Cracks in the Armor
294 Words
Saturday morning, Ethan sat in his car outside the library, staring at his phone.
He’d typed and deleted the same message ten times: I’m sorry.
He wasn’t sure what he was apologizing for — for pulling away, or for wanting her too much.
Ever since that almost-kiss, his thoughts hadn’t been the same. Every time he saw Ava, his chest tightened. Every time she smiled at someone else, he hated it.
And it scared him.
Falling for her wasn’t part of the plan.
He had his reputation — the confident, untouchable Ethan Blake. The guy who never got serious about anything, especially not a girl like Ava Moreno.
But she was different. She challenged him. She saw through his charm. She made him better — and that terrified him.
Meanwhile, Ava was at the library, trying to study, but her mind kept drifting. When Ethan finally walked in, her heart jumped.
He stopped in front of her table. “Can we talk?”
She hesitated. “About what?”
“About… us.”
Her pen froze mid-air. “There is no us, Ethan.”
He winced. “Right. I just—” He paused, searching for the right words. “I don’t want to mess things up.”
“You already did,” she said softly.
The words hung between them, painful and true.
He ran a hand through his hair, frustration flickering in his eyes. “I don’t know how to do this, Ava.”
“Then learn,” she whispered, finally looking up at him. “Because I’m not going to wait around forever.”
For once, Ethan had no comeback. He just stood there, watching her walk away, realizing that losing a debate with Ava was nothing compared to losing her.
- Writer
