Page 52 of Eight Weeks
Well, I have been, that much I have to say. I barely committed to Winter, but I suppose we can all agree on the same reason why that is.
Anyway, being in a fake relationship with Sofia or not, I wouldn’t think of being with anyone else. She’s it for me, has always been. So then I might have to find a more complicated way to get us to our happily ever after, but I will.
No matter how long it’ll take, I promised, not only her, but me too, that Sofia will end up with me. I’d be pretty stupid to jeopardize her trust in me with cheating. If she were to be in love with me, which she is notyet, I’d also be out of my mind insane to put that on the line for a silly fling.
I know what I want from Sofia, but I’m yet to make her understand, make her trust me enough to want the same.
“Fortunately, I’m not yet playing for the pros, so I’m not really on the road that much. Though, even if I were, Sofia is the only one that had ever held the key to my heart. She literally had me in a chokehold since we were seven. So much to thinking of another woman has me want to beat myself up.” I wink at the blonde for the mere purpose to provoke. “Perhaps you simply haven’t found the right man yet if you guys think every single athlete, or guy for that matter, would rather cheat than be loyal.”
The girls’ eyes snap over to Sofia’s, one of them saying something in German. I’m not even sure I want to know what she said when I see Sofia rolling her eyes shortly before dragging me away from the three menaces.
Sofia leads me past the buffet table, to the fridge filled with drinks where she grabs a bottle of wine before leading me to one of the back corners of the barn. She then releases my arm, looking up a wooden ladder, one that looks like it’s going to break when one steps foot on it.
“Are you planning on dragging me up there?” I ask at the same time as she clamps the bottle of wine between one arm and her side while using the other to hold on to one step of the ladder to climb up. In what must be seconds, I take the bottle from her, shaking my head as if to tell her she’s insane.
I mean, come on. Climbing up a ladder that seems to be older than her with one hand, and not to forget that there are more missing steps to the ladder than present… no. I will not let her risk falling, breaking bones, or simply hurting herself in the slightest. In any way.
“It’s safe. I’ve been using this ladder to get up there since I was ten. Nothing ever happened to me.”
“Just because it never has doesn’t mean nothing ever will happen. Did youlookat that thing?! That is a safety violation.”
Sofia bites her bottom lip, trying to keep the smile from showing but it doesn’t work. Slowly, she’s making her way up that ladder. Halfway up, she looks down at me, grinning. “If you’re too scared to come up here, that’s your problem. I’m not a coward.”
She is going to be the death of me, won’t she? In every single sense imaginable.
As she reaches the top, Sofia lies down on the wood, reaching a hand down to take the bottle from me. I hand it to her.
I’m well aware that I don’t have to prove to Sofia that I’m far from scared, far from being a coward, and yet despite the uneasy feeling in my stomach, I follow her up the ladder.
Every other step creaks, screaming at me to get down. This is far from safe; nobody can convince me otherwise. Not even Sofia.
As soon as my feet are on solid—creaking—ground, I’m a little more relieved. I’m sure the thin layer of this wood could give in at any second and have Sofia and me fall at least eight feet, but I’m not here to back out of spending some alone time with Sofia… that isifI could find her.
Where the fuck did she go? I swear, I was right behind her and now she’s—Oh. Found her. “What the hell are you doing sitting on a hay bale in the darkest possible corner?”
She shrugs at me, taking a sip from the wine, right from the bottle before holding it out to me. “Want a sip?”
Making my way over to Sofia, I shake my head. I don’t like wine. Never did, never will.
Before I sit down beside her, I grab my phone from my pocket and send a quick text to a group chat consisting of my three best friends and me. You know, just to let them know that I might die very soon.
Aaron:Not to be dramatic, but I might die.
“Are you okay?” Sofia presses her lips together to stop herself from laughing. “You’re a bit pale.”
“That’s the light.” It’s not, I’m sure of it.
I might be majoring in architecture, but that’s all it is. Designing houses. I don’t like heights.
In an attempt to calm my nerves, I finally take a seat, taking deep breaths.Everything will be fine. This barn isn’t that unsafe. The wood might be old and falling apart, but that’s fine… it won’t just break. Hopefully.
“Nix?” Sofia’s hand lays down on my thigh. “You’re shaking. And I can assure you, it’s not cold here. What is wrong?”
“Just not a fan on heights,” I admit. Fuck, I never admitted that to anyone. I know it’s common and nothing to be embarrassed about, but I’m not the guy to get scared. I don’t admit having weaknesses.
My phone chimes, my eyes instantly snapping to it to keep my head occupied.
Grey:Why, did Sofia beat you at hockey?
