𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 • Nika Mühl

𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐞

#chapter 5

THE SILENT GLOW of Julie's phone was a constant reminder of the messages she was deliberately ignoring. Kylie's texts, she couldn't bring herself to respond, knowing if she did it would end up with her being in the same old alleyway then Kylie's room.

She was haunted by guilt, a weight that pressed on her chest with each breath. It wasn't just her own disappointment she could feel—it was Evina's sorrowful eyes, Azzi's betrayed silence, and the imagined heartbreak of her family so far away. More than anything, Julie longed for her mother's embrace, for the feeling of home where a hug could heal and a kiss could reassure that everything would eventually be alright.

But her mom and the rest of her family were over 5,000 miles away, a distance that felt like a universe when all Julie needed was the comfort of their presence.

The party the night before had been a poor attempt to mask the chaos within her. She had smiled, laughed, and let the vodka wash over her like a wave, hoping it would cleanse her of her guilt. Instead, it amplified it, leaving her feeling worse in the morning. Waking up with the taste of regret, Julie stumbled to the bathroom, forgetting her crutches and limping painfully without them.

After spending an agonizing ten minutes by the toilet emptying her stomach she attempted to get up without her crutches as they were all the way in her bedroom. She cursed at herself for her stupidity as she missed her hand placement on the wall causing her to fall.

Not even a minute later Nika appeared in the doorway, dressed for a workout in her compression gear, her stance patient and a bit of worry. "What the hell—are you ok?" Her tone was neutral, more out of concern than annoyance.

Julie grimaced at the pain in her leg before looking y to Nika when she entered, now she felt embarrassed by her own vulnerability. "Erm—yeah, I kinda fine just slipped." Julie said her voice strained as she grimaced at the pain in her leg

Without a word, Nika handed Julie the crutches, receiving a muttered "Thank you" in return. Nika tried not to show it, but she couldn't help but look into Julie's eyes. They held a mix of exhaustion and fear, emotions Nika wasn't used to seeing in the other girl. She wondered why she felt such a strong urge to ease Julie's pain when they had hardly been friends—at least until recently.

In an effort to distract Julie from her discomfort, Nika initiated a conversation.

"I told you you'd regret that in the morning," she said, her words tinged with a hint of humor.

Julie looked up, a puzzled expression on her face. "Huh?"

"Yesterday," Nika explained, a small smile playing on her lips. "You were downing vodka shots like they were nothing, and I said you'd regret it."

"Shut up Mühl," Julie chuckled, a soft sound that seemed foreign in the space between them. It was a rare moment of genuine connection, a stark contrast to their usual banter.

Since last night something had changed between them a sort of closeness that the two formed.

As they locked eyes, there was a silent understanding, an unspoken truce that filled the room. Nika extended her hand to help Julie up. "Friends?"

Julie felt her heart flutter at the gesture. This was a Nika she hadn't seen before, one that wasn't shrouded in hostility.

She took Nika's hand a smirk coming to her face as she couldn't resist teasing, "Well, I think you owe me a gift basket or something first..."

Nika rolled her eyes but played along. "Romano, I will drop you right here."

Julie's playful facade crumbled quickly. "Or no gift basket. Friends is good," she conceded, her smile sincere this time.

Author speaks:

A really short one I'm sorry y'all. Exams have been on my ass all week and I've still got another week to go. I'm trying to update and revise and I've got track meets. I promise y'all I'll come out with a lot of chapters after my exams.

And maybe even the Kate Martin Book 👀