FORBIDDEN TIES {My brother's best friend}

Chapter 12

  Ezra's eyes locked onto Eva as she walked across the campus quad, her long blonde hair fluttering in the breeze. It had been months since they last spoke, and the memory of their brief fling still lingered in his mind. He couldn't help but feel a pang of regret and curiosity.

Without thinking, Ezra found himself walking towards her, his long strides closing the distance between them. Eva looked up, startled, as he approached. Her eyes narrowed slightly, her expression cautious.

"Eva," he said, his deep voice low and smooth. "Long time no talk."

Eva's gaze faltered, her eyes darting away before returning to his face. She hesitated, her voice measured. "Ezra. What do you want?"

Ezra's smile faltered, sensing her wariness. He had expected it, given how things ended between them. "I just wanted to catch up, see how you're doing," he said, trying to sound nonchalant.

Eva raised an eyebrow, her skepticism evident. "You suddenly care about my well-being after months of silence?"

Ezra's face flushed, knowing he deserved her skepticism. "I know I messed up, Eva. I was a jerk, and I hurt you. But I'm trying to make amends, in my own way."

Eva's expression remained guarded, her voice firm. "Amends? You dumped me without explanation, Ezra. You ghosted me. What makes you think I'd want to talk to you now?"

Ezra's eyes dropped, his jaw clenched in regret. He knew he had hurt her, and he didn't blame her for her hesitation. But he wanted to make things right, somehow. "I know I can't undo what's done, Eva. But I want to try to make it right, in some small way. Can we just talk, please?"

The tension between them was palpable, Eva's hesitation evident

  She looked at him before sighing deeply, her expression a mix of disappointment and resignation.

"Just when Lena is finally talking to me, do you really think I would trade our friendship for anything?" she asked, her eyes locking with Ezra's in a moment of earnest sincerity.

"I know, I know, but..." Ezra paused, his shoulders slumping with a sigh of his own.

"I really did like you," he admitted quietly, hoping she would understand his conflicted feelings. However, her response was blunt and cutting.

"Fuck you," she retorted sharply, rolling her eyes before turning on her heel and walking away, leaving Ezra standing there with a pang of regret gnawing at him.

~~

  "She hates me more than a cat hates a mouse," Ezra remarked later, his fingers deftly maneuvering the buttons on a game controller.

"Why did you talk to her then?" Cyrus asked, his focus unwavering on their video game session.

"Well... The time I spent with her was really nice. I enjoyed it, and I actually wanted to explore that more," Ezra explained, glancing briefly at Cyrus who raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Are you saying you're settling down now?" Cyrus teased lightly, his lips quirking into a small smile.

"Not... exactly. I mean, I'm still interested in other girls, obviously, but right now, I want her," Ezra clarified with a chuckle, a hint of self-awareness in his tone.

"Commitment isn't our thing, huh?" Cyrus remarked knowingly, sharing a knowing look with Ezra.

"True," Ezra agreed, a sense of camaraderie evident in his voice as they continued their gaming session.

"Two down, four more," Cyrus remarked casually, referring to their progress in the game.

"So... who's your new fling?" Ezra inquired playfully, his attention divided between the screen and Cyrus.