chapter 4: The Distance Between Us
655 Words
Ethan thought pretending everything was normal would make things easier.
He was wrong.
The next morning, he arrived at school earlier than usual and sat quietly at his desk. He pulled out his notebook and tried to focus on his homework.
A few minutes later, Maya walked into the classroom.
“Ethan!”
He looked up.
Her face immediately brightened when she saw him.
“Good morning!”
“Morning.”
She walked toward him and dropped her bag beside her usual seat.
“You came early.”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“Just felt like it.”
Maya stared at him.
“You're acting strange again.”
Ethan forced a laugh.
“I'm always strange.”
“True.”
She smiled and sat down.
Normally, Ethan would have started teasing her immediately.
But this time, he stayed quiet.
Maya noticed.
“So…”
“So?”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah.”
“You've said that three times this week.”
“Because I'm okay.”
Maya frowned.
“Okay.”
She turned toward the teacher as the lesson began.
Ethan felt guilty.
He didn't want to hurt her.
He just didn't know how to be around her anymore.
Every time she smiled at him, his heart reacted differently.
Every time she got close, he became nervous.
And whenever another boy talked to her, he had to remind himself that Maya was his best friend and could talk to whoever she wanted.
It was exhausting.
So he decided to create some distance.
During lunch, Maya waited beneath their usual tree.
Ethan didn't come.
She checked the classroom.
He wasn't there.
She finally found him in another part of the school, sitting with a few classmates.
“Ethan!”
He looked up.
“Oh. Hey.”
“Why aren't you at our spot?”
“I wanted to sit here today.”
Maya looked surprised.
“Oh.”
“Is that a problem?”
“No.”
She smiled awkwardly.
“Okay.”
She turned to leave.
“Maya.”
She looked back.
“Yeah?”
“I'll see you later.”
“Sure.”
She walked away.
Ethan watched her leave and immediately regretted what he'd done.
He wanted to run after her.
He wanted to explain.
Instead, he stayed where he was.
Over the next few days, the distance grew.
Ethan stopped waiting for Maya after class.
He answered her messages with shorter replies.
He stopped sitting beside her during lunch.
He even started taking different routes through the school just to avoid having to explain himself.
Maya couldn't understand it.
One afternoon, she caught up with him outside the classroom.
“Ethan, wait.”
He stopped.
“What?”
“Did I do something?”
His heart sank.
“No.”
“Then why are you avoiding me?”
“I'm not.”
“You are.”
He looked away.
“Maya, it's nothing.”
“It's clearly something.”
“I said I'm fine.”
“And I said I don't believe you.”
Ethan became quiet.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Maya's expression softened.
“Did I upset you?”
“No.”
“Did someone tell you something about me?”
“No.”
“Then what is it?”
Ethan couldn't answer.
Because the truth was standing right in front of him.
He was falling for his best friend.
And he was terrified.
“I just need some space,” he finally said.
Maya stared at him.
“Space?”
“Yeah.”
She nodded slowly.
“Okay.”
She walked away before he could see the hurt on her face.
Ethan watched her disappear down the hallway.
He had wanted distance.
Now that he had it, he hated it.
He had no idea that the space he thought would protect their friendship would soon become the very thing that threatened it.
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