Ava stood at the edge of the rooftop garden, the city stretching out beneath her like a blanket of stars. The hum of traffic and distant voices drifted upward, but up here, everything felt still. She wrapped her coat tighter around her, trying to shake off the chill of the autumn air.
She wasn’t sure why she had come tonight. This was Ethan’s spot—his secret sanctuary above the chaos of the world below. He had brought her here once, after a late-night shift at the café where they both worked, a rare quiet moment shared between endless coffee orders and clinking dishes.
“You can see everything from up here,” he had said, leaning against the railing, his eyes reflecting the city’s glow. “But it’s also the only place where you can feel like you’re alone.”
Ava hadn’t felt alone that night, not with him standing so close, his presence a calming force. They had spent hours talking about their dreams, their frustrations, and their lives before this strange in-between phase of juggling jobs and figuring out their futures. He was always open, a bit too honest sometimes, but it was refreshing. She had shared parts of herself she rarely revealed, feeling safe under the cloak of the city lights.
Now, she was here without him, the air between them thick with the words left unsaid. It had been weeks since they’d had a real conversation. Something had shifted, and she couldn’t pinpoint when. Maybe it was the night she had caught him looking at her just a little too long, or the way his hand had lingered when he passed her a coffee cup. There had always been something between them, but they had never named it.
She heard the door to the rooftop creak open and turned. Ethan stood there, hands shoved in his pockets, his hair tousled by the wind. His eyes found hers immediately.
“I figured you’d be here,” he said, his voice soft as he stepped closer. “I was hoping you’d come.”
Ava swallowed hard, her heart picking up pace. “I wasn’t sure if I should.”
He moved to stand beside her, leaning against the railing just as he had that first night. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the weight of everything unsaid hanging in the air.
“I’ve been thinking,” he began, his gaze focused on the skyline. “About how things have been... strange between us.”
Ava nodded but said nothing.
“I didn’t want to mess this up, you know? What we have. But I also can’t pretend anymore.”
Her pulse quickened. “Pretend what?”
He finally turned to her, his expression serious, eyes searching hers. “That I don’t feel something for you. Something more than friendship.”
Ava felt her breath catch. She had expected it, but hearing him say it out loud made her heart race in a way she hadn’t anticipated.
“Ethan…” she started, unsure of how to say what she was feeling. She looked down at the city below, the lights blurring together, and then back at him. “I’ve felt it too.”
His hand reached out, brushing hers lightly, the warmth of his touch spreading through her like wildfire. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I was scared,” she admitted. “Scared that if we acknowledged it, everything would change.”
“It already has,” he said, stepping closer, his voice low. “But that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.”
Ava met his gaze, her heart pounding in her chest. His face was inches from hers now, and she could feel the pull between them, as if the city itself were holding its breath. Slowly, she closed the gap, their lips meeting in a tentative, tender kiss that felt like a promise of something new.
When they pulled apart, Ethan rested his forehead against hers, his hand still holding hers gently. “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.”
She smiled, her heart feeling lighter than it had in weeks. “Me too.”
They stood there, beneath the city lights, the noise of the world below fading away. Everything had changed, but for the first time, Ava wasn’t scared. She had found something real, something worth holding onto. And as they stood together, the future seemed just a little less uncertain.
