Shades of Desire

Ivy

As I walked into Café on Main, my heart raced. The familiar smell of coffee and pastries filled the air, but all I could think about was Ethan. It had been a long time since we last talked, and a mix of nervousness and excitement bubbled in my stomach. I spotted him sitting at a corner table, his head bent over his phone. He looked up when I approached, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of the warmth we once shared.

"Hey," I said, sliding into the seat across from him.

"Hey," he replied, a small smile creeping onto his face, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. The spark we had felt dimmed, replaced by something heavier.

We exchanged small talk about college, trying to fill the silence with casual comments about classes and friends. I could feel the weight of unspoken words hanging in the air, pressing down on us. Finally, he took a deep breath, leaning forward as if he had something important to say.

"Ivy, can I ask you something?" he said, his voice serious.

"Sure," I said, my heart pounding. "What's up?"

"Are you happy with Jace?" he asked, his eyes searching mine. "Is he being good to you?"

I hesitated, searching for the right words. "Yeah, it's good. He's... nice to me." But as I said it, a pang of guilt shot through me. Jace was nice, but I couldn't shake the memories of Ethan.

Ethan looked down at his hands, a shadow passing over his face. "I wish I never asked you to be serious with me that night. Maybe things would've been different. Maybe you wouldn't be with Jace, and you would've still been with me."

I felt my heart drop at his words. "Ethan, it's not that simple. I mean, I didn't want to hurt you," I replied, struggling to find the right words. "You deserve so much better than all of this."

He sighed, looking away. "I think about that first moment in Truth or Dare—the way we kissed. It was just the first day of college, and I was so caught up in the excitement of it all. It felt perfect then. But now... now it feels like a distant memory."

I remembered that night vividly. The laughter, the thrill of the dare, and the way our lips met, igniting something in me I hadn't expected. "Yeah, I remember," I said quietly, my cheeks flushing at the memory. "It felt like we were on top of the world."

"But then everything changed," he said, his voice heavy with regret. "I tried to move on, but every time I see you, it just brings back all those feelings. I keep thinking of you every time something reminds me of us."

Tears pricked at my eyes as I reached out instinctively, placing my hand over his. "I'm so sorry, Ethan. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I just didn't know how to fix it."

"It's not your fault," he said, shaking his head. "I wanted to be honest with you. I need to know that I can let you go."

"You deserve someone so much better than me," I said, my heart aching for him. "I just wish it could've worked out differently."

He looked down for a moment, composing himself before meeting my gaze again. "Thanks, Ivy. I think I have to move on. I'll try. Maybe we could just be friends?"

"I would be more than happy with that," I said, forcing a smile despite the sadness in my chest. "I don't want to lose you completely."

We sat in silence for a moment, both lost in our thoughts. It felt like a step toward healing, but I knew the road ahead wouldn't be easy.