Page 81 of The Bittersweet Bond

Whatever came next would be on her terms, and no matter the outcome, her friends would always have her back.

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Evin had already found some clarity with her friends, still, she felt the need to see things from a guy’s perspective.

Maybe they were missing something.

And who better to talk to than Ben? Over the past few weeks, their friendship had deepened, and Evin knew she could count on his advice. Still, as she sat across from him, she found herself fidgeting with the strap of her bag, her fingers tracing over the worn leather. The conversation wasn’t going to be as easy as she’d imagined.

“Hey… Ben, is it normal for guys to, I don’t know… put pressure on you sometimes?” Evin murmured, absentmindedly twirling her pen over her notebook. Ben looked up from his book, his brows slightly furrowed in surprise.

“What do you mean?” he asked, his tone curious.

Evin hesitated, then met his questioning gaze. “Well, this guy I’ve been seeing…” She sighed. “We had a fight because I told him I wasn’t… ready. And then, well, the fight turned into… um, let’s just say, a make-out session. It got kind of… intense.”

She rolled her eyes. Maybe she shouldn’t have brought this up. Maybe she was overreacting.

Ben tried to stay serious, but a small grin crept onto his face. “And then?”

“Well, he fell asleep, and I just… left.” Evin shrugged. “But now I don’t know what to do." She tapped her nails against the table, the rhythmic sound grounding her for a brief moment.

"He keeps pushing, and I feel like if I bring it up again, it’s only going to make things worse."

Ben leaned back in his chair, shaking his head slightly. “Have you told him clearly that you’re not ready?”

“I have—several times, actually, but…” Evin sighed, looking away. “It’s like it doesn’t matter to him. He says he gets it, but he keeps pushing anyway. I feel like he’s just waiting for me to give in.”

“That’s seriously messed up, Evin,” Ben said, his tone firm. “You should never feel forced into anything just because he wants more. If he truly respects you, he’ll wait as long as you need. No questions asked.”

Evin nodded slightly, but doubt still lingered in her expression, settling into the creases of her furrowed brow.

“Look,” Ben said with a teasing grin, trying to lighten the mood, “if you ever decide to lose your virginity, I’m pretty sure there are plenty of guys of our year waiting in line for the chance.”

“Ha. Ha.” Evin rolled her eyes, playfully glaring at him. But even as she forceda smile, the weight in her chest didn’t lift. "I’m serious. I just… don’t know how to handle this.”

Ben sighed. “That’s his problem, not yours. He has no right to pressure you. Period. And if he doesn’t back off, then you already know where you stand.”

His words were clear and direct, but the situation still felt complicated. Evin leaned back in her chair, trying to shift the mood. “Enough about my drama… What about you? Anything new? Any hot dates I don’t know about?” She managed a small smile, hoping to leave the heaviness of the conversation behind.

Ben chuckled and shook his head. “Hot? That might be pushing it. But I did meet someone. Nothing serious, though. We’ve just been hanging out.”

Evin raised an eyebrow. "Hanging out? Since when do you just ‘hang out’? Who even are you?"

Ben grinned and shrugged. “Maybe I’m not such a lost cause after all. But honestly, I don’t know if it’s going to turn into anything. We’re just having a good time. No drama, unlike your situation.”

She nudged him lightly with her elbow. “Wow, thanks for that boost of confidence!”

Ben raised his hands in mock surrender. “You know what I mean. It’s just... simpler when you’re seeing someone without diving into deep feelings or heavy expectations.” Evin nodded thoughtfully. “Maybe I never really learned how to just... take things easy.” The words felt foreign even as she said them. Maybe it was ballet, maybe it was how she grew up—everything had always been about control. About getting things right or not at all.

Ben looked at her, his expression turning more serious, though a gentle smile played on his lips. “Sometimes, you just have to listen to yourself—not to what anyone else expects from you. Whether it’s this guy or someone else.”

“You sound like you’ve got it all figured out,” Evin said with a teasing grin. But deep down, she wished she could believe it was that easy.

“Sometimes,” Ben replied with a chuckle. “But mostly, I’m just stumbling through life like everyone else.” Evin couldn’t help but laugh, her worries momentarily softened by his easy laughter.

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Sebastian

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