A Year Between Us
632 Words
Sunlight crept into the room, painting golden stripes across the tangled sheets. Maya stirred, blinking slowly as the haze of last night washed over her—the kisses, the heat, the way Mike had held her like she was the only thing in his world.
For a moment, she let herself stay there, pressed against his bare chest, listening to his heartbeat beneath her ear. It was steady, strong, grounding.
“Morning,” Mike murmured, his voice still husky with sleep. His arm tightened around her waist. “You look way too good right now.”
She groaned softly, half laughing. “Don’t start.”
“What?” He tilted his head to grin at her. “It’s the truth. You look beautiful.”
She sat up, pulling the blanket around herself, suddenly self-conscious. “Mike, we need to talk.”
The shift in her tone sobered him instantly. He sat up too, leaning against the headboard, his eyes fixed on her. “Okay. I’m listening.”
Maya took a deep breath. “Last night… it was—” She broke off, her cheeks flushing. “It meant something to me. But I can’t… I can’t just pretend everything’s fine and easy now.”
“I don’t want to pretend,” he said quickly. “I want to make things right. I want you.”
Her heart ached at the way he said it, raw and certain. But she shook her head. “Wanting me isn’t enough, Mike. You broke my heart once. I can’t risk giving you everything again and losing myself in the process.”
He flinched at the words, guilt flashing in his eyes. “I know. I was a fool. I didn’t see what I had until I lost it. But Maya, I swear, I’m not that guy anymore.”
She studied him for a long moment, searching his face, weighing every word. Finally, she sighed.
“Here’s what I’m thinking,” she said slowly. “I’ve got one more year left at university. One year where I need to focus, build my future, finish what I started. And I can’t do that if I’m constantly afraid of what’s happening between us.”
He frowned. “So… what are you saying?”
“I’m saying,” she continued, “let’s try this. Long distance. One year. If you really mean what you’ve been saying, if you’re serious about us, then you’ll wait. You’ll prove it. And when I come back—if we’ve made it through—then we’ll start our life together.”
Mike was quiet, his jaw tight, his gaze searching hers.
“One year,” he repeated finally.
She nodded. “One year. No lies. No games. Just honesty. And if at any point it doesn’t feel right… we let it go.”
For a second, she thought he’d argue. But then he reached for her hand, threading his fingers through hers.
“You think I can’t handle one year?” he asked softly, a teasing edge in his voice. “Maya, I’d wait a lifetime if that’s what it took.”
Her chest squeezed painfully, tears threatening behind her eyes. “Don’t say things you don’t mean.”
“I mean every word,” he said firmly. “You’re it for me. And if all I get for the next year are phone calls, texts, and weekends when I’m lucky… I’ll take it. Because at the end of it, I’ll still have you.”
She tried to smile, but it trembled. “We’ll see.”
“No,” he said, pulling her closer, pressing his forehead to hers. “You’ll see. I’ll prove it.”
The sunlight caught his eyes then—bright, determined, full of something that scared her more than anything.
Hope.
- Writer
