Chapter Nine: The Girl at the Gate
646 Words
Maya
Ethan didn't say another word as we crossed the campus.
His hand was still holding mine, but his grip had changed.
It wasn't playful anymore.
It was tense.
“Ethan,” I said quietly. “Who is she?”
He kept walking.
“Please.”
He finally stopped.
“I need to see her first.”
“That doesn't answer my question.”
“I know.”
His eyes met mine.
“And I'm sorry.”
I pulled my hand away.
“You keep saying you're sorry, but you never tell me anything.”
“I will.”
“When?”
“When I know what we're dealing with.”
I stared at him.
“You're asking me to trust you while keeping me completely in the dark.”
He looked down.
“I know how that sounds.”
“It sounds like you don't trust me.”
“That isn't true.”
“Then prove it.”
Before he could answer, a car stopped near the university gates.
A girl stepped out.
She was around our age, with long brown hair and a small suitcase in her hand.
She looked nervous.
Ethan went completely still.
The girl saw him.
“Ethan.”
He walked toward her.
“Emma.”
I watched from a few feet away.
Emma's eyes moved toward me.
“Who's she?”
Ethan hesitated.
“This is Maya.”
Emma studied my face.
Then she looked back at Ethan.
“You never told me about her.”
“There wasn't time.”
Emma gave him a sad smile.
“There's never time with you.”
I frowned.
Something about the way she spoke to him made my stomach twist.
Ethan looked at me.
“Maya, this is Emma Carter.”
My eyes widened.
“Carter?”
“My sister,” Emma said softly.
I blinked.
His sister?
I felt ridiculous.
All the fear and jealousy I'd been carrying suddenly seemed foolish.
“You're his sister?”
Emma nodded.
“Yes.”
Ethan gave me a small smile.
“Surprise.”
I hit his arm lightly.
“You could have told me!”
“I tried.”
“You really didn't.”
He laughed.
For the first time that morning, the tension disappeared.
But then Emma looked at him.
“Ethan, we need to talk.”
His smile faded.
“About Dad?”
Emma nodded.
My expression changed.
Ethan glanced at me.
“I need to go.”
I nodded.
“Okay.”
He started walking away with Emma.
Then he turned back.
“Maya?”
“Yes?”
“About tonight…”
He hesitated.
“Can I see you?”
I smiled.
“Of course.”
He smiled back.
“I'll text you.”
As I watched them walk away, I noticed Emma turn toward him.
She said something.
Ethan stopped.
His face changed.
Even from a distance, I could tell something was wrong.
I couldn't hear their conversation.
But I saw Emma reach into her bag and hand him an envelope.
Ethan stared at it.
Then he looked toward me.
Our eyes met.
He quickly put the envelope into his jacket.
My smile disappeared.
Whatever was inside that envelope...
It had something to do with the secret Ethan had been trying so hard to hide.
That evening, I sat on my bed waiting for his message.
Nothing.
One hour passed.
Then two.
At midnight, my phone finally buzzed.
It was Ethan.
I'm sorry. I can't see you tonight.
I stared at the screen.
Before I could reply, another message appeared.
Please trust me.
I typed:
I do.
Then I stopped.
I deleted it.
Because the truth was...
I wanted to trust him.
But I was beginning to realize that trust wasn't built on promises.
It was built on honesty.
And Ethan Carter still had a lot of explaining to do.
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