Sofia wasn't expecting anything. Not anymore. She had trained herself not to. No checking her phone every few minutes. No hoping for a name to appear. No waiting. She was doing better. Not completely okay. But better.
That night, she sat on her bed, her notebook resting beside her. A half-written page stared back at her. Her thoughts were quieter now. Less chaotic. More… controlled.
Then— her phone lit up. Sofia didn't reach for it immediately. She had learned not to react too quickly. Not to let her heart jump at every notification.
But something— something felt different. She picked it up slowly.
And the moment she saw the name— everything stopped. Kenzo. Her breath caught. Her fingers froze around the phone.
For a second— she didn't open it. Because opening it meant something. It meant letting him back in. Even just a little. And she wasn't sure if she was ready for that.
But still— she tapped the screen.
"I hope you're doing okay."
That was it. No explanation. No apology. No long message. Just… that. Sofia stared at the words. Her heart reacted first. A soft ache. A quiet pull.
Because even now— even after everything— his words still mattered. She sat there. Thinking. What was she supposed to say?
"I'm fine"?
"Why now?"
"You hurt me"?
Or nothing at all? Because silence— was an answer too.
Meanwhile— Kenzo sat in his room. Phone in his hand. Waiting. For a reply. Every second felt longer than it should. His mind running through possibilities. Maybe she wouldn't respond. Maybe she moved on. Maybe he was too late.
Back in her room— Sofia typed. Then erased. Typed again. Then stopped. Her thoughts were louder now. Because this wasn't just a message. This was a door. And she didn't know if she wanted to open it again.
She closed her eyes briefly. Then— finally— she typed.
"I am."
She stared at it. Simple. Safe. Not too open. Not too distant. Then— she hit send.
Kenzo's phone lit up almost immediately. His heart skipped. He opened the message quickly.
"I am."
That was it. But somehow— it meant everything. Because she replied. She didn't ignore him. Didn't shut him out. She answered.
And for the first time in weeks— Kenzo felt something shift. Hope. Small. Fragile. But there.
Sofia looked at her phone again. Waiting. And just like before— she hated that she was waiting.
But this time— it felt different. Not desperate. Not painful. Just… uncertain.
Another message came. Her heart reacted again. She opened it.
"That's good."
She let out a small breath. Of course. Still simple. Still careful. Still… Kenzo.
But this time— Sofia didn't feel hurt. She understood. He wasn't someone who said a lot. He never was.
She typed again.
"What about you?"
She paused. Then sent it.
Kenzo stared at the new message. His fingers tightened slightly around his phone. Because that question— was harder than it seemed. Was he okay? No. But could he say that? He exhaled slowly. Then typed.
"I'm trying."
Sofia read the message. And something in her chest softened. Because she understood that answer. More than he probably realized.
The conversation didn't continue after that. Not that night. But it didn't need to. Because something had already happened. Something small. But important. They spoke again. Not as strangers. Not as before. But somewhere in between.
And sometimes— that's how everything begins again. Not with grand gestures. Not with long apologies. But with one simple message.
✨ End of Chapter 14