Beneath The Surface

Chapter 22: The Silent Tension

Ava walked out of the café with Lucas by her side, the silence between them growing heavier with each step. The air was cool, and the sun had started to dip below the horizon, casting a warm, golden hue over the streets. Ethan had left a few minutes earlier, excusing himself abruptly after the awkward exchange between the three of them.

Lucas hadn't said much since they left, and it made Ava uneasy. She could sense his discomfort, his mind likely spinning with questions he wasn't ready to ask. She wasn't sure if she was ready to answer them either.

As they reached the park, Ava stopped, turning to face him. "Lucas, are you okay?"

He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a small sigh. "I don't know, Ava. That was... weird. I didn't expect to walk in and see you with Ethan. I thought we were meeting up today."

Ava felt her heart twist with guilt. "I wasn't planning on seeing him. It was an accident, I swear."

"I believe you," Lucas said, his tone soft, but there was a hint of something deeper there—something he wasn't saying.

They sat down on a nearby bench, and Ava could feel the tension building. She needed to be honest with him, but she wasn't sure where to start. The truth was, she hadn't fully processed her feelings for either of them. It was all so confusing.

"I feel like I'm getting in the middle of something," Lucas said after a moment, his gaze focused on the ground. "And I don't want to be, but... I can't help how I feel about you, Ava."

His words hit her like a ton of bricks. Lucas had always been so calm and supportive, and now she could see how much this was affecting him. She owed him honesty, even if it wasn't the clarity he deserved.

"I don't want to hurt you, Lucas," she said quietly, her hands fidgeting in her lap. "But I'm confused. I don't know what I'm feeling right now. I care about you so much, but things with Ethan... they're complicated. I'm just... lost."

Lucas stayed silent for a moment, his jaw tensing slightly. "I don't want to pressure you, Ava. But I also don't want to stand by, waiting for you to figure out how you feel about Ethan while I'm here. I need to know where I stand."

Ava's chest tightened. She had been trying to avoid making a decision, hoping things would become clearer on their own. But Lucas was right—he deserved to know where they stood.

"I wish I could give you an answer," she said, her voice trembling. "But I'm not there yet. I don't want to lose you, but I also don't want to string you along."

Lucas's expression softened, though there was a sadness in his eyes. "I get it. I do. But I can't keep pretending like everything's okay when I feel like I'm competing for your attention."

Ava opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She glanced at the screen—Ethan had texted her.

Lucas noticed, and the shift in his demeanor was immediate. "It's him, isn't it?"

Ava hesitated, nodding slightly. "Yeah."

The silence that followed felt suffocating. Lucas stood up, running a hand through his hair again, this time in frustration. "I don't know if I can do this, Ava. I like you—a lot. But I'm not going to play second to him."

Ava's heart dropped. She had feared this moment, and now that it was here, it hurt more than she had imagined. "Lucas, I don't want you to feel that way. I just... I need time."

"I understand," Lucas said, his voice calm but distant. "But time doesn't change the fact that you still have feelings for him."

With that, Lucas turned and started to walk away, leaving Ava sitting on the bench, her heart heavy with regret. She wanted to call after him, but the words wouldn't come. She watched him disappear down the path, the reality of her situation sinking in.

She was at risk of losing them both.