Chapter 36. Between Heartbeats
After spending some time chatting with James, Maria finally stood up and made her way back to her seat, where her friends were already waiting, wearing knowing expressions.
The moment she sat down, Cassandra leaned toward her with a flirty grin on her face.
"So now, you’ve finally confirmed it. James is the one, right?" Cassandra teased, her smile widening.
Maria didn’t reply. She was already aware that she’d probably revealed too much through her body language and silence might be the only way to avoid looking guilty or dishonest.
Without a word, she grabbed Cassandra by the hand and pulled her toward the ladies’ restroom. Laura followed behind with a serious expression on her face, clearly sensing that something was up.
Once inside the restroom, Maria turned to her friends, determination flickering in her eyes.
"I’ll tell you both everything... but you have to promise me this stays between us. No one else must know," Maria insisted.
Both Cassandra and Laura nodded in agreement.
With their promise secured, Maria began pouring out her feelings and recounting everything that had been going on between her and James. But she was careful—very careful—not to mention anything about her intimate past with Bernard.
That part, she felt, was better left in the shadows. She didn’t want to seem cheap or careless in front of her friends.
"You’re the real bad girl," Cassandra said, chuckling. "So what now? Planning to ditch Bernard and ride into the sunset with James?"