The Soul of Scarlett II

The moment I cut him off, I could see the change in his expression. His eyes flickered with something—disappointment? Hurt? I wasn’t sure, but it made my chest tighten.

“My bad,” Jason said, forcing a small smile.

I exhaled, trying to gather my thoughts. “I’m really glad you confided in me, Jason. It’s just… complicated. I don’t want to lose you. I really love our friendship, and I don’t want anything to ruin it.”

He frowned slightly. “I love our friendship too, Halle… but I don’t understand what you’re trying to say.”

I hated this. Hated how awkward it suddenly felt. How I wanted to know if it was me he was talking about, but at the same time, I didn’t want to know. Because if it was me, everything would change. And if it wasn’t me… well, I wasn’t sure my heart could take that either.

So I did what I always did—I avoided it.

“What if we get back to the song?” I said quickly, desperate to shift the conversation. “I just thought of a better melody.”