In for the win

Chapter 26

ETHAN

I knock insistently on her door.

KNOCK

I'm gonna tell her. She has the right to know. She deserves to know how I feel about her. But. What if she doesn't feel that way? Doesn't matter. I'm telling her.

KNOCK

But what do I do? I'm going to completely upset her.

KNOCK

No, I'm definitely telling her. This thump in my heart has been torturing me since Friday, and I couldn't possibly go as if everything was norma.

I hear movement inside the apartment.

Okay, too late to back off no Ethan.

I wait as I hear the lock turning twice. I can feel my heart pounding against my chest, threatening to break my ribs with every beat.

Heart please stop beating that hard so that I can actually hear myself think?

I see as the door opens slowly in front of me. Despite the low light, I manage to make out her small silhouette, her large emerald eyes staring straight at me intensely. I stare at her speechless, finding no way to start the conversation. She suddenly decides to speak, breaking the silence between us.

"E-Ethan? Wh-what are you doing here?" she mutters, under her breath. The beating of my heart that was so strong before has now disappeared, suggesting that my heart has simply stopped.

Same goes for my lungs. I have difficulty breathing . Since when did the air here become so heavy, are we in the desert or what? She looks up and down at me, an insistent look spread across her face.

"Ethan? Did you hear me?" she repeats.

Come on brain, don't let me down now!

I pluck up the courage and inhale deeply.

"Uhm. Hi. Again. I really need to talk to you."

"Uhm, okay. Do you want to come inside?" Amara asks.

"Yeah sure."

-

"Do you want some tea?" Amara asks awkwardly, avoiding eye contact. I chuckle.

"Tea? It's 1am you don't drink tea at 1 am"

"I don't know, I was wondering." There is a little silence reigning in her kitchen. Amara fidgets with her rings on her fingers. She looks back up at me.

"What are you here for Ethan?"

Okay, my time to shine now.

"I guess, I wanted to talk to you about something. Something important."

"Uhm, alright. Go on."

"I-I. Shit how do I say this?" I stutter.

"Ethan. Come on, you're starting to freak me out." I swallow once, then a twice. Why the fuck won't my brain cooperate?