For Sophie, deciding what to wear had never been an issue. Never, that is, until today. Rummaging through her closet for the third time, she finally settled on a simple yet elegant dress. She desperately wanted to catch Alex’s eye. To stand out among the crowd of peers gathering to celebrate Dmitri’s birthday—Alex’s younger brother. Sophie and Dmitri had forged a close friendship during their university days, a bond that continued even after graduation. Alex, on the other hand, had caught her fancy back in those student years. But being seven years her senior, he never seemed to see her as anything more than a kid. It was just a daydream for her. Yet, with her stubborn streak, Sophie’s dreams often turned into determined goals…
“Jen, is it too short? Does it make me look frivolous?” Sophie asked, scrutinizing her reflection in the mirror as she turned to her best friend, Jenna, for reassurance.
“Not at all, but it definitely draws attention. Though I’d say it’s more your long legs than the dress,” Jenna teased with a playful smirk.
“I don’t want Alex to think I’m just some silly teenager…” Sophie sighed heavily. “Maybe I should just wear jeans? We’re heading out to the countryside, after all…”
“Forget it. The dress is casual, but it makes you look more feminine. Alex is bound to notice,” Jenna encouraged.
Sophie took another glance at herself in the mirror, twirling slightly. It looked decent enough, cute even. She wanted to make an impression as a mature, worthy woman. So far, every encounter with Alex had ended in disaster—whether it was climbing a tree to rescue a cat only to get stuck herself, tearing her shorts in the process, and having Alex save both her and the cat while she was embarrassingly exposed. Or the time she backed her car into a tree, denting it badly, and Alex had to come to her rescue again. Then there was the time she tried to thank him with coffee, only to spill it all over him after tripping on a broken heel. Nothing ever seemed to go right. Whenever she was near him, she felt like a clumsy little girl, always falling short of his level. Alex was a doctor, a serious profession that somehow made him even more impressive in Sophie’s eyes. Maybe it was that seriousness that captivated her. Or perhaps it was his maturity, his thoughtful judgments… or maybe those dark chocolate eyes of his. Probably all of it at once.
“Alright, you ready? Got your swimsuits? Towels?” Dmitri poked his head into the room. “Let’s go, everyone’s waiting.”
The girls nodded in agreement, exchanged a quick glance, and then simultaneously enveloped Dmitri in a hug, showering him with birthday wishes and laughter. Dmitri had rented out some gazebos by the river to accommodate his large group of friends. He was the life of the party—kind, handsome, tall, with a great sense of humor. Plenty of girls found him charming, and he wasn’t shy about enjoying the attention. Jenna, however, couldn’t stand it. She’d been in love with him since she was sixteen, but stuck firmly in the friend zone, she had to hide her feelings from everyone, including Dmitri himself. Only Sophie knew about her unrequited love, just as Jenna knew about Sophie’s.
On the way to the river, Sophie’s heart pounded wildly in anticipation of seeing Alex. She barely registered the chatter of her friends in the car, too caught up in her nerves. What if he had a girlfriend and brought her along? Though… this could be the perfect chance to find out if he was seeing someone. Surely, he’d bring a partner to his brother’s twenty-fifth birthday celebration.
When they arrived, Sophie scanned the crowd for Alex. There he was, standing by the grill, tending to sizzling kebabs. Alone. The sunlight danced in his hair, making him look almost angelic. Or maybe that was just how Sophie saw him. Her crush was starting to feel more like an obsession.
The group greeted the other guests, who quickly swarmed Dmitri with birthday cheers. The noise was like a buzzing beehive. There were at least twenty people, if not more. The girls set up the table in the shade while the guys helped with firewood and the grill. Everyone was busy. The weather was sweltering, typical for early August. The urge to swim was strong, but first, they had to properly toast the birthday boy at the table. Once everyone gathered, the toasts began—wishing health, happiness, and success. Cold beer and champagne fueled the festive mood. Sophie “accidentally” sat next to Alex. At least this way, she could “accidentally” brush against him—her leg, her shoulder… She hoped he’d start a conversation, because in his presence, she felt tongue-tied. Normally, she was quick-witted, which suited her job at an event planning company, organizing everything from romantic dates to weddings. But Alex seemed to deliberately ignore her.
Later, everyone scattered to change for a swim. The riverbank had a decent little beach, and further down, ancient willows dipped their branches into the water, as if admiring their reflection. The group splashed around, some took a boat out, others strolled through the meadow. Overnight accommodations were arranged in wooden cabins that were part of the retreat complex. As night fell, they lit a bonfire and gathered around it, continuing the celebration. Sophie kept craning her neck, searching for Alex, but he was nowhere to be seen.
“Jen, have you seen Alex? Where’d he go?” Sophie asked her friend, worried. She feared he might have gotten bored and left. “Do you think he got tired of the party and went home?”
“I don’t know, but he didn’t go home. He drove some of the guests here—he’s supposed to take them back tomorrow evening. He wouldn’t just leave them,” Jenna reassured her.
“Ugh, I don’t know,” Sophie sighed sadly. “He’s been ignoring me all day. Looks like I won’t get any closer to him today either. I just clam up when he’s around. And he doesn’t seem eager to talk. I’ll probably always just be his brother’s college friend to him. How do I get his attention? How?”
