THE PAST BETWEEN US

Past between us

Chapter 2:

A New Friendship

The next morning, Maya arrived at school earlier than usual.

She wasn't sure why.

Maybe it was because she had mathematics first period.

Or maybe it was because she was hoping to see Ethan.

She walked through the hallway and spotted him near the classroom window, reading a book.

"Ethan!"

He looked up.

"Morning."

Maya smiled. "Good morning."

She placed her bag on her desk.

"I practiced yesterday."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "You did?"

"Yes."

"Did you actually solve the questions?"

"All of them."

He smiled. "Good."

Maya pulled a notebook from her bag.

"Look."

She opened it and showed him several pages filled with calculations.

Ethan examined them carefully.

"You made a mistake here."

Maya's smile disappeared.

"What?"

He pointed at one of the calculations.

"You forgot to change the sign."

Maya stared at the page.

Then she groaned.

"I thought I finally got everything right."

"You got almost everything right."

"Almost doesn't count."

"It does when you're learning."

Maya looked at him.

"You really don't give up on people, do you?"

Ethan shrugged.

"What's the point?"

Before Maya could answer, their teacher entered the classroom.

"Everyone, take your seats."

Maya returned to her desk.

But she couldn't stop smiling.

For the next few weeks, she and Ethan became closer.

They studied together during free periods.

Sometimes they met in the library after school.

Other times, they simply talked about ordinary things—teachers, homework, their favorite subjects, and their plans for the future.

Maya discovered that Ethan wasn't as quiet as everyone thought.

He was actually funny.

He just didn't talk to everyone.

Ethan, in turn, discovered that Maya was stubborn.

Very stubborn.

Whenever she couldn't solve a problem, she refused to give up.

One afternoon, Maya slammed her pencil onto the table.

"I hate this question."

Ethan looked up from his book.

"You said that about the last one."

"And I meant it."

He laughed.

Maya narrowed her eyes.

"Are you laughing at me?"

"No."

"You are."

"I'm laughing because you've been fighting that question for twenty minutes."

"Then help me!"

Ethan moved his chair closer.

"Okay. Let's start again."

Maya smiled.

"That's better."

They continued studying until the library announcement reminded them that it was closing.

As they walked outside, Maya noticed the sky had turned dark.

"It might rain."

Ethan looked upward.

"Probably."

They hurried toward the school gate.

Then the rain began.

Maya stopped.

"Oh no."

Ethan looked at her.

"You don't have an umbrella?"

"No."

He opened his umbrella.

"Come on."

Maya hesitated.

"You'll get wet."

"So will you."

He held the umbrella out.

"Unless you plan on standing here all evening."

Maya laughed and stepped under it.

They walked toward the gate together.

Neither said much.

But somehow, the silence wasn't uncomfortable.

It felt natural.

Maya looked at Ethan.

"Thanks."

"For the umbrella?"

"For everything."

Ethan glanced at her.

"You're welcome."

Neither of them realized how important their friendship would become.

But somewhere between mathematics lessons, library afternoons, and rainy walks home, something had changed.

They were no longer just classmates.

They had become best friends.

And neither knew that years later, the memories they were creating would become some of the most important memories of their lives.