Author's Note

.｡｡*ﾟi hope you're staying safe and being kind to yourself! .｡｡*ﾟ

Love youuu 💗

𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚 ️

MANHATTAN 1899

Sophie sat on the flat roof of Medda's theater, peering over the side at carts and people below. She was dumbfounded. Enraged. Volcanic. That was an understatement. She folded her arms, noticing Bella walking toward her from the access stairs out of the corner of her eye.

Sophie whipped around to face her, hair wild and eyes in devastation. "I don't even know what's real anymore. Am I going crazy?" She squeaked.

Bella said nothing.

"You slept with my brother?" Sophie spat out the words like they were vinegar. "Please tell me this is just a big misunderstanding."

Taking a shaky breath, Bella took another step forward. She saw no point in lying. It was clear Sophie had her convictions. And she was certain she knew who had snitched. "Did Leah tell you-?"

"Yeah, Leah told me," Sophie continued over Bella's question, as if expecting it. "You know Jack's seeing someone, right? You don't mean anything to him. He's got a girlfriend now."

"We were drunk, Sophie. He was going on and on about Santa Fe, and I said I'd love to see it someday...and we just..." She sputtered, grasping for words. "It was just one time. It'll never happen again."

"Okay, I get that, but..." Sophie slowly stood up. "Jack of all people? How long have you wanted to fuck my brother? You always seemed like you hated him. Oh, and what? Now you want to run off to Santa Fe with him. Like he's going to do that? He's delusional!"

Bella looked away with a shrug, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Did he at least pay you?" Sophie sighed, easing back her temper. "Please tell it was transactional."

"It wasn't like that," Bella mumbled.

"Well, what is it like?" Sophie's eyes widened. "What?"

"I don't know. It doesn't matter," Bella replied bitterly, having taken offense to Sophie's words. "I don't say anything about the guys you sleep with. Not even Spot Conlon."

Sophie was quiet.

"I wasn't trying to start anything between you two. I don't want to come between him and Sarah," Bella continued, speaking slowly. "Is that what you want to hear?"

Sophie stared at Bella. "It doesn't matter what I want to hear. That doesn't change what you did."

"What I did? I didn't do this alone. Why aren't you yelling at your brother instead of yelling at me?"

"But you're not trying to start anything between me and my brother," Sophie nodded in mock understanding. "Got it."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Well, if you hate me now, just say it."

They glared at each other. Sophie's blonde hair fell in waves over her violet dress. She stood in stark contrast to Bella's yellow dress and neat milkmaid braids.

"I don't hate you. You know you're my best friend," Sophie said in a much calmer voice, her expression softening. "I'm sorry."

She stood in front of Bella. "I know, I'm sorry," Bella whispered, wiping away a tear. "You're my best friend, too."

"Well..." Sophie exhaled and shrugged. "Maybe I overreacted. I shouldn't have yelled at you. This isn't your fault."

They looked at one another, both guilty and hurt. Bella gave Sophie a small smile.

"Just tell me the truth, Bella," Sophie said. "No more lies."

"Yeah?" Bella nodded, waiting nervously.

"Do you actually want to run off to Santa Fe?" Sophie asked.

"I don't think this city could ever get rid of me if it tried," Bella mumbled. "Besides, I couldn't make it out there. Whole lot of nothing."

Sophie took a shaky breath. "Are you in love with Jack?" Her voice betrayed her, revealing the wave of insecurity she had tried to keep at bay.

Bella broke into somewhat of a glimmering smile at Sophie, taking a step closer. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard you say."

The bell of a trolley on the street echoed from somewhere down below, jolting Sophie out of her spiral.

In one quick motion, Sophie took Bella's face gently, closing the gap between them, and kissed her. Smiling into the kiss, Bella moved her hand to Sophie's waist, pulling her in.

After a few beats, Sophie broke the kiss and pressed her forehead against Bella's, sniffling, a relieved smile on her face. "Don't scare me like that again."

"You were jealous," Bella snickered, moving Sophie's tangled blonde hair behind her hair, watching the mid-day sun cast golden shadows on her face. "I'm sorry. Seeing you with Spot...maybe I was jealous, too."

Shaking her head with a soft smile, Sophie stared at her boots and then back up at Bella. "Good. You should be."