Page 86 of The Bittersweet Bond

Evin arrived later than planned. The city was already cloaked in darkness, and the streets glimmered faintly under the muted glow of streetlights. The cool night air tingled against her skin, but inside, she was burning. Her last conversation with Ben and the thoughts of Sergej had left her restless. She felt it was time to finally draw a line, but she wasn’t sure if Sergej would accept it.

When she finally saw Sergej, he was leaning casually against his car, his hands buried deep in his pockets. His eyes found hers instantly, and for a moment, an unbearable tension hung in the air, making her hold her breath. Why did he have to look at her like that? Why did he have to make everything so complicated? He didn’t say a word, but his gaze spoke volumes: You came, so you must want me after all.

Evin felt her hands clench in the pockets of her jacket. She had to stay calm, but he wasn’t making it easy.

"Icame to talk," she said firmly, lifting her chin slightly to maintain her composure.

Her voice was steady, even though her heart was racing. She had a clear plan for what to say. So why did it suddenly feel so difficult? Sergej laughed softly, almost mockingly.

"Talk?" His eyes narrowed slightly, as if he were hearing a joke she hadn’t gotten yet. "Come on, Evin. We both know talking isn’t really your thing when you’re around me." He let the sentence hang deliberately in the air.

Her cheeks burned as heat flushed her face. She forced herself to breathe.

"Listen, Sergej. I’m not here to play games or argue with you." She tried to keep control of the conversation. Sergej took a drag from his joint, blowing the smoke into the air, and smirked. "We talk all the time. So, what’s it about this time?"

"It’s about how you pressure me," Evin said, locking eyes with him. "What’s between us... it’s not what I want."

He tilted his head with a lopsided grin and took a step closer, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Pressure? I told you I’d give you time. Relax!" Sergej’s gaze slid over her dismissively. Evin felt her throat tighten.

"It’s not about what you say, Sergej. It’s about how I feel. And you don’t respect that."

"Don’t respect it?" He raised his eyebrows and stepped toward her. "Evin, if I didn’t take you seriously, why would I even be here? Why would I have texted you at all?"

They locked eyes, and for a moment, Evin didn’t know what to say. "Giving me time doesn’t mean I’ll wait forever. I just know what I want. If you don’t know what you want..."

He deliberately left the sentence unfinished, his gaze scanning her face as if searching for a reaction.

Evin felt her throat dry up. She had planned to stay calm and composed, but his boldness was cracking her façade.

"That’s exactly it, Sergej. You always see everything from your perspective. It’s not just about what you want. It’s about me too."

Sergej sighed, as if the conversation was exhausting him. "And what do you want, Evin? Do you want to get rid of me because I don’t fit into your idea of perfect? Come on, that’s not the real reason, is it?"

He stepped even closer, just near enough that she didn’t feel physically threatened.

“Yes,” Evin said firmly, her eyes gleaming with determination. "I don’t want this anymore. This... doesn’t feel right. I’m done with the games." His smile faded, and for a moment, his expression was serious.

"Games?" he asked quietly. "You think I’m playing with you?"

In one fluid motion, he took a drag from his joint, the ember momentarily lighting up his face. He held the smoke in his lungs as if he could slow time itself, then exhaled it in a dense, gray cloud—right into Evin’s face. The sharp scent of weed and tobacco hung heavy in the air.

Her throat scratched, her eyes burned, but she didn’t let it show.

Sergej blew out the rest of the smoke slowly, his gaze never leaving hers. It was as if he were testing her, daring her to hold her ground.

“So why are you here, if you’re so determined?” he asked quietly, his voice laced with cynicism. “You show up, talking about pressure, about feelings. But in the end, here you are. So what is this, baby?”

She felt the anger rising inside her. “This isn’t a game, Sergej. I didn’t want to end it over a message. I can’t deal with this,” her finger moved back and forth between them, “anymore. But of course, you wouldn’t understand that because you don’t see anyone but yourself.”

“You talk like you know who I am,” he replied coldly, his eyes flickering with anger. “But you have no idea. You knew exactly what you were getting into from the start.”

And there it was. Everything she had bottled up over the past few weeks broke over her like a wave.

“That’s right! We barely know each other, and yet you act like I owe you something. Who the hell do you think you are? If you’re so desperate, go find someone else!”

Sergej was visibly caught off guard, but he clung to his facade. “That’s not what I meant,” he tried to soothe her. “We have a connection. That meanssomething.”

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