Fate
Sophie had a task on her hands – putting together baskets for Jordan's bridesmaids. She wanted to include a peace lily in each basket, and Mary had recommended "Gotham Gardens" just a few days prior. So, that's where Sophie was heading to pick up the plants.
"Soph, are you even listening?" Kate's voice cut through Sophie's thoughts. She hadn't responded to Kate's complaints. Kate had called her, fuming about an article in People magazine that claimed she had been rude to a waiter. Kate argued that she would never be rude, because she knew what it was like to pull oneself up by their bootstraps. The truth was, Kate was far from self-made; her father owned the media company she worked for, and he pulled every string that could be pulled in her favor. Her photo probably was right next to the word nepotism in the dictionary. She was certainly out of touch with the reality of being self-made, but Sophie didn’t have the energy to engage in another argument about it.
Kate was generally good to Sophie, treating her well because she deemed Sophie worthy of her time and attention. She behaved herself when in Sophie's presence, but it was when Sophie wasn't around that Kate's true colors shone, often landing her in gossip magazines.
Yes, Kate, I'm here," Sophie said, pulling up to the shop.
"Well, what should I do?" Kate asked, her tone indicating that she already knew what Sophie's response would be and that she was likely to ignore it. "I should demand a retraction, right?"
"Or you could just leave it alone," Sophie suggested gently. "You know every time you do this, you just end up even more upset with what they say online."
"That's easy for you to say. They don't say these things about you," Kate retorted defensively.
"No, they just get really racist from time to time," Sophie replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm, which seemed to silence Kate momentarily. "I also try to treat everybody the same, no matter who they are."
"I don't treat people differently," Kate protested weakly.
"You might not realize it, Kate, but you know you can be spoiled sometimes, and that doesn’t always come across in the best light." Sophie sighed, feeling the weight of annoyance at the conversation that had been had many times before. "I need to pick up this order. Can we talk about this later?"
"Yeah, sure," Kate huffed, clearly not thrilled with the outcome of their discussion but agreeing to let it go for now.
After hanging up with Kate, Sophie stepped out of her car and headed inside the shop. As she walked in, she felt an immediate sense of serenity that enveloped her. The atmosphere was calming and precisely what she needed after her conversation with Kate. After signing a few autographs, she was directed to take the elevator to the 5th level, to the rooftop where they kept the flowers that Sophie was looking for.
As she made her way up to the rooftop, she was struck by the beauty of the space. Lush plants and vibrant flowers surrounded her, creating a peaceful haven above the bustling and noisy city. She quickly spotted the area where the flowers she needed were located. However, her attention was soon drawn to something or rather, someone, much more captivating.
There, amidst the stunning array of plants and flowers stood Ryan. The softest of smiles etched at the corners of her lips, as their eyes met. Sophie couldn't believe the coincidence once again. It was as if fate had conspired to bring them together once more, and she couldn't help but wonder what it meant. Ryan's smile still had the power to weaken her. It was a testament to the connection they once shared.
"Once is a coincidence…" Ryan started, "Twice is…" Her voice trailed off as an unconscious grin rested on her lips, mirroring Sophie’s expression.
"Evidence that you're stalking me," Sophie teased.
Ryan just stood at a loss for words at the moment. She had done everything in her power to avoid Sophie, and yet here she was.
"What brings you here?" Sophie inquired, genuinely curious.
"I'm just shopping for some plants," Ryan replied, hesitating slightly before adding, "Is Jordan with you?" The slight hint of hope in her voice was unmistakable.
"Sorry to disappoint, but it's just me today, running some maid of honor errands," Sophie replied.
"I'm not disappointed," Ryan quickly clarified, again words leaping from her mouth before her brain could process them. It felt like when she got around her, words lept like like truth under the influence.
"Good," Sophie responded. A warm, flirty but dangerous smirk spread across her face as they shared a moment. "Since you didn't have time for lunch, how about you show me around?" Sophie said, feigning ignorance of her real purpose for being there. She just wanted to prolong their time together as much as possible.
"It'll be more like the blind leading the blind, because I've never been here either," Ryan laughed, the sound of it was infectious.
"Well, we made a good team once upon a time. I'm sure we'll figure it out," Sophie replied with a knowing smirk, which flustered Ryan in a way that told her she should remove herself from this situation, but she wouldn't.
