The walk to the stairwell felt longer than usual.
Neither of them spoke.
Not because they didn't have anything to say—
But because there was too much.
And neither of them knew where to start.
---
Ethan pushed the door open, stepping inside first.
Lia followed quietly.
The familiar space wrapped around them, but tonight…
It didn't feel safe.
It felt like something was about to happen.
Something they couldn't avoid anymore.
---
Ethan ran a hand through his hair, pacing once before stopping.
"Say it," he muttered.
Lia blinked. "Say what?"
"Whatever you're thinking."
Her grip tightened slightly around her notebook.
"You were acting weird," she said carefully.
"Weird?" he scoffed. "That's what you're calling it?"
"What do you want me to call it?"
He turned to her, frustration clear on his face.
"I don't know. Just don't act like it didn't happen."
"I'm not," she replied softly. "I just don't understand it."
---
Silence.
Then—
"That guy—Daniel," Ethan said, his jaw tightening slightly. "You're close?"
Lia frowned. "He's my friend."
"You said that already."
"Because it's true."
Ethan exhaled sharply, looking away.
"I don't like the way he looks at you."
The words came out quieter this time.
Less defensive.
More real.
---
Lia's heart skipped.
"And how does he look at me?" she asked softly.
Ethan hesitated.
"…like he wants something."
She tilted her head slightly. "And what if he does?"
That made his eyes snap back to hers.
"What does that mean?"
"It means," she said gently, "that maybe he likes me."
The words landed.
Heavy.
Too real.
---
Ethan's chest tightened.
"And?"
Lia held his gaze.
"And nothing."
"That's it?"
"What else do you want me to say?"
"I don't know," he muttered, frustrated.
Because he did know.
He just didn't want to admit it.
---
"Ethan…" she stepped a little closer, her voice softer now.
"Why does it bother you so much?"
There it was again.
The question.
The one he kept avoiding.
The one that refused to leave.
---
"It just does," he said.
"Stop saying that."
Her voice wasn't loud.
But it was firm.
Stronger than before.
---
"That's not an answer," she continued. "You don't like him, fine. But that's not the real reason."
Ethan's jaw clenched.
"You don't get it."
"Then help me understand."
---
He laughed bitterly.
"You really want to know?"
"Yes."
---
He stepped closer now.
Not aggressive.
Not angry.
Just…intense.
---
"I don't like seeing you with him," he said quietly.
The truth hung between them.
Raw.
Unfiltered.
---
Lia's breath caught slightly.
"Why?"
Her voice was barely above a whisper now.
But it held everything.
Curiosity.
Fear.
Hope.
---
Ethan's chest rose and fell slowly.
"Because…"
He stopped.
Because the next word—
The next sentence—
Would change everything.
---
"…I don't know," he finished instead.
And just like that—
The moment cracked.
---
Lia looked at him for a long second.
Searching.
Waiting.
Hoping.
But the answer didn't come.
---
"You do know," she said softly.
Ethan shook his head. "No, I don't."
"Yes, you do."
"I said I don't."
---
Her expression shifted slightly.
Not hurt.
Not yet.
But close.
---
"Then what is this?" she asked quietly.
The question landed heavier than anything else.
---
Ethan froze.
Because he didn't have a name for it.
Didn't have a definition.
Didn't have control over it.
---
"What are we doing here?" she continued, her voice trembling just slightly now.
"Every day. Talking. Sitting here like this. Acting like…"
She stopped.
Swallowed.
"…like it's something more."
---
Ethan's chest tightened painfully.
"It's not like that," he said quickly.
But even as he said it—
It felt wrong.
---
"Then what is it?"
Her voice broke this time.
Just a little.
But enough.
---
Silence.
Again.
But this time…
It wasn't soft.
It wasn't safe.
It was breaking.
---
Ethan looked at her.
Really looked at her.
At the way her fingers gripped her notebook.
At the way her eyes searched his like she needed something—anything—from him.
And for the first time…
He realized something.
---
She wasn't asking out of curiosity.
She was asking because she cared.
Because this mattered to her.
Because he mattered to her.
---
And suddenly—
The fear hit him.
Hard.
---
Because caring meant risk.
Caring meant losing.
Caring meant going through everything he went through before…
Again.
---
"I can't," he said quietly.
The words felt heavy.
Final.
---
Lia blinked.
"…can't what?"
---
"I can't do that again," he continued, his voice low. "I can't feel like that again."
Her heart dropped.
Because now…
She understood.
---
"This isn't about me," she said softly.
"It is," he replied immediately.
"No," she shook her head. "It's about what happened to you."
Ethan didn't respond.
Because she was right.
---
"You're scared," she said gently.
"I'm not scared."
"You are."
"I said I'm not."
---
She stepped closer again.
This time…
Close enough that the space between them almost disappeared.
---
"I'm not her," she whispered.
The words hit him like something sharp.
Deep.
Unavoidable.
---
"I know that," he said.
"Then stop treating me like I am."
Silence.
---
Because that?
That was the truth.
And he had no way to argue with it.
---
Lia stepped back slowly.
The distance returned.
But it felt bigger now.
Wider.
Colder.
---
"I'm not asking you for anything," she said quietly.
"I just wanted to know if this…meant something."
Ethan didn't answer.
---
Because it did.
More than he was ready to admit.
More than he knew how to handle.
More than he could risk.
---
Lia nodded slowly.
"I think I have my answer."
Her voice was calm again.
But her eyes weren't.
---
She turned toward the stairs.
And this time—
Ethan didn't stop her.
---
Because he didn't know how.
And maybe…
A part of him was too afraid to try.
---
The door closed behind her.
And the silence that followed?
It was louder than anything he had ever heard. 💔