Breaking point
377 Words
The week of the science exhibition was chaos. Ridgewood buzzed with excitement — posters everywhere, students running through the halls with half-finished projects and caffeine-fueled energy.
Ava barely slept. Between classes, reports, and the final presentation, she barely had time to think about Ethan.
Or at least, that’s what she told herself.
They hadn’t really spoken since the argument in the library. Every time they passed each other, there was that same heavy silence — full of things unsaid.
Mr. Carter paired them up, of course. “You two make a good team,” he said with a smile that made Ava want to scream.
Friday came too quickly. The gymnasium was filled with rows of tables, shining lights, and curious judges. Ava double-checked their display — a model on sustainable chemical energy — when she felt him beside her.
“Looks perfect,” Ethan said quietly.
She didn’t look up. “Don’t start acting nice just because there are judges.”
He sighed. “Ava, can we please stop fighting?”
“We’re not fighting,” she said, voice flat. “We’re done.”
But when she finally looked at him, her throat tightened. He looked tired — not the lazy kind of tired she used to tease him about, but the kind that came from trying too hard.
When it was their turn to present, something clicked.
The tension, the distance — it all disappeared. They spoke in sync, finishing each other’s sentences, their rhythm perfect.
The judges nodded, impressed. The crowd applauded. For a moment, it felt like old times again.
Afterward, as the crowd thinned, Ethan turned to her. “See? We still make a good team.”
Ava gave a small, tired smile. “Maybe. But a team isn’t enough, is it?”
He looked at her, eyes soft. “No. It’s not.”
Before she could respond, thunder cracked outside, shaking the windows — and just like the storm weeks ago, it felt like the world had paused.
Ethan took a step closer. “I miss you, Ava.”
Her breath caught. “Then stop pretending you don’t.”
And before either of them could stop it, he kissed her — desperate, quiet, and real.
For once, neither of them argued
- Writer
