Chapter Three– Advice and Mischief
515 Words
The next morning, Maya sat at her desk, staring at her phone. The memory of last night’s dinner replayed in her mind the soft glow of the restaurant, Ethan’s awkward smile, the way he had listened to her as if every word mattered.
Her phone buzzed. It was Lina.
“Maya, seriously… be careful with him. You don’t want to get hurt. Some guys are good at pretending they’re nice, but they’re not really serious.”
Maya frowned. Lina’s words felt off, not quite right, but she didn’t voice her doubt. Lina had always been her protector, always careful with her advice.
“Maybe she’s right,” Maya whispered, biting her lip. Maybe I am rushing things.
Meanwhile, Ethan walked to his favorite café, scrolling through his phone. He couldn’t stop thinking about Maya. He had called Cole the night before, but Cole’s warning had only made him more determined. He wanted to understand her, to see beyond the polite distance she kept.
Later, Ethan received a text from Maya: “Hey… coffee later?”
A grin spread across his face. Yes, he thought. Finally, a chance to see her again.
Cole, however, was already planning his next move. He had heard about the dinner. Heard about Ethan. And the thought of another man capturing Maya’s attention made something inside him twist.
“So, this is him,” Cole muttered to himself, scrolling through his phone. “This is the guy who thinks he can… have her. Not if I can stop it.”
He didn’t know exactly what to do yet he only knew he couldn’t let Ethan slip away.
That afternoon, Maya and Ethan met at the café. Ethan’s heart raced when he saw her, Lina trailing slightly behind.
“Hey,” he said, smiling nervously.
“Hey,” Maya replied, her smile careful but genuine.
They ordered coffee and sat in a corner. Conversation started easily books, classes, funny incidents but Maya couldn’t shake Lina’s earlier words. Be careful. Don’t rush.
“So… last night was nice,” Ethan said, stirring his coffee. “I really liked talking with you.”
Maya’s fingers tightened around her cup. “Yeah… me too,” she said softly, glancing at Lina, who was watching them with an unreadable expression.
“Are you… free this weekend?” Ethan asked, voice tentative but hopeful.
Maya hesitated. Lina’s voice echoed in her mind: Don’t rush. Take it slow. You don’t know his intentions.
“I… I’m not sure,” Maya said finally. “I’ll have to see.”
Ethan nodded, hiding his disappointment behind a smile. He could sense the hesitation, the invisible hand of doubt guiding her away from him.
As they left the café, Maya and Lina walked ahead, whispering. “I’m just saying… don’t let him get too close,” Lina said casually. “Some things that look good at first… aren’t.”
Maya wanted to argue, wanted to tell Lina she knew her heart better than anyone else. But she stayed silent, confused, caught between her curiosity about Ethan and her trust in Lina.
- Writer
