The Girl Named Chloe.
878 Words
Mira tried to convince herself she didn’t care.
She cleaned the apartment.
She reorganized the kitchen.
She even tried watching a movie.
But every few minutes, her mind drifted back to the same thought.
Chloe.
Who was she?
What did she look like?
Why did Ethan look so calm mentioning her name?
By the afternoon, Mira was pacing the living room like a restless cat.
“This is ridiculous,” she muttered.
She grabbed her jacket.
“I'm just going for a walk.”
That was all.
Nothing suspicious.
Nothing jealous.
Just a normal walk.
Except her feet somehow led her straight toward the small café down the street where Ethan usually met his friends.
When she reached the glass window, she immediately spotted him.
Ethan was sitting at a table.
And across from him sat a girl.
Mira froze.
Chloe was pretty.
Not just pretty.
The kind of effortlessly pretty that made people look twice.
Long dark hair.
Soft smile.
And she was laughing at something Ethan had just said.
Mira felt a strange twist in her stomach.
Ethan rarely laughed like that.
Not with her.
She didn’t realize she was staring until Ethan suddenly looked up.
Their eyes met.
For a moment, his expression was pure confusion.
Then realization hit.
Mira immediately looked away.
Too late.
Ethan stood up from the table.
A minute later, the café door opened behind her.
“Following me now?”
His voice sounded amused.
Mira turned around quickly.
“I was not following you.”
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
“You just happened to appear outside the exact café I’m in?”
“Yes.”
“That’s a wild coincidence.”
She glared at him.
“Don’t flatter yourself.”
Ethan crossed his arms.
“You’re jealous.”
“I am not.”
“You are.”
“I'm really not.”
“Mira.”
“What?”
“You came here.”
She opened her mouth to argue again—
But the café door opened.
Chloe stepped outside.
“Oh,” she said softly, looking between them. “Am I interrupting something?”
Mira immediately straightened.
“No.”
Ethan smirked slightly.
“Definitely.”
Chloe laughed.
“Well… you must be Mira.”
Mira blinked.
“You know my name?”
“Ethan talks about you.”
That made Mira glance sharply at him.
“He does?”
Ethan rubbed the back of his neck.
“Not like that.”
Chloe smiled knowingly.
“Relax. Mostly complaints.”
Mira scoffed.
“Sounds about right.”
Chloe studied them both for a moment.
Then she laughed again.
“You two argue like an old married couple.”
Both Mira and Ethan spoke at the same time.
“We are not—”
They stopped.
Chloe grinned.
“See?”
Mira suddenly felt awkward.
Which was strange.
Because Chloe wasn’t rude or mean.
If anything, she seemed nice.
Too nice.
“Well,” Chloe said, checking her phone, “I should get going.”
She looked at Ethan.
“Call me later.”
Then she turned to Mira.
“It was nice meeting you.”
And just like that, she left.
Mira watched her walk away.
Then she turned slowly toward Ethan.
“She's nice.”
Ethan nodded.
“Yeah.”
A small silence passed.
Then Mira crossed her arms.
“So.”
“So?”
“You like her?”
Ethan looked amused again.
“Why? Would that bother you?”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Mira.”
She groaned.
“Why are you like this?”
“Because you’re entertaining when you’re jealous.”
“I am not jealous!”
Ethan stepped closer.
“Then why did you come here?”
She froze.
Because she didn’t have a good answer.
Because the real answer would sound exactly like jealousy.
Ethan’s voice softened slightly.
“You really don’t see it, do you?”
“See what?”
“How obvious you are.”
Mira frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Ethan was standing very close now.
Close enough that she could see the small scar on his eyebrow.
Close enough that her heartbeat started racing again.
“You care,” he said quietly.
“I do not.”
“Liar.”
“I am not a liar.”
“Then look at me and say you didn’t care when you saw me with Chloe.”
Mira lifted her chin.
“I didn't care.”
Ethan leaned closer.
“Your face says otherwise.”
Her heart was pounding now.
“Back up.”
“No.”
“Ethan.”
“What?”
“You’re too close.”
He tilted his head slightly.
“Does that bother you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She swallowed.
“Because it does.”
For a moment neither of them moved.
Their faces were inches apart now.
The tension felt electric.
Like something inevitable was about to happen.
Ethan’s gaze dropped briefly to her lips.
Mira noticed.
Her breath caught.
He leaned in slightly—
Then stopped.
Barely an inch away.
“See?” he murmured.
“See what?” she whispered.
“You’re not running.”
And for the first time…
Mira realized he was right.
- Writer
