Beneath The Surface

Chapter 16: A Tipping Point

Ava spent the next few days avoiding both Ethan and Lucas. Her mind was in turmoil, and every time she saw them in the hallways, her heart would race with a mix of anxiety and guilt. She couldn't deal with either of them until she figured out her own feelings. But the longer she avoided them, the heavier the burden grew.

By Friday, Ava knew she couldn't run anymore. She needed to confront her emotions, even if it meant facing the reality she had been avoiding. After her last class, she walked toward the courtyard, where she often went to clear her head. The late afternoon sun filtered through the trees, casting long shadows across the school grounds. She sat down on a bench, her thoughts swirling as she tried to make sense of everything.

Not long after, she heard footsteps approaching. Looking up, she saw Lucas, his hands tucked into his jacket pockets as he walked toward her. His expression was serious, but there was no anger—only concern.

"Ava, we need to talk," he said, his voice steady but gentle.

She nodded, bracing herself for what was to come. Lucas sat down next to her, leaving enough space between them for Ava to feel comfortable. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence hung between them, thick with unspoken words.

"I don't want to push you," Lucas finally said, his gaze fixed on the ground. "But I can't keep pretending everything is fine when it's not. You've been pulling away from me, and I don't know why. Is it... is it because of Ethan?"

Ava's heart skipped a beat at the mention of Ethan's name. She bit her lip, unsure of how to respond. Ethan had been on her mind constantly, but that wasn't the whole story. The truth was, her feelings for both of them had become so tangled that she didn't know how to separate them anymore.

"It's not just about Ethan," Ava said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's about me. I've been hiding so much of myself, even from you. I'm scared, Lucas. Scared that if you see who I really am, you'll leave."

Lucas turned to face her, his expression softening. "Ava, I've told you before—I care about you, not the version of you that everyone else sees. I don't need the makeup, or the perfect image. I need you to trust me."

Ava looked away, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. "But what if I'm not enough?"

"You are enough," Lucas said firmly, reaching out to take her hand. "You've always been enough."

For a moment, Ava let herself believe him. The warmth of his hand in hers brought a small sense of comfort, but it didn't erase the doubts swirling in her mind. She was about to say something when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a familiar figure approaching.

Ethan.

Ava's heart dropped. She hadn't expected to see him here, not now, not when she was already feeling so overwhelmed.

"Ava," Ethan called out as he came closer, his expression unreadable. "Can we talk?"

Lucas's grip on her hand tightened ever so slightly, a subtle reminder that he was there, waiting for her to make a choice. Ava's throat tightened as she looked between the two boys, each of them representing different parts of her heart.

She had to say something. She had to choose. But the words stuck in her throat, refusing to come out.

"Ethan, I—" Ava started, but her voice faltered. She couldn't do this. Not like this.

Ethan frowned, his eyes flicking to Lucas before settling back on Ava. "Ava, what's going on? You've been avoiding me."

"I'm sorry," she whispered, standing up from the bench. She couldn't bear to face both of them at once. "I just... I need time."

"Ava," Lucas said softly, his voice full of concern. "Running isn't going to solve anything. You have to figure this out."

She knew he was right, but the pressure was too much. Her emotions were a mess, her insecurities gnawing at her every thought. And now, with both Ethan and Lucas standing before her, waiting for an answer, she felt like she was being torn apart.

"I can't do this right now," Ava said, her voice shaking as she backed away from them. "I need space."

Before either of them could respond, Ava turned and walked away, her footsteps quickening as she made her way out of the courtyard. Her chest felt tight, her heart pounding as the weight of her indecision pressed down on her. She didn't know how to handle this—how to handle her feelings, her insecurities, or the boys who had become so entangled in her life.

All she knew was that, for now, she needed to be alone.