LOVE BEYOND TIME

CHAPTER 2 : HE RETURNED

The classroom was a blur of whispered conversations, scratching pencils, and occasional giggles, but Mia remained silent. Her mind wasn't in the room; it was back in the library, where she had last seen Ethan.

The brief encounter had lingered with her, even though they hadn't spoken much. Ethan had barely looked at her that day, yet something about him had drawn her in.

For the next few days, Mia's routine at school felt hollow. She went through the motions—attending classes, chatting with her friends, sitting in the courtyard during recess—but a part of her was always elsewhere, searching for him. She hadn't seen Ethan since that day in the library, and the absence weighed on her more than she'd anticipated.

Each morning, she passed by his classroom, her heart racing a little, hoping she'd catch a glimpse of him. But his seat remained empty, day after day. In the library, she returned to the same table, hoping he'd show up again, lost in another book. But he never did. Every day, her hope dimmed a little more.

*Why hasn't he come back?* The question gnawed at her. She didn't know him well—not really—but there was something about the quiet boy with the intense gaze that captivated her. And now, he was simply... gone.

Mia's friends noticed her growing distraction, but she brushed off their questions with half-hearted smiles. She couldn't explain why she felt this way, couldn't even admit to herself how much Ethan's absence affected her. But the truth was, the school felt emptier without him. The usual buzz of life around her seemed distant, muted.

*Is he avoiding me?* The thought crept into her mind one evening as she sat at her desk, staring blankly at her homework. *Did I do something wrong? Maybe he didn't want to talk to me at all...*

The next day, as she walked through the corridor, she spotted someone familiar—Ethan's friend, the one she had seen with him a few times before. Her heart skipped a beat as she hurried toward him. And then, she saw Ethan.

He wasn't walking beside his friend. He was sitting in a wheelchair, being pushed slowly through the hallway. The sight stopped Mia in her tracks. Her breath caught in her throat. *What happened?*

Without thinking, she rushed toward them. "Ethan!" she called out, her voice shaky. His friend stopped pushing, turning to look at her. Ethan, however, barely reacted. His head lifted slowly, and his eyes met hers with a distant, unreadable expression.

Mia swallowed hard, her concern overwhelming her hesitation. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice soft. "I haven't seen you in days..."Ethan's gaze flickered, but he didn't say much. "I'm fine," he muttered, his tone quiet and reserved. He glanced away, as though trying to avoid the conversation.

Mia stood there, uncertain, feeling the weight of the silence between them. She wanted to ask more, to understand what had happened, but Ethan wasn't giving her much. His friend spoke instead, filling in the gaps. "He's been in the hospital," the boy said. "Just got out."Mia's chest tightened. *The hospital?* She wanted to ask a thousand questions, but she could sense Ethan's reluctance to talk. His posture was stiff, his expression closed off, and it was clear that he didn't want to make a big deal out of it."I'm glad you're okay," Mia said quietly, offering a small, tentative smile. Ethan's eyes flicked to hers briefly, and for a moment, she thought she saw something soften. But just as quickly, he looked away again, his face impassive.

There was an awkward pause, and Mia felt the tension rising. She didn't want to push him, didn't want to make him uncomfortable. But she also didn't want to leave without saying something. "If you ever need anything, you know... I'm around," she added gently, unsure if he'd even care.Ethan gave a small nod, but said nothing in return. His friend resumed pushing the wheelchair, and Mia watched as they made their way down the hall, the distance between them growing. She felt a pang of disappointment, but also a strange sense of relief knowing that Ethan was okay, even if he didn't want to talk to her.

As she turned and headed back to her own class, Mia's mind was swirling. She hadn't expected Ethan to be so closed off, but maybe that was just who he was. Maybe he didn't want to let people in, and she was just another face in the crowd to him.

Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to him, something behind those guarded eyes that she wanted to understand. But for now, all she could do was wait. Wait, and hope that maybe one day, he'd let her in.