Until forever...

Chapter 11: Crossing Lines

Maya wasn’t sure how it had happened, but somehow, over the past week, she and Ethan had developed a rhythm. Their group project meetings had become less tense, with fewer sarcastic remarks and more actual collaboration. It was unsettling how easily he had slipped into her routine, like he’d always been a part of it. She was used to planning everything down to the last detail, but with Ethan, things just... happened.

And now, as they sat in the library together once again, something felt different. Too familiar. Too close. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but there was an energy between them that hadn’t been there before.

Ethan leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms over his head. “We’ve been at this for hours. Don’t you think it’s time for a break?”

Maya glanced at the clock, surprised to see that it was already past 9 p.m. They had been working longer than she realized. “Yeah, maybe you’re right.”

“Wow, did I just hear Maya Patel agree with me? Mark the calendar,” Ethan teased, grinning at her.

Maya rolled her eyes, though she couldn’t help but smile. “Don’t get used to it.”

Ethan stood up, his usual easy confidence on full display as he stretched. “You hungry? There’s a food truck that stays open late a few blocks from here. We could grab something.”

Maya hesitated. This wasn’t part of the plan—working together in the library was one thing, but grabbing food outside of campus? That felt like crossing a line. A line she wasn’t sure she wanted to cross. But Ethan was already gathering his things, his invitation lingering in the air, and for some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to say no.

“I guess I could eat,” she said, trying to sound casual.

Ethan’s grin widened as if he had just won a small victory. “Good. Let’s go.”

They walked through the quiet streets, the cool night air offering a welcome contrast to the stuffy library. The city around them felt calmer at this hour, the usual hustle of college life fading into the background. For the first time in what felt like forever, Maya let herself relax.

“So,” Ethan said, hands shoved into his pockets as they strolled side by side, “I’m still trying to figure you out.”

Maya raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Figure me out? What’s there to figure out?”

He glanced at her, his eyes gleaming with that familiar mix of curiosity and amusement. “You’re... driven. But it feels like you’re always holding back. Like there’s a whole side of you you’re keeping under lock and key.”

Maya felt a flicker of defensiveness rise up. “Maybe I just don’t feel the need to overshare.”

Ethan chuckled. “It’s not about oversharing. It’s like you’re always two steps ahead, planning everything. Do you ever just... let go?”

Maya frowned. He wasn’t the first person to say that, but the way he said it—so casually, like he could see right through her—made it sting a little more. “There’s nothing wrong with being organized.”

“True. But sometimes it feels like you’re living in the future instead of the present.”

Maya opened her mouth to argue, but she stopped herself. Was he right? She was always thinking about her next move—her career, her grades, her life five years from now. It was exhausting, but she had always told herself it was necessary. Success didn’t come without sacrifice, right?

But before she could reply, they reached the food truck, and the smell of tacos and grilled cheese filled the air. Ethan ordered quickly, flashing the vendor a charming smile that made Maya roll her eyes again. He could charm his way through anything.

“What’ll you have?” he asked, turning to her.

“Uh, grilled cheese,” Maya said, still distracted by their earlier conversation.

Ethan paid for both of them before she could protest, and they found a bench nearby to sit and eat. For a while, they were quiet, the silence between them surprisingly comfortable. Maya glanced at him a few times, wondering how they had gotten here—how someone like Ethan, who seemed to go through life without a care in the world, could make her question everything about her own choices.

Ethan broke the silence first. “You know, you’re not what I expected.”

Maya looked up from her food, surprised. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know. I thought you’d be... different. Like, more uptight or something.”

Maya laughed softly. “I am uptight, according to you.”

Ethan shook his head, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “No, you’re just... intense. But in a good way. You care a lot about the things you do, and that’s cool. I didn’t expect that.”

Maya felt her cheeks warm at the compliment. It was rare for people to see that side of her. Most of her classmates thought of her as the girl who was always studying, always chasing perfection, but Ethan was seeing something else. And that scared her a little.

“Thanks, I guess,” she muttered, unsure how to respond.

Ethan’s smile softened, and for a moment, the playful edge to his personality seemed to fade. He looked at her, really looked at her, in a way that made her heart skip a beat. “You don’t have to be perfect all the time, you know. It’s okay to mess up.”

Maya stared at him, feeling something shift between them. This wasn’t just banter or teasing anymore—this felt real. Too real.

“I’m not trying to be perfect,” she said quietly, more to herself than to him. But even as she said it, she knew it wasn’t entirely true.

Ethan tilted his head, studying her. “Could’ve fooled me.”

They fell into silence again, but this time it was charged with something different. Maya’s heart raced, her thoughts tangled in ways she couldn’t unravel. She wasn’t supposed to feel like this—unsure, vulnerable, drawn to someone who wasn’t part of her carefully constructed world.

Before she knew what was happening, Ethan shifted closer, just enough that their shoulders brushed. The simple contact sent a shock through her, and she tensed, unsure of what to do. She should move, should put some space between them, but her body refused to listen.

“You okay?” Ethan asked softly, his voice laced with concern.

Maya nodded, though she wasn’t sure if she was okay at all. Her mind was spinning, her emotions all over the place. This was dangerous territory, and she knew it. Whatever was happening between them—it wasn’t just casual anymore. It wasn’t just a project or harmless teasing.

It was more than that, and it was crossing lines she had sworn she wouldn’t cross.

“I should probably go,” Maya said abruptly, standing up and brushing the crumbs off her lap. She couldn’t stay here, couldn’t let herself fall any deeper into whatever this was.

Ethan stood up too, looking slightly taken aback. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No, it’s not that. I just... have a lot of work to do.” The excuse sounded weak even to her own ears, but she didn’t care. She needed an out.

Ethan’s expression shifted, his eyes searching her face as if he knew exactly what was going on in her head. But he didn’t push. “Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Maya nodded, barely able to meet his gaze. “Yeah. Tomorrow.”

As she walked away, her heart pounded in her chest, a mix of confusion and guilt swirling inside her. She had let things go too far, had let herself feel too much. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Ethan wasn’t part of her plan.

But as much as she tried to convince herself otherwise, Maya couldn’t shake the feeling that some lines, once crossed, couldn’t be uncrossed.