Until forever...

Chapter 9: The Aftermath

Maya spent the entire night tossing and turning, replaying the kiss over and over in her mind. She couldn’t believe it had happened. Ethan had kissed her. And she hadn’t stopped him.

By the time morning came, Maya was exhausted—both physically and mentally. She had no idea what to do, no idea how to act the next time she saw him. Should she ignore it? Pretend it never happened? Or worse, acknowledge it and have an awkward conversation about what it meant?

She groaned, pulling the covers over her head. Why did everything have to get so complicated?

It didn’t help that Tara had texted her, asking for all the details about the dinner. Maya knew she couldn’t avoid her best friend forever, but she wasn’t ready to spill everything just yet. She needed to figure things out for herself first.

Later that day, as Maya sat in the library trying to focus on her homework, her phone buzzed on the desk. She glanced at it, her heart skipping a beat when she saw Ethan’s name.

Ethan: Hey. Can we talk?

Maya stared at the message, her stomach twisting with nerves. She had been dreading this moment, but she knew she couldn’t avoid it forever. Taking a deep breath, she typed out a reply.

Maya: Yeah. Where?

A few minutes later, her phone buzzed again.

Ethan: Meet me at the café by the student center? In like 10 minutes?

Maya exhaled, already feeling the anxiety creeping up. But she forced herself to stand, grabbing her bag and heading out of the library. She needed to face this head-on, no matter how awkward or uncomfortable it might be.

When she arrived at the café, Ethan was already sitting at a table near the window, a cup of coffee in front of him. He looked up when she walked in, giving her a small smile that made her heart race all over again.

“Hey,” he said as she sat down.

“Hey,” Maya replied, trying to keep her voice steady.

There was an awkward silence for a moment, both of them unsure of how to start the conversation. Finally, Ethan cleared his throat.

“About last night...” he began, his voice cautious. “I didn’t mean to freak you out.”

“You didn’t,” Maya said quickly, though her heart was pounding. “I just... wasn’t expecting it.”

Ethan nodded, his expression serious. “I get it. But I meant what I said, Maya. I like you. And I think you like me too, even if you don’t want to admit it.”

Maya felt a flush rise in her cheeks, her mind racing. She didn’t know how to respond, didn’t know how to navigate the confusing feelings swirling inside her. She had spent so long convincing herself that Ethan wasn’t part of her plan, that he was just a distraction. But now, faced with the reality of how she felt, she wasn’t sure what to do.

“I don’t know,” she said finally, her voice small. “I’ve spent so long focused on my goals, on my future