“I don’t know,” Jenna replied, her voice equally disheartened. “I’m suffering today too. Dmitri’s been all over Lena the whole evening. I’m just a good friend to him, and friends don’t cuddle or kiss or… well, you know. Tonight, we’ll both be sighing over our guys alone. I was hoping at least you’d have some luck since you’re not stuck in his friend zone. Ugh.”
“I’m going for a swim. I’m not in the mood for fun. Want to come with me?” Sophie asked.
“Nah, I’ll sit here a bit longer and then head to bed,” Jenna replied. It wasn’t surprising that both friends were in the same gloomy mood. Their problems, after all, shared a similar nature. And a last name.
Sophie headed toward the river. Her swimsuit was still in her backpack, and she didn’t feel like walking back to the cabin to get it. Besides, it was dark now; no one would notice if she swam for a few minutes in just her underwear. She pulled her dress over her head, stretched—her muscles stiff from sitting by the fire for so long—and slowly waded into the water. The cool water was a refreshing relief after the hot day, and the moonlight painted a shimmering path on the surface, which she broke apart as she swam. After soaking in the beauty of the night river and the cool caress of the water, Sophie stepped back onto the shore. And found herself enveloped in strong, masculine arms.
“Oh!” was all Sophie could gasp before warm lips crashed into hers. Alex held her so tightly, kissing her with such intensity, that her knees buckled. Whether from shock, pleasure, or the realization of her dream coming true, she couldn’t tell. Alex pulled back slightly, gazing into her dazed eyes as if searching for answers to unspoken questions.
“Are you out of your mind? Why’d you get in the water naked? There are plenty of drunk guys around here! Looking for trouble?” Alex barked. Then, just as fiercely, he began kissing her again, pulling her close. Sophie returned his kisses with equal passion. His warm hands roamed over her cool skin, sending shivers down her spine. His kisses trailed lower—to her neck, her collarbone. Breathing became difficult, as if the air had thickened. Alex gently laid Sophie down on the grass. All thoughts vanished from her mind, leaving only sensations. The sensation that this was right, that this was how it was meant to be. Holding him, breathing in his scent—so masculine, so familiar. This was the smell of a dream. She trembled like a reed in the wind as he continued to kiss and caress her. Her body responded to his touch, her hands tracing his back, his neck, her fingers tangling in his hair.
“So-phie, you didn’t drown out there, did you?!” Jenna’s voice called out nearby. Alex pulled away instantly, as if snapping awake, muttering a curse:
“Damn it… Get dressed, quick. This shouldn’t have happened. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” He fumbled, pulling on his jeans over his wet skin. He seemed almost angry as he turned sharply and headed back toward the bonfire, leaving Sophie alone with her swirling, confused thoughts.
“Didn’t mean to… didn’t mean to…” echoed in her mind as she slipped her dress back on. “Didn’t mean to… didn’t mean to…” repeated in her head as she walked toward Jenna’s voice. “Didn’t mean to… didn’t mean to…” she heard inside herself as hot tears streamed down her cheeks in the cabin where she spent the night with her friend. Yet, she felt he did mean it, and intensely so. Maybe he mistook her for someone else, or maybe he’d had too much to drink—she wondered why it ended like this. The night was sleepless. A million chaotic thoughts raced through her mind—from how it could have been to why it turned out this way. He must see how she feels about him; he can’t be oblivious… Maybe she really isn’t interesting to someone as serious and driven as him. Maybe her career seems trivial to him. Maybe she should have followed her father’s plan and become a lawyer. She’d be more on his level. But she wanted to achieve something in life on her own, without her influential father’s help. She rented an apartment with her friend, took a job that spoke to her soul rather than her degree. Her father pressured her to work in her field of study, but Sophie’s lively spirit and cheerful nature called her to a different path—helping create celebrations was her true calling. “I won’t give up. I’ll figure something out…” she told herself the next morning as they gathered for breakfast.
Breakfast was by the bonfire—scrambled eggs with tomatoes and peppers, washed down with hot, sweet tea. Jenna sat there, looking more downcast than ever.
“Can you believe it? He spent the night with Lena. Now they’re walking around holding hands like they’re engaged,” Jenna whispered irritably into Sophie’s ear. Sophie paled.
“Alex? With Lena?” she asked quietly, stunned.
“What Alex? Dmitri!” Jenna replied with frustration. “I can’t take this anymore. I’m going to lose it. We talk all the time, and now I have to watch this constantly? Sophie, what do I do now? Huh?”
Sophie exhaled with relief. “I don’t know, I’ve got no idea. My head’s a complete mess. We need to calm down and think this through. We’ll come up with something, girl. Don’t lose hope.”
Alex was nowhere to be seen. Sophie wanted to find him, kept looking around. Eventually, she asked Dmitri where Alex had gone. Turns out, he’d been called into work urgently and had to leave. The guests would head home by taxi. Neither of the girls managed to relax or enjoy the celebration, so when it was time to go home, they both sighed with relief. After a shower and a quiet cup of tea, each lost in their own thoughts, they went to their separate rooms to sleep. Tomorrow would be a new day, with new tasks, new achievements. Tomorrow.