Third person POV:
While Anna was caught up in her whirlwind of thoughts, Davis found himself lost in his own. He stared at his phone, Anna's name still at the top of his messages. He'd always been the one to make small but meaningful gestures—remembering her favorite things, making plans just to spend time with her, and taking every chance to make her smile. Yet, she never seemed to notice it. To Anna, he was her closest friend, her "bestie." And even though she acted irritated when he mentioned Sasha, as if she might be jealous, it wasn't enough for him to be sure.
The uncertainty gnawed at him. Davis sighed, his mind circling back to Sasha's proposal for a date. He wasn't particularly interested in her, but loneliness had a way of making bad ideas seem tempting. Maybe agreeing to the date would stir something in Anna, push her to show him how she really felt—or at the very least, give him something to distract himself from the ache of waiting for a sign that might never come or perhaps be a good rebound after a heartbreak.
After a moment's hesitation, he picked up his phone and replied to Sasha's text.
Davis: Sure, let's do it.
...
Another day, Davis spotted Anna in the cafeteria, sitting alone with her phone and a half-finished cup of coffee. His face lit up as he walked toward her. "Marshall, listen, you know what?," he said, excitement clear in his voice. Anna glanced up, her expression unreadable. "What?" she asked, though her tone carried a hint of disinterest.
Davis didn't seem to notice. He leaned against the table, launching into the details of his date with Sasha. He talked about where they went, what they talked about, and how it went overall. Anna listened, biting her lip to keep herself composed. She nodded along, but her responses were clipped. "Hmm. Okay. Nice."
Her mind, however, was swirling. She told herself it didn't matter, that she had no right to feel this irritated. "I'm sorry, I have to go. I'm running late for class." She quickly gathered her things and stood, avoiding his gaze. Davis frowned. "Oh, alright. Are you free later?" "Maybe," she mumbled, walking away before he could say more.
...
The texting between Anna and Davis had become less frequent, though it hadn't lost its playful tone. They still shared memes and random tidbits, laughing at each other's quirks. If there was any tension between them, it didn't show in those brief, light-hearted exchanges.
Meanwhile, Asher had become a more consistent presence in Anna's life. He called often, his cheesy flirtation sometimes veered into borderline creepy, but Anna handled it with her usual nonchalant demeanor. Their conversations had grown deeper, filled with shared stories and random discussions. Despite his quirks, Asher managed to slip into her comfort zone, making her laugh.
One day as they were on a call, he brought up the topic of a paranormal experience. One could tell it was a made up story but Anna showed interest and was really scared when he told her. "Are you sure this happened?" she asked nervously. "Absolutely. By the way... is someone behind you?" He questioned in a grave tone. "What?" Anna froze. "No, I'm alone." "C'mon, look behind you. I'm hearing something," he whispered.
"Asher, stop it!" she snapped, gripping her phone. "It's dark, and you're freaking me out!" After a pause, he burst out laughing. "Gotcha!" Anna groaned. "You're the worst." He chuckled on call. "C'mon, don't you like me a little bit?" Anna rolled her eyes, even though he couldn't see it. "Not even a little bit."
_
One day on campus, Davis noticed Anna sitting under a tree in the garden, her face lit up by a smile as she typed on her phone. The sight made him pause. When Anna looked up and caught his gaze, she quickly put her phone down, waving at him casually with a smile. "Hey," he replied, forcing a grin and raising his hand in return. He didn't press further, but the pang in his chest lingered.
He knew. He'd seen Asher interacting with Anna online before, joking with her in the comments and she used to mention him a lot recently. Now, seeing her smile like that while texting, it was clear to him who she was talking to. Davis turned away, telling himself to let it go. But the thought made him irritable. In an attempt to push Anna to admit her feelings for him, he pushed her further away and now she was getting close to someone else.
...
The more Anna saw Sasha hanging onto Davis at college, the more she withdrew. She started avoiding them altogether, claiming to be too busy with classes or hurrying home as soon as she could. The growing distance only solidified her belief—Davis didn't feel anything for her beyond friendship.
Caught in her inner turmoil, she found herself leaning on Asher more and more. His calls, jokes, and stories became a welcome distraction, and somewhere along the way, she realized she'd developed feelings for him. She never said it out loud, but it was there, quietly lingering in the spaces between their conversations.
One day, while chatting with another online friend, a girl she trusted, Anna casually mentioned Asher. Her friend hesitated before responding. "Asher? He's such a flirt," she said. "He was sending me all these sweet messages the other day." "Oh," she typed back, trying to sound indifferent. "You know it's just his nature, right? He's like that with everyone," her friend added lightly. She even sent her the screenshots of his chats in a group she wasn't in.
Anna's fingers paused over the keyboard. She had known that, deep down, but a part of her had believed she was different. That maybe, just maybe, the way he spoke to her meant something more. "Aww, Anna, babygirl, Did you have feelings for Asher?" It felt as if her friend pitied her as she asked.
Anna typed a quick yes and immediately threw her phone onto the couch as if it had burned her. The truth of it stung, sharp and unforgiving. Later that night, Asher called her, but she blocked his contact. Deep inside, the feelings of her past break up resurfaced, blending with her current heartache. How could she have been so naive again? How could she believe she was special?
Tears gathered in her eyes and rushed down her cheeks as she buried her face in her hands, the weight of everything overwhelming her. The quiet of the room felt suffocating, and for the first time in a long while, she allowed herself to feel everything—the hurt from her past, the disappointment in herself, and the uncertainty of what she felt. It was a mix of emotions that left her breathless.
It was the moment she decided that she'd never be so foolish again. She wouldn't allow herself to get too attached to anyone, not to the point where her own feelings were at risk of being shattered. She had let herself fall too deeply before, and the pain it caused her was something she never wanted to experience again. She decided she'd not date anyone, not for a while at least.
YOU ARE READING
Invisible String.
Romance"She built a fortress around her shattered heart, each stone laid with ache of love lost. But someone knew her before the walls were raised, he knew her far beyond than anyone else. Even though, she always kept him at arm's length, he danced with h...