Together, they began to explore the rooftop garden. "Life seems like it's been good to you," Sophie complimented Ryan. Sophie's eyes swept over Ryan in a way that she didn’t even realize, but it didn’t go unnoticed by Ryan.
"Yeah, the academy is doing great. You should see how far I've come since that basic studio layout," Ryan beamed as she spoke about the changes, and all her students. Sophie always loved to hear the passion in her voice when she spoke about her work. The way her face lit up was infectious, making it impossible not to hang onto every word.
"I'm so happy for you, Ryan. I know how hard you worked for this. I'm proud of you." The genuine pride in her face expanded Ryan's heart, and almost made her blush. Sophie was always her biggest cheerleader when they were together. Even when they broke up, all she wanted to do was see her succeed.
“You're not doing too bad yourself, Miss New York Runway Fashion, and face of L'Oréal," Ryan proudly boasted on Sophie's behalf, her voice filled with admiration. "I guess all that sacrificing was worth it, after all?" She commented, recalling a past conversation about how much Sophie seemed to be losing in order to gain her dream.
“Not everything..." Sophie's words slipped out in a soft, vulnerable tone, tinged with a sense of longing that lingered in the air between them. She shouldn't have said it, but she couldn't help herself. She wanted to see Ryan's reaction, to test the waters. She was playing with fire, but in that moment, she felt drawn to the flickering flame, willing to risk the burn.
Their eyes locked, the air charged with a mix of nostalgia and desire, as they stood amidst the garden. The unspoken words danced around them, teasing at the forbidden connection that still pulsed between them.
Their magnetic gaze was interrupted by a thunderous noise that startled them both. Sophie couldn't help but to laugh at Ryan's shriek. She was deathly afraid of thunderstorms, and with all the things that had changed, it was obvious that wasn't one of them.
"It's not funny!" Ryan playfully pushed her as another thunder roared, forcing her to jump stepping closer to Sophie.
Sophie's instinct was to make sure she didn't lose her balance, which landed her hand at the small of Ryan's back. "I got you." Sophie's eyes locked with Ryan's, and for a moment they stood, hypnotized by each other. Sophie could smell the scent of Ryan’s vegan body butter, and it tossed her back to a moment of marveling in that same scent within her sheets. Ryan felt Sophie's hand firmly on her back, it jolted her with the memory of her firmly holding her in place while her lips tenderly explored the wonders of her body. "Maybe we should head down. That storm seems to be coming in early. The thunder is only going to get worse," Sophie warned her. The rooftop had a retractable cover but it didn’t seem to have been activated just yet.
"Yeah, I think you're right," Ryan agreed. They were the only two on the rooftop at that moment, so they quickly made their way to the elevator, eager to escape the impending storm.
As soon as they stepped onto the elevator, the thunderous rumble of the storm grew closer, and a torrential downpour began. Sophie pressed the button for the ground floor once the doors closed. There was a commotion and hissing noise as if the elevator was about to start moving, but then the elevator lights flickered and suddenly, everything went pitch black.
“What the hell..." Ryan's panicked voice echoed in the darkness, just before the dim glow of an emergency light flicked on.
"The power must have gone out," Sophie assumed as she pressed the buttons, their lack of response confirming her theory.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Ryan groaned, her fear growing in the small, confined space.
It's going to be fine," Sophie reassured her, already feeling Ryans anxiety beginning to rise. "The cashier knows we were up here. I'm sure they're working to get the power back on and get us down there." Her voice was firm and confident as she took Ryan's hand. Her unwavering gaze provided a sense of calm. "You're going to be fine, Ryan, I promise.”
“You don't know that.” Ryan groaned.
“Have I ever lied to you or not taken care of you?” Sophie’s confident gaze commanded Ryan’s attention. “Have I ever let you down?”
“No,” Ryan responded softly.
“I’m not about to start now. I promise, you’re going to be fine. I'll make sure of it,” she asserted. “Here let's sit," she said gently, guiding her to sit down on the floor.
Sophie took out her phone as Ryan laid her head to the wall of the elevator, closing her eyes and attempting to breath through her mounting fear.
"I don't have any cell service in here either," Sophie sighed, sliding her phone back into her pocket. She turned her gaze to Ryan, her eyes full of concern. "Until they come for us, tell me more about the studio and the kids," she suggested gently, hoping to provide a distraction from the situation at hand.
At first, her request was met with silence. The only sound was Ryan taking deep breaths in the dimly lit elevator while the storm continued to roar in the background. Eventually, though, Ryan opened her eyes and looked at Sophie. A warm smile welcomed her, providing comfort and a sense of security. The gaze they held for those few seconds was incredibly intense. Those eyes felt as if they were piercing her soul. Sophie's desire to want to move closer to comfort Ryan and make sure she was okay was obvious. It brought on memories of what it once felt like to be held and touched by her. Reminders of how she could always feel Sophie’s words through the way she handled her.
Suddenly, Ryan's expression shifted, and she began to feel panicked for an entirely different reason. She scrambled to her feet, her heart pounding in her chest. "We have to get out of here," she declared, her voice layered with urgency. She began banging on the elevator door with her fists, the noise only added to the tension in the small space.
Sophie quickly got up and reached for Ryan's hand, stopping her frantic pounding. "Ryan, they probably can't hear you over the storm, and that's not going to make the elevator move. We need to just sit and be patient," she advised softly. "Being stuck in here with me can't be that bad, can it?" Her question drew Ryan's eyes to her, their gazes locking once more.
For a moment, Ryan stood there, her breath hitched, and her heart racing. The intensity of their connection was undeniable, and the closeness of the small space only amplified it. "It's not a good thing," she admitted, her words catching Sophie off guard. "I have a girlfriend," she added, the statement almost sounding like a reminder to herself.
The energy that had been building between them since the moment they had crossed paths again was beginning to overwhelm Ryan's senses. She felt a desperate urge to escape it, to put distance between herself and Sophie. It was as if being in such close proximity to her past love was dangerous, threatening to unravel the life she had built without Sophie in it. The fear and confusion in Ryan's eyes was evident, and as if time had changed nothing. Sophie’s instinctual reaction was to comfort her, but the only way she knew to do that was to address the elephant in the room, and let Ryan know she wasn’t alone.
“I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you either,” she whispered, her voice heavy with vulnerability. “I don’t want to cause any trouble for you, Ryan. I have a girlfriend, too,” she clarified, her gaze strong. “But I can’t lie. Ever since I saw you, you’ve been haunting me.” She stepped closer to Ryan, their bodies almost touching. “It’s been years, and somehow your smile still gets a reaction out of me that no one else has.” She watched as Ryan hung onto every word, her breathing shallow.
Sophie’s gaze dropped to their hands, her fingers lightly caressing Ryan’s skin. “When we broke up, I’d never felt pain like that before. Now seeing you, feeling this energy that’s still there, I can’t help but wonder…”
“Sophie, stop…” Ryan pleaded, her voice barely audible. “We can’t…”
“I know…” Sophie interrupted, her own voice trembling with emotion.
Despite their words, neither moved, the air between them thick with a longing desire, and a force that seemed to defy reason. The thunder overhead had fallen on deaf ears as they held a gaze. Slowly, Sophie's hand rose, landing gently on Ryan's face. Ryan's face instantly found comfort in her touch, and she leaned into it, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply. Sophie's perfume enveloped her, lifting her into a space that was dangerous for them both. She felt Sophie's hand lightly caress her cheek. "I can't feel like this…" Ryan's eyes opened, an almost electric sensation coursing through her body as her eyes met Sophie's. "But I don't know how to stop it…" she confessed, her eyes drifting to Sophie's lips. Like magnets, they were slowly drawn together, their lips mere inches apart. A mistake that couldn't be undone was in their path, and as they shared breath, neither could find the strength to pull away.
Divine intervention rescued them both as the elevator jolted back to life, wrenching them apart seconds before their forbidden embrace could culminate. The abrupt movement snapped them back into reality, forcing them to confront the fragile line they had been teetering on. As the elevator began to move, Ryan and Sophie found themselves on opposite sides of the small space, their eyes locked in a mutual understanding of the dangerous territory they had entered.
"Are you two okay?" The cashier's concerned voice broke the tense silence as the elevator doors slid open.
Ryan, her heart and mind raced, as she frantically pushed past the cashier, desperate to remove herself from the situation as soon as possible. So many emotions weighed on her as she hurried towards the train. Despite her intention to avoid it, fate had thrust her into the clutches of a reality that could no longer be denied, forcing her to spring forward not only into the unresolved feelings between her and Sophie, but also the truth of her relationship with Angelique. The intensity of the moment and the realization of what was at stake left her feeling overwhelmed and in a world of confusion.