The days that followed were a blur of lectures, assignments, and stolen glances. Ethan found himself drawn to Liam like a moth to a flame, their paths crossing in the library, the cafeteria, the hallways. He would catch Liam's eye, and for a brief moment, their gazes would lock, a silent conversation passing between them.
Ethan felt a sense of hope, a feeling that maybe, just maybe, things could be different this time. He was no longer the shy, insecure boy who had buried his feelings under the oak tree. He had grown, he had changed, and he was ready to face his fears.
One afternoon, Ethan saw Liam sitting on a bench in the courtyard, his head resting on his hand, his expression lost in thought. Ethan walked over to him, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Hey," he said, his voice a little shaky.
Liam looked up, his eyes widening in surprise. "Ethan? Wow, it's been a while."
"Yeah, it has," Ethan said, a nervous smile playing on his lips. "How are you?"
Liam shrugged. "I'm okay. How about you?"
They chatted for a while, catching up on their lives, their voices filling the silence that had separated them for so long. Ethan felt a sense of relief, a feeling that maybe, just maybe, they could be friends again.
But as they talked, Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that something was different, that there was something unspoken between them. He felt it in the way Liam looked at him, in the way his voice softened when he spoke his name, in the way his hand lingered on Ethan's arm when they laughed.
YOU ARE READING
Maybe This Time
Short Story"Maybe This Time" is a heartwarming story about two young boys, Ethan and Liam, whose friendship blossoms into a love that they are too afraid to acknowledge. Their journey is a poignant exploration of first love, the complexities of coming to terms...
