, turning the screen down.
Ellie saw it anyway.
Her voice was calm, but something sharp hid under it.
"Alice again?"
Bella froze. "Yeah," she said quietly.
Ellie looked at her for a moment, her tone turning careful.
"She's not just your old friend, is she?"
Bella didn't answer right away. Her eyes stayed on her plate.
Finally, she whispered, "It's complicated."
Ellie didn't say anything after that. She just nodded slightly and looked away.
The room fell quiet again, filled only by the sound of rain outside.
Bella stared at her untouched food, her heart heavy.
The phone buzzed one more time beside her, but she didn't move.
The rain kept falling after dinner, soft and steady against the window.
Bella was washing the dishes when Ellie leaned quietly on the counter beside her.
"You don't have to do that," Bella said without looking up.
"I'm not stopping you," Ellie replied. Her voice was calm, but her eyes weren't. "Just… watching."
Bella didn't say anything. The clinking of dishes filled the silence.
After a moment, Ellie sighed softly. "You know, I've seen her a few times now," she said. "Alice."
Bella's hands paused in the sink. "Yeah."
Ellie hesitated, her fingers tapping lightly on the counter. "And every time I ask, you say she's just a friend."
Her tone wasn't sharp — it was soft, but heavy. "But you don't look at her like she's just a friend, Bella."
Bella's throat tightened. "It's not like that anymore."
Ellie tilted her head, watching her carefully. "Then what is it?"
Bella kept her eyes on the water. "It's… complicated."
Ellie let out a quiet laugh — not mocking, but sad. "You keep saying that."
Bella turned then, finally meeting her eyes. Ellie's smile had faded, replaced by something smaller, more real.
"Why is it so hard for you to tell me the truth?" Ellie asked. Her voice cracked just a little. "It's not about her. It's about you not letting me in."
Bella froze. For a second, she didn't know what to say. Ellie's words hit somewhere deep — the place she always tried to keep locked.
"I'm sorry," Bella whispered. "I just… don't know how to explain it."
Ellie nodded slowly, but her eyes softened with something that looked like hurt.
"You never do."
She pushed off the counter and walked past her toward the living room.
"Good night, Bella."
Bella turned off the tap, the water dripping slowly from her hands.
She wanted to call her back to say something, anything but the words stayed stuck in her throat.