The morning after their first kiss, the air between Alex and Ethan was charged, but in a different way. There was an undercurrent of something more—something they both felt but hadn’t yet addressed. It hung in the space between them, like a secret neither of them was ready to fully confront.
Alex had woken up to the sunlight streaming through the window, his body tangled in the sheets, a slight ache in his chest from the intensity of the night before. The memory of Ethan’s kiss was still fresh, every detail etched in his mind, but now there was a gnawing feeling, a sense that something was missing. Or maybe it was something he was afraid to face.
When he went to make coffee, Ethan had already left.
At first, Alex thought it was nothing—maybe Ethan had just needed some space. But the nagging feeling in his gut grew as the hours passed, and soon, his phone buzzed with a single message from Ethan: We need to talk.
The words hit him like a punch to the stomach.
He had spent the morning replaying their kiss, imagining what their relationship could become, but now doubt crept in. Was Ethan pulling away? Or had he simply been caught up in the moment, only to realize it was more complicated than just a kiss?
Alex didn’t wait long to reach out. He found Ethan at the small café they frequented, sitting by the window, looking out at the bustling street below. His face was unreadable, and when he saw Alex approach, he smiled—but it didn’t quite reach his eyes.
"Hey," Alex greeted softly, his heart racing. He sat down across from Ethan, the unease growing stronger with each passing second.
"Hey," Ethan replied, his voice quiet. He ran a hand through his hair, looking uncomfortable. "I didn’t want to leave you hanging this morning. I... I needed time to think."
Alex nodded, trying to mask the rush of emotions threatening to spill over. "About last night?" he asked, his voice steady but his mind racing.
Ethan hesitated, looking down at the table. "I think... I think I’ve been running from something for a long time. And last night made me realize it." He paused, his fingers tracing the edge of his coffee cup. "I care about you, Alex. More than I think I’ve ever cared about anyone. But there’s something I need to tell you, something I’ve been hiding."
Alex felt his heart beat faster, his palms beginning to sweat. "What is it?" he asked, barely above a whisper.
Ethan looked up at him, his expression now serious, almost regretful. "I’ve been in a relationship with someone else. For a while now." The words hit like a wave crashing against a shore. "I didn’t want to admit it to myself, let alone to you. But I can’t keep lying."
Alex’s breath caught in his throat. The world seemed to tilt on its axis, the words echoing in his mind. "You’re... with someone else?" His voice cracked, betraying the emotions he had been desperately trying to keep in check.
Ethan nodded, his gaze falling again. "I didn’t mean for it to happen this way. I never wanted to hurt you. But there’s something about what we have, Alex—what we had last night—that I can’t ignore. It feels real. And that scares me."
The weight of his words crushed Alex’s chest, the reality of the situation sinking in. He had thought that what they shared was something pure, something meant to be. But now, it felt like a lie, a betrayal.
"Who is it?" Alex managed to ask, his voice barely steady. "Who are you with?"
Ethan hesitated again, his face filled with conflict. "His name is Sam. He’s been a part of my life for years. But… but there’s something about you, Alex. Something I can’t shake. I don’t want to hurt you, but I don’t know what to do."
A silence stretched between them, thick and suffocating. Alex felt his mind spinning, his heart torn in two. The man he had kissed, the man he had trusted with his emotions, had a secret life. And yet, despite the pain, despite the betrayal, a part of him still wanted to understand.
"Do you love him?" Alex asked, his voice softer now, his chest tight with emotion.
Ethan met his eyes, a flicker of hesitation in his gaze. "I don’t know," he admitted, his voice raw. "I think I did once. But now… now I’m not so sure."
Alex felt a pang of hurt, but more than that, he felt a sense of clarity. This wasn’t just about a kiss, about what they had shared. It was about truth, and honesty, and the messy, complicated nature of love. And if they were going to navigate this together, they had to face the truth, no matter how painful it might be.
"I don’t know what this means for us," Alex said, his voice steady despite the storm inside him. "But I need you to be honest with me. About everything."
Ethan nodded, his eyes filled with regret. "I will. I promise.
