Wale's Vulnerability
As Sophia's confession hung in the air, a gentle breeze whispered through the trees, but it did nothing to ease the weight between them. Wale stayed quiet for a moment, gathering his thoughts. She had opened up, laid bare her wounds, and it felt unfair not to meet her halfway. He rubbed his palms against his thighs nervously before speaking.
"I get it," he began, his voice low but steady. "I mean, not exactly what you've been through, but... I know what it's like to have your trust broken."
Sophia looked at him curiously, her eyes still glassy but more focused now. "You?"
Wale nodded, letting out a small, humorless laugh. "Yeah. Back in Nigeria. Her name was Rebecca. We were together for about three years. I thought she was it for me, you know? I was already making plans in my head, thinking about how we'd build a life together. And then..." He trailed off, his gaze falling to the ground.
"What happened?" Sophia asked gently, her voice soft but coaxing.
Wale sighed deeply. "It started small—lies about where she was, little things that didn't add up. I tried to ignore it, told myself I was just being paranoid. But eventually, I found out she was seeing someone else the whole time. Someone I knew." He paused, his jaw tightening as the memory resurfaced. "I felt like such a fool. Like... how did I miss it? How did I not see what was right in front of me?"
Sophia reached out, resting a hand on his arm. "Wale, that wasn't your fault."
"I know," he said, his tone heavy. "But knowing that doesn't make it hurt any less. After it ended, I told myself I wouldn't let anyone in like that again. I didn't want to feel that kind of pain anymore." He glanced at her, a faint, self-deprecating smile on his lips. "So yeah, I guess I've been carrying my own baggage too."
Sophia squeezed his arm lightly. "It's amazing, though... how you're still willing to listen to me, even after what you've been through. Most people would just shut themselves off completely."
Wale shrugged. "Maybe. But I've also learned that shutting people out doesn't make the pain go away. It just makes you lonely."
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A Proposal
Sophia leaned back against the bench, letting his words settle. The silence between them wasn't awkward—it was reflective, like they were both sifting through their own thoughts. Finally, she broke it with a quiet chuckle.
"You know," she said, her voice laced with a mixture of humor and hesitation, "relationships are so complicated. All these expectations, all this pressure to be perfect, to not mess up... It's exhausting."
Wale turned to her, his brow furrowed. "What are you saying?"
She hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath. "I'm saying... maybe we don't need to define this. No labels, no expectations. Let's just enjoy being with each other and see where it goes."
Her tone was casual, almost playful, but Wale caught the flicker of vulnerability in her expression. She was putting herself out there, even if she tried to mask it as a joke.
"You mean, like, keep it simple?" he asked, his voice cautious.
"Yeah," Sophia said, nodding. "We're both a little messed up, Wale. Maybe trying to force something serious right now isn't what we need. Maybe we just... take it day by day. No pressure."
Wale didn't respond immediately. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he stared at the ground. Deep down, he knew what he wanted. He wanted more than casual, more than undefined. He wanted her—fully, completely. But at the same time, he didn't want to scare her off or risk losing the connection they had already built.
"What if one of us catches feelings?" he asked, half-joking but also genuinely curious.
Sophia smiled faintly. "Then we talk about it. But for now... let's just be us. No rules, no drama."
Wale sat back, letting her words sink in. He knew this wasn't ideal—not for him, at least. But the thought of not having her in his life at all was unbearable. He convinced himself that this arrangement was better than nothing, even if it wasn't what he truly wanted.
"Okay," he said finally, meeting her gaze. "No rules, no drama."
Sophia's smile widened, a mix of relief and gratitude crossing her face. "Thank you, Wale. For understanding."
He nodded, though a part of him felt like he was making a compromise he wasn't entirely sure he could stick to. But as she leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder, the warmth of her presence quieted his doubts—at least for the moment.