CHAPTER 18: The Distance Between Us
829 Words
Ariana’s POV
---
I needed space.
That was the only thing running through my mind as I walked away from him.
Not because I wanted to.
But because I had to.
---
“Ariana, wait.”
His voice followed me, steady but urgent.
I didn’t stop immediately.
If I did, I knew I wouldn’t leave.
And right now… leaving was the only way I could think clearly.
---
“Just give me a minute,” I said finally, turning to face him.
Ethan stopped a few steps away, his gaze fixed on me.
The tension between us hadn’t disappeared.
If anything, it had changed.
Before, it was charged.
Now…
It was uncertain.
---
“You don’t believe it,” he said.
It wasn’t a question.
I swallowed. “I didn’t say that.”
“But you’re thinking it.”
Silence.
Because he wasn’t wrong.
And that was the problem.
---
“I believe you didn’t do what she’s trying to make it look like,” I said slowly. “But I don’t know what actually happened.”
His jaw tightened.
“That’s not the same thing,” he replied.
“I know.”
“But it’s enough for you to doubt me.”
The words weren’t angry.
They were… sharp.
Honest.
And they hit exactly where he intended.
---
“I’m trying not to,” I said quietly.
“But you are.”
I didn’t answer.
Because I was.
Even if I didn’t want to admit it.
---
The silence stretched between us, heavier than anything we had faced before.
“You asked me for the truth,” he said after a moment.
“I’m still asking.”
His gaze darkened slightly.
“And if the truth makes things worse?”
My chest tightened.
“Then at least it’s real.”
---
For a second, I thought he might finally say it.
Everything.
No more holding back.
No more protection.
Just the truth.
But then—
He looked away.
And I felt something inside me drop.
---
“That’s exactly why I can’t tell you everything,” he said.
Frustration flared instantly. “You keep saying that like it’s a solution.”
“It is.”
“It’s not,” I snapped. “It just makes everything worse.”
His eyes snapped back to mine.
“You think knowing everything will make this easier?”
“No,” I said honestly. “But not knowing is worse.”
---
Another silence.
Sharper this time.
Because neither of us was willing to give in.
---
“I’m trying to protect you,” he said again.
“And I’m trying to trust you,” I shot back.
The words landed between us, heavy with meaning.
Because that was what this really was.
Not Vanessa.
Not the rumors.
Trust.
---
His expression shifted slightly.
“Then trust me,” he said.
I let out a small, disbelieving breath.
“How?”
The question came out softer than I expected.
More real.
More vulnerable.
“You’re asking me to trust something I don’t understand.”
“And I’m asking you to trust me,” he replied.
“That’s not the same thing.”
---
Silence again.
But this time…
It hurt.
---
I stepped back slightly, putting a small distance between us.
Not much.
But enough to feel it.
Enough for him to notice.
And he did.
---
“I need time,” I said quietly.
His expression hardened just a little. “Time for what?”
“To think,” I replied. “To understand what I’m feeling.”
“And what are you feeling?”
I hesitated.
Because the answer wasn’t simple.
“Confused,” I admitted. “And… unsure.”
The moment the word left my lips, I saw it.
That small shift in his expression.
Like something tightened.
Like something closed off.
---
“Unsure of me?” he asked.
The question was quiet.
But it carried weight.
I didn’t answer immediately.
And that…
Was answer enough.
---
The silence that followed was different.
Not tense.
Not sharp.
Just… distant.
“Fine,” he said finally.
The word was calm.
Too calm.
“If that’s what you need.”
Something about the way he said it made my chest tighten.
But I didn’t stop him.
I didn’t know how to.
He stepped back.
And this time…
He didn’t come closer again.
“I’ll give you space,” he added.
Then he turned and walked away.
Just like that.
No hesitation.
No looking back.
I stood there, watching him go.
My chest felt tight, my thoughts louder than ever.
Because this wasn’t what I wanted.
Not really.
But it was what I needed.
Or at least…
What I thought I needed.
And the worst part was—
Vanessa had done exactly what she planned.
She didn’t just expose a secret.
She created doubt.
Distance.
Cracks where there weren’t any before.
And now…
I wasn’t sure if we could fix it.
- Writer
