Page 19 of Burning Love

“I’d have loved to see you perform. Going to the ballet was never my thing, but to hear you talk about it makes me realize how wrong I was,” Alex said, the sincerity in her voice catching Sophia off guard.

“When all this is over I’ll get you a VIP ticket, okay? Best seats in the house,” Sophia replied, her smile tinged with a hint of sadness. “Do you ever think like that? About when it’s over? When we can go back to how things were?”

Alex left the question to hang in the air before replying. She knew the odds. She’d quickly come to understand the reality of their new world just days after the initial outbreak. But she didn’t want to spoil this moment. For now, she’d allow Sophia to dream. “Sure, who doesn’t want to hold on to hope, right? Do you think I want to hang around here for the rest of my life with Tromer, Henry, and Miller and a shitload of mouths to feed? No way! I wanna go see me some ballet!”

“Thank you,” Sophia said softly. “For everything.”

Alex nodded, her throat tight. “No problem, sweetheart. Let me walk you back to your hangar. Ellen will have your guts if you so much as yawn tomorrow.”

As she watched Sophia head inside for the night, Alex felt a strange mixture of emotions—hope, fear, and a growing certainty that Sophia had come into her life for a reason.

8

SOPHIA

The entire day had been a blur, her mind clouded with the weight of what had happened the day before. The memory of it clung to her like a second skin, making it hard to focus on the mundane tasks that filled her day. She kept replaying the scene in her mind, her heart pounding in her chest, her breath shallow. The touch of Alex’s hand, the warmth of her body pressed against hers… It had been a fleeting solace, but one that left an indelible mark.

She made her way over to where the fence stood as a tenuous barrier between what Alex had assured her was the relative safety of their camp and the unpredictable wild beyond. She’d heard a lot of mumblings about the compound not being safe over the last few days, but she knew Alex was working on it. And she trusted her new friend implicitly. The cool wind brushed against her face, and she felt, albeit momentarily, at peace

Her body ached, not just from the physical labor but from the tension she carried in her shoulders and neck. She could feel the knots, tight and unyielding, a physical manifestation of her inner turmoil. The sun had done little to alleviate the chill that seemed to have settled in her bones, a chill that only deepened with each passing hour.

Jesus, I’m in agony.

As she trailed her fingers along the rough bark of a tree, grounding herself in the texture, her mind whirled with thoughts. It had been a long day, filled with all the usual challenges, but something deeper stirred within her—an aching need for connection, for a moment of peace amid the chaos.

Her emotions were a tangled web of longing and fear. The vulnerability she had shown the night before had left her exposed, and she wasn’t sure how to navigate the new terrain of her feelings. The softness in Alex’s eyes, the way she had held her, had sparked something that Sophia hadn’t felt in a long time—hope. Yet, that hope was tempered by the ever-present shadow of their reality. The compound, though a refuge, was also a reminder of the fragility of their existence.

As she rounded a corner, she spotted Alex leaning against the rusted fence, her silhouette backlit by the fading light. The sight of her brought a sense of calm, a reassurance that Sophia couldn’t quite explain. Alex turned her head, a small smile playing on her lips as their eyes met.

“You looked stressed. You had enough of Ellen yet?” Alex’s voice was low, a soothing contrast to the tension that seemed to hang perpetually in the air.

Sophia shook her head, stepping closer. “Just needed some fresh air. What about you?”

Alex shrugged, her gaze shifting to the horizon. “Same. It’s been a day.”

Sophia tilted her head, studying Alex’s profile. “What was the worst part?”

Alex hesitated, her fingers brushing against the fence. “It wasn’t one thing, really. Just... the weight of it all. Keeping everyone safe, making decisions that could mean life or death. It’s exhausting.”

Sophia nodded, understanding the burden Alex carried. “You don’t have to do it alone, you know. We’re all in this together.”

Alex turned to her, a flicker of gratitude in her eyes. “I know. But sometimes, it feels like the responsibility is mine alone. Like if I mess up, it’s all on me.”

They stood in silence for a moment, the sounds of the compound fading into the background. The distant clang of metal and the murmur of voices were reminders of their reality, but here, in this quiet corner, it felt like they could escape, if only for a little while.

“You want to sit?” Alex gestured to a patch of grass nearby, her tone light but inviting.

Sophia nodded, settling beside her. The grass was cool beneath her fingers, a contrast to the warmth radiating from Alex’s body. They sat close, their shoulders brushing as they leaned back against the fence.

“It’s strange,” Sophia began, her voice barely above a whisper. “Finding moments like this, where it almost feels normal.”

Alex chuckled softly. “Yeah. Funny how we cling to anything that feels even remotely normal.” She paused, her gaze turning serious. “It’s hard, though. Pretending everything’s okay when it’s not.”

Sophia turned to her, searching her face. “You don’t have to pretend with me.”

Alex’s lips curled into a small, almost sad smile. “That’s the thing. We all put on a brave face, but inside, we’re falling apart.”

Sophia reached out, her fingers brushing against Alex’s hand. “You don’t have to be strong all the time. It’s okay to lean on someone.”

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