Chapter 42 Congratulations

Chapter 42 Congratulations
NOVA'S POV

"Did Sofia Vescovi just kiss you infront of everyone?....that's so bad ass given that you're engaged." My team mate says but only she seems to think that because my eyes land on a familiar face.

My dad's face.

He said he wasn't going to be here tonight.

Sofia kissed me.

Not that she hadn't before but this one felt different.

What did those words mean?

That i know what it's like to lose everything?

I run towards the exit before I feel a grip on my arm.

"She's suffered enough."

Delia smirks pleased with herself.

Sofia risked everything for me.

I need to find out why.

"What did you do?" I ask yanking my arm before it draws attention close to the exit.

"What I should have done a long time ago."

My stomach drops.

The video.

Fuck.

The video.

The dare.

She told Sofia about the dare.

My heart races as I rush past her to the parking lot.

If at all she's still there.

Her jeep easily stands out but only Paolo is pacing next to it.

"Where is sofia?"

He glares in my direction.

"I need to talk to her."

He scoffs.

"Sure you do."

"Where is she Paolo? And did she tell you anything about the kiss?"

He clenches his jaw.

"You want to know about a stupid fucking kiss huh?" He laughs bitterly.

The approaches me.

"She's in intensive care right now fighting for her life and you want to know about a stupid kiss!" He yells with tears rolling down cheeks before his boyfriend appears.

He flashes an apologetic smile before leading Paolo away.

She's in intensive care?

Shit!

She told me she was okay.

She promised that she was.

I dial Luca and he picks up.

"Where are you?"

"With Mila. She needs me."

"Which hospital?"

He pauses.

"I can't tell you. Her dad made Mila promise on it."

I scoff feeling a tear roll down my cheek.

She was right infront of me earlier.

She smiled back at me.

And now.....now I know nothing about how she is.

"Please Luca." I plead.

"I'm sorry Nova."

Then he hangs up.

I blink away tears trying to call him again but he doesn't pick up.

I didn't mean it.

Nothing about how i feel is a dare.

I really like her.

"What are you doing out here?" Dad's voice echos through the parking lot.

I wipe my tears carelessly.

Then turn to face him.

"Getting some air."

He scoffs.

"Your friend made quite the scene in there Nova. You know what i have to do now, don't you?"

"No dad. That was my fault. I didn't stay away from her. I– please ruin my life not hers. Please dad."

I break down.

I'm usually more composed.

That's what makes it harder for him to follow through with threats.

There's a brief pause.

"You had one job Nova. And you didn't do it right. I'm just looking out for your future. I hope you understand." He says taking out his phone.

"You're going to get that car and head home. We'll talk about this later." Is all he says pointing to my assigned driver.

I won but somehow I feel more miserable than ever.

Why did she have to do that?

I had a plan.

But I also lied to her.

I walk towards the car defeated.

I'm at his mercy now.

"Congratulations Nova." The driver says but i don't feel it.

Instead I roll down my window and let the breeze wipe my tears for me.

She let me in because she thought I was different.

Heck I also thought I was different when she looked at me like I was someone.

She never once asked me why her.

Because she should have.

I only agreed to it because I didn't think I'd ever fall for someone.

Fall for her.

Now I might loose her completely.

At the house mom is already standing by the porche.

The lights feel brighter than usual.

"Congratulations honey." She says opening her arms to me and I walk into them still in my sweaty jersey.

"I lost everything, mom." I say in an almost whimper before walking past her into the house.

I deserve this.

To feel this helpless.

But Sofia shouldn't.

Her life was way better without me in it.

Maybe I should have been more harsh towards her.

I should have listened to Mila and stayed away.

I should have resisted her charm at the hotel.

Because she's so genuine and untainted by my world and now her health is at stake.

Because of one stupid dare I drunkenly agreed to.

No.

Not drunkenly.

Because I remember it.

I was too cocky.

I walk up to my room.

Somehow the stairs feel more steep.

Each step feels heavy.

In my room I let my tears fall.

Because everytime something bad happened I stayed in this room.

There's a gentle knock on my door before it opens.

My mom walks over to me cautiously before settling on the floor next to me.

"I'm so so sorry Nova."

I remain silent staring at one spot in the room blankly.

She's no better than dad.

She's never stopped him.

"I have no more secrets for dad so you can leave." I say bluntly.

She nods in understanding.

"What happened?" She asks finally.

"Sofia kissed me."

"Okay."

"Infront of everyone and dad saw it. She's sick and I don't know how bad it is and dad is– he's going to do something to hurt her even more than I have."

I feel my tears again stream down again.

I almost had it.

My composure.

"How....did you hurt her?"

I scoff.

"Is for dad or you?"

She pauses.

"Get out. I don't want to talk to you."

My eyes never leave hers this time.

What mom puts her through hell and calls it love.

"Nova I–"

"I can only take a thousand sorry from you. If you really loved me you'd stop apologizing and do something about dad."

She gets up.

Dusts herself off walking to the door.

I get up and walk over to my closet.

I take out the box I hide.

There's the photo booth pictures of Sofia and I.

It was a random decision.

But her smile felt like the right decision.

I go back to my spot on the floor with the pictures in my hand.

I had every moment with her to tell her and I became selfish.

Selfish of her attention.

Her happiness.

Her kindness.

I wanted her to only see me and in the process I forgot that it was never just about me.

She lost her family and she still smiled like there was something to live for.

She almost died and got a lung transplant.

Even then she still looked at people like they deserved a second chance.

I believed that I deserved that second chance.

Yet I hid her from the world and she was patient.

I'm engaged to someone else and she understood how trapped I felt.

She kept giving and i just fucking took hoping she'd give more without complaining.

It should have been me standing in that parking lot begging for answers.

Not Sofia fighting for air while I stood there celebrating.

She was the one person who never asked me to be anything other than myself.

And somehow she's the person I hurt the most.