Ethan's pov
I stood frozen as she pulled away, the warmth we'd shared evaporating in an instant. Each step she took felt like a jagged stone slicing through my chest, sharp and unforgiving. Her eyes—the ones I'd admired from afar for months—were clouded now, distant, guarded. There was a war going on behind them, one I couldn't reach.
"I have to go," she whispered, barely steady.
The words landed on me like a blow, unexpected and brutal. I wanted to protest, to tell her she didn't have to run from me—that I was here, ready to catch her if she fell. But my throat tightened, and no sound came out. Instead, I stood still, watching her retreat, the space between us growing with every step she took.
Why won't she let me in? The question echoed relentlessly in my mind, twisting tighter with each heartbeat.
I'd liked Lena for a long time. More than I cared to admit, even to myself. She'd been this brilliant, fierce, complicated force in my life—a puzzle I was desperate to solve. Tonight, I thought maybe, just maybe, the walls were starting to come down. That kiss, the quiet moments, the way her hand felt in mine—it all felt real.
But now, I was left standing here, swallowed by the empty space she left behind, feeling more alone than I had in a long time.
I clenched my fists so tightly my knuckles turned white, frustration and helplessness coursing through me. I wanted to scream, to beg her to trust me. To let me be the person she could lean on.
But I knew the truth—she was fighting battles I couldn't see, carrying secrets too heavy for her to share. And no matter how much I wanted to break through, she wasn't ready. Maybe she never would be.
The night air felt colder now, biting against my skin as I took a shaky breath. My mind raced—what could I do? How could I reach her when every attempt pushed her further away?
I swallowed the ache in my chest and made a decision.
I wasn't going to give up. Not on her. Not on us.
Because some things—some people—were worth fighting for, no matter how impossible it seemed.