22- Freedom

As Jade embarked on this new chapter of her life, her heart filled with

gratitude for the woman who had guided her and for the opportunity to write her own story.

Life, though full of challenges, now presented itself to her as a blank canvas

ready to be filled with the experiences she was destined to live. Meanwhile at a party Cris…

The sound of music echoed in the air as the party came to life. Cris, in the

crowd, searched for Samantha among the flashing lights and contagious laughter.

Finally, he found her in a corner, surrounded by friends, with an expression of fun

on her face.

“ Samantha, can we talk for a moment?” Cris says, approaching.

“ Now? I'm busy having fun with my friends,” Samantha says as

she looks at him from the loft.

“ It'll just be a moment, it's important.” Cris tries to calm her down and tells her that

it'll just be a moment. (Samantha frowning)

— What could be so important as to ruin my night? —

— It's about us, Sam. Lately, I feel like our relationship is going through a rough patch, and I think we need to talk about it. — He says a little

ashamed.

— Cris, this is not the time or the place. I'm here to have fun, not to argue. —

Samantha tells him while looking at him with disinterest.

— I know, but we need to address this. We can't keep ignoring the problems.

— She tells him in an ashamed manner.

— Always the same! Can't you just relax and enjoy the night?

— Samantha says offering him a drink.

— I can't keep ignoring what's happening between us. We need

to clear things up. — She says in a frustrated manner.

Samantha (raising her voice):

— I'm not going to ruin my night because of your emotional problems! Leave me alone. —

Feeling defeated, Cris stepped back a few steps, watching as Samantha

immersed herself back into the party with her friends. The deafening music and joyful laughter

seemed to isolate him in the middle of the crowd, leaving him feeling lonely.

— Maybe I should have waited for a more suitable time. But this can't

go on like this. We need to talk, Samantha, before it's too late. —

Cris said in a melancholic manner.

As Cris walked away, the music and the hubbub of the party continued, but the gap

between him and Samantha seemed to have widened even further. The fate of their relationship

was hanging in the air, waiting to be addressed at a more propitious time.

Cris walked through the night streets, heading for his apartment. The sound of the party

faded as he walked away from the bustle of the beach. A feeling of heaviness

came over him, carrying with it the unresolved tensions of his relationship with Samantha.

As he climbed the stairs to their shared home, uncertainty loomed over his

mind. As he entered, he noticed that the dimness of the place highlighted the silence that had settled

in their home. Samantha was not there to greet him, and the absence of her presence intensified the

feeling of loneliness.

“What is going on between us, Samantha?” Cris said, sighing.

He dropped onto the couch, deep in thought. He remembered the times when

Samantha used to be his confidant, his unconditional support. But something had changed.

Lately, every interaction was fraught with tension and distance.

“I don’t know when things started to change. Samantha used to be my

refuge, but now… I feel like we are two strangers sharing a space.

“ Cris said as he reflected.

The image of Samantha, always sharp and distant, was engraved in his mind. Every attempt to get closer was met with resistance, and the gap between them seemed to grow with time.

“We need to talk, but she closes herself off to any attempt. What has happened for us to get to this point?” Cris commented while murmuring.

Uncertainty and frustration were reflected in his expression. He wondered if there was something deeper that was affecting their relationship, something he could not understand.

“I will talk to her tomorrow. We cannot continue avoiding this. We need to face reality and decide what path we want to take,” Cris said in a determined manner.

With that determination, Cris sank into a sea of thoughts, hoping that the pending conversation could shed light on the dark tunnel in which his relationship with Samantha was.

As Cris reflected on his relationship with Samantha, a persistent echo resonated in his mind: the image of Jade. Days had passed since the beach party,

but the furtive glances and the spark that arose between them did not fade easily.

Jade, with her enigmatic presence, had been engraved in Cris's mind in a way

that she could not ignore.

— Why can't I get Jade out of my head? It's like there's something else, at least go

that goes beyond that look at the party. But what does it really mean? — Cris thinks.

Confusion mixed with his thoughts. He tried to analyze the situation logically,

remembering every interaction with Jade in search of clues that could explain the

persistent intrusion of her image in his mind.

— Maybe it's just the novelty of someone different, someone who is not burdened with the

tension that Samantha and I share lately. But there's something about the way

he makes me feel... — Cris comments while reflecting.

Cris's mind wandered between the two women who occupied his thoughts. Samantha,

who used to be his confidant and companion, and Jade, the mysterious presence that had

recently emerged, awakening feelings that Cris could not ignore.

— I must face reality. I need to talk to Samantha and understand what is

going on between us. But I must also clarify my own feelings,

especially regarding Jade. — Cris sighs as he says those

words.

As he immersed himself in his thoughts, Cris felt the need to understand the root

of his emotions. The attraction to Jade mixed with the confusion about his relationship

with Samantha, creating a whirlwind of feelings that sought answers.

— Tomorrow I will talk to Samantha. It is necessary to resolve our differences. But

I must also be honest with myself and address what I feel for Jade. I

cannot continue to ignore this connection that seems to want to emerge. — Cris comments thoughtfully.

With this resolution, Cris prepared to face the challenges ahead. He knew

that the path to clarity would not be easy, but it was necessary to unravel the tangled threads of his

emotions and find a clear direction in the midst of the confusion